Suits/smarter office-based workwear tips for the clueless please

[TheScruffalo]

I have just been promoted at work (yay!) to a new department in a role which is more public facing. That part is all great but basically when I visited my new team I noticed to my horror that the other colleagues there dress a LOT more smartly and (to me) ‘grown up’ than my current role expects. In my current role we can wear trainers and jeans and it’s all very ‘back office’.

The new team wore jackets and trousers but they all managed to look cool and relaxed and modern.

I wore my one suit jacket i’ve had for past 15 years (virtually unworn) to the interview, and had kind of assumed the panel from the new department were also dressing up and suited for interviewing day purposes only..

So I guess I need to buy a couple of new (trouser) suits and maybe a blazer to go over existing navy work trousers.

I’m a size 10, mid 40s, pear shaped and can only wear flats. I am an autumn so navy, cream, coral and bluey-green are good, but workwear sections online keep seem to have a lot of black, white and cool greys etc.

I have never worn jackets to work before and have zero confidence what to look out for, or what is current in suits or workwear now. I’m having horrible flashbacks to being a scruffy kid in my smart school uniform and also worry that I will be very dated in my choices etc. please could you talk patiently to me about where to start looking and what for- especially if wearing smarter clothes or jacket to your office job did not come naturally to you!

I usually shop in H&M and uniqlo at the moment... thank you kindly for any advice you have!

I would start at Next plus they have a sale on so you might still be able to grab a bargain.

also try Jigsaw, Hobbs and John Lewis. These are all the places I would try first but I'm sure you'll get lots more advice.

Thanks - relieved it’s the sales at the moment.

I really like Esprit jersey blazers - smart and comfy.

Boden also do decent jersey type blazers in black and navy and the Hampshire trousers match. I would get a new navy suit with 7/8 length trousers , or wide leg if you are tall enough to pull that off whilst wearing flats. I would then get:

• a contrast colour blazer
• a tweedy mixed colour cardio jacket

Which you can wear with your navy trousers. Massimo Dutti is very good for these types of thing And then I would get a plain navy dress and a plain coloured dress in a colour you love, which you can then add scarves and jewellery to. Cos is good for these also for the quirky jewellery What's your budget?

Cardi jacket not cardio jacket! Like this www.massimodutti.com/gb/women/blazers/embellished-blazer-with-frayed-detail-c1748063p8096530.html?colorId=800&parentId=8096593 or www.massimodutti.com/gb/women/blazers/embellished-jacket-with-frayed-detail-c1748063p8068099.html?colorId=537&parentId=8068269

Hobbs and Next have a sale on now.

For shoes try shoeaholics. Plenty of Kurt Geiger flats for under £30.

I seriously need to upgrade my work look...

Thanks very much for all your tips everyone- really appreciate all the pointers and I will check them out online. Budget is ideally £80-100 for a suit max, since I am guessing I will need a couple of them to start with, but that might not be realistic.

Hoping I can push my luck further and ask what you would wear as a top under a trouser suit? I think I’m sadly too pear-shaped and booby to get away with a ‘masculine’ type business shirt which I have seen women look very cool in with a trouser suit.. So I guess I am looking for some kind of scoop neck blouse maybe..?

Hi Scruffalo,

For a top for wearing under a trouser suit - personally I like to keep clean lines so I just wear a plain white (good quality) tshirt with a nice necklace.

Then I pop a smart cardi on top if I'm taking the jacket off. Woolovers are fab.

Blouses that don't have flappy collars are also good. So grandad style. Although a pussybow does look nice if you can pull it off.

I'm 5 foot 2, mid thirties and definitely pear shaped size 14-16 if that helps!!

Just go to Debenhams and get their own brand. They have trousers, skirts, dresses and jackets from the same range.

Thank you again! I have ordered some stuff from Massimo Dutti which is exactly what I am hoping for- and in the sale they do have suits for 100 which is great. I will look out for a Boden Hampshire suit in the sales but they are only reduced in hot pink that I could find and I need to work up to that! Great tip on Debenhams- their own stuff and they have Hobbs reduced so that is great. Ditto esprit- need to go to a store to try on but you can also get a suit for 100 not in the sale so definitely worth trying those out. My tip to you all in return is to look at Zara- maybe not the best quality but they have some great reductions on workwear- which to my untrained eye looks fairly ‘current’, so you can get work trousers for under £20, which helpful if like me you need to put together some smarter basic work options quickly. I also ordered some blazers from Zara to try on so let’s see how it goes.

Following for some of these lovey links. Does "cardi jacket" mean very comfortable?

Lovely links

Whatever it is, layered and washable. Office air con never works and because most architects are stupid, opening windows are a thing of the past. So expect hot and stuffy conditions from April to October.

Aaah that explains it special. There is so much sleeveless stuff in workwear!

Consider booking yourself in with a personal shopper at John Lewis. It’s free and there’s no obligation to buy. I was really struggling with my style after returning from maternity leave, had no clothes that fitted and they sorted me out with a fantastic new work wardrobe for £500. I feel so confident in my new wardrobe that I’ve changed jobs twice since returning to work 18 months ago - both promotions! Honestly it’s been transformational for me.

SOTD Etui Noir layered with 4160 rhubarb and citrus cologne- fab combo. Yes it is a bit oudy - love it!

Wrong thread!

I'm 40 a size 10/12 and ted baker ottoman trousers are the best I've ever found for work. They wear exceptionally well.

I team with fine knitted tops (Zara) blouses (ted baker, primark, massimo dutti) and a crepe blazer (current staple is monsoon but next have a decent one a moment and the OUTNET always has a good selection)

I think the places I would go for workwear have already been mentioned, but congratulations on the promotion! Next trousers wash really well, I've found, and go on forever. Sainsbury's occasionally have some gems too, and a old colleague of mine who always looked amazingly put together used to swear by Asda!

Next for jackets,trousers.H&M scoop neck t shirts in cotton or the linen v necked t shirts, especially the deep v linen ones with capped sleeves are very flattering. You can individualise with jewellery,scarves ( Tk Maxx) or shoes.

My most worn item is a jersey blazer from Gap of all places. It's smart and holds its shape like a "real" blazer but is stretchy and comfy like a cardi.

I wear it with trousers or over jersey dresses

Do you have to wear trouser suits - how about dresses with jackets?