How to wear a dress (when you only ever wear trousers)

[Rainymorning]

I'm a lifelong trouser wearer aged 45, only 5'2 and being a size 16 means I always feel frumpy in a dress.
I now have a new job though and can be a little more adventurous, it's a relaxed office environment but we are still expected to dress nicely. I bought the dress pictured in a 16 and it fits really well and would love to wear it to work with a cardi to hide my flabby arms.
I bought a pair of slate grey tights which go perfectly but I'm struggling with shoes.
I did buy a pair of tan leather ankle boots but I looked really clumpy and dowdy in them - would a pair of ballerina pumps be better? I can't do heels more than about 2 inches. Also what sort of cardigan should I wear? Short? Long?
I'd love some help on how to dress, my new colleagues are all tall, slim young things and I feel a granny next to them in my sensible black trousers and mumsy tops 😒

Hate ballerina pumps. I’d get a heeled shoe up to the height you can wear.
I love the 20s style shoe but that might not be your style.
Was a trouser wearer for 30 years, then after my divorce I started wearing dresses.
Wear trousers about once or twice a year now

Oh and you’re only 45. I was a good ten years older.
That’s still very young and I’m a 16 now.
I’m 66 almost and I certainly don’t look or feel frumpy.

I think cardigans make you frumpy......

If you can avoid the cardi, could you wear a blazer or jacket?

I would also wear a block colour dress like navy or dark green and accessorise with scarves and cool jewellery.

I could be wrong but the problem with this dress is that it doesn't look like it's meant to be worn with tights. I am similar age and height and would personally wear this dress in the summer with 7 denier suntan tights and wedge sandals.

If I am wrong and this dress can be worn with tights, then I would go for knee high boots but I wouldn't try to match the tights to the colour of the dress.

It's a very pretty dress!

Wear in summer with wedges. If you have great ankles a ballet pump or a low cut ankle boot or an ankle boot with a wider top should work.

If you don’t have great ankles then try knee length boots.

If shoes with a heel, try Clark’s have good high heels that are walkable, so does Gabor....

Sorry meant to say it’s a lovely dress that will look great with tights in winter.

It is a lovely dress but I too would keep it for summer, no cardi and sandals (if they are allowed in your workplace). For winter dresses I'd go for jersey, opaque tights and flat boots. Shoes are a problem for me too, I only tend to wear trainer types (can't wear ballet flats or heels at all) and they don't go with dresses.