Clueless , please help before I embarrass myself

[NoDressSense]

I left school at 16 with no qualifications and now ten years (and 4 kids!!) later I'm going back into education in September .
It seems the general consensus is to dress 'smart casual' for this particular course , whatever that means . I don't have anything suitable . I'm a size 18 with a big tummy , I also have tattoos on my forearms and chest that I'd like to keep covered . Also would prefer things with buttons so I can easily pump milk at lunch .

I have a budget of around £150 and I'm looking to get maybe 3/4 tops , two trousers and shoes , so looking for cheap and cheerful really .

I was wondering if something like this top with black skinnies and pumps or ankle boots would be ok ?

What course are you doing? I teach adult GCSEs and couldn't give a monkeys as long as people turn up! By the end of the year they're usually dashing in with wet hair and a Costa

Hope it goes well - I know how much guts it takes to go back.

I think that's lovely ☺️

@IHeartKingThistle it's an access course , at the interview I was told to dress smart casual although I have seen loads of younger students slouching around the place in hoodies 😆 so it may just be the tutors personal preference!

@WooYa thank you !

Yeah, that's a gorgeous shirt. You sound well on track to me.

You good luck, love that blouse.

I'd hold off on buying a new wardrobe until you've seen what people actually wear there. Maybe get a few cheap smart/casual things to last you the first week? You could well discoverer everyone else is in jeans and hoodies! Have a look on everything5pounds.com, they have a lovely range and are obviously super affordable.

I would say a pp has nailed it, see what everyone else is wearing.
If you do need smartish George at Asda is really good for cheapish smart work tops, approx £12 ish. Not much in the way of smart pants at the moment though. Matalan are also good. I’m sure your budget will be plenty. Good luck!

No no no!! I’m a mature student, you will mark yourself out as mumsy if you wear this. I’d put money on literally no one being dressed smart casual. You don’t need to be down with the kids (I say ironically as a 35 year old Mother of 2!) but you don’t want to stand out like a sore thumb.

I’d put money on people wearing jeans and t shirts, or fitted tops, jumpsuits, dresses - people (including myself now that I’m not an 18 year old impoverished student!) all seem to dress casually but stylishly now.

Example - my last day at uni I had on a soft touch black jumpsuit from Asos with toms - it was warm so no need for a coat, but would have worn a denim jacket or kimono weather dependant.

There’s one girl who rocks jeans, a bitch belt, and crop tops and looks amazing; she’s a good size 18-20.

Others are doing maxi skirts and vest tops, hoodies in winter ... basically, dressing on trend for the weather.

Go and do a sneaky reccy and see what people are wearing. Not even my lecturers dress smart casual.

Saw you’re pumping - kimonos and vest tops if you’re into that look? Rock your style unashamedly!

@BuntyCollocks I live in kimonos and vest tops in the summer ! But it wouldn't really work for this because I really want to keep all my tattoos covered and I have them all down my arms and chest so need something that goes to the bottom of my throat really ! It's so hard , I don't want to look Mumsy or old . I think I'd be less stressed if I had managed to lose a bit of weight but my youngest is only 3 month old

I did an access course to get to uni. Honestly jeans, tracksuit bottoms, anything decent is fine. No one on my course dressed smart casual. At every college and at uni I wore jeans and tops mostly.

Oh love, is there any reason in particular you want to keep them covered, or is it just that it would make you more comfortable to do so?

You’ve just grown a human, give yourself a break! My youngest is 5 and I’m still holding on to the baby weight 😂

I can’t think of anything off the top of my head to cover that much skin - esp if this heat keeps up into the new trimester. :(

I'd look through your existing wardrobe and see what you have that's suitable, and, if not, go shopping for some black skinnies and the shirt and maybe one other top, then you'll get more idea of what you want to wear once you've been there a few times and seen the vibe.