Corporate wear

[ducksanddrake]

I'm got a job in the City and it's a corporate job.

I need help in finding decent dresses/suits for work. Where should I go to get something suitable??? I am on a budget of £150 to start with and when I get there and see what others are wearing

Can anyone help me?? I'm a slim 10 - 12

The Fold is very corporate but outside your budget I think. Or is it £150 per dress? In which case you might be fine.
Reiss is a good bet and I think they have outlets.

Buy a handful of basic pieces that can be mixed and matched. I'd start with:

1 skirt
1 pair of trousers
1 jacket
3-4 smart shirts/blouses
1 pair of shoes

Is Friday casual?

Try Cos, Hobbs, Gap, Reiss, Jigsaw, Whistles. Maybe H&M.

I used to work in a similar environment up until a few months ago.

ASOS has some amazing skirts here that I tend to prefer over my much more expensive Hobbs/Reiss ones.

I pair one of the above with a smart tshirt style top from H&M, Warehouse etc and then a blazer. In winter, it's a Warehouse crew jumper.

Next also do some brilliant shift dresses that are very flattering and are more expensive looking than you think.

M&S have some half decent workwear this season. Try there ...

Placemarking...is second Reiss (usually via BrandAlley), also Ted Baker (outlets).

Sorry, I’d not is

Try John Lewis website. They have loads of dresses from small and big brands suitable for corporate office wear. At this time of year you can get some excellent bargains if you are prepared to scroll through lots of pages.

I always seem to be saying this, but you can get some fantastic bargains on high quality dresses and suits on ebay. I love Hobbs, Reiss, LK Bennett but don't have that kind of budget - however on ebay I get very lightly used dresses for under £20 and similarly for suits

I bought what I thought was a lovely black trousers suit from oasis today (I’m a fairly standard UK 12, sometimes a 10). Really odd fit - jacket was “okay” but trousers weee snug and too tight on my calves! I just want a plain black slim leg trouser suit!

Is that your whole budget? If so, buy some good black shoes and spend the rest on clothes from Sainsbury’s/Asda that you can upgrade each month as you get paid.

Banana republic is also an option if your whole budget is 150.

Also helps if you tell us what function and age you are. Few city firms are formal. A lot are semi formal so you have a lot of options. Will you be facing clients?

I would try to find some fairly new secondhand hobbs or look for sales. If you know anyone who can sew you could buy a cheaper suit and ask them to tailor it to fit you. Unfortunately it's difficult to find a proper suit for less than 300.

Definitely worth looking in charity shops for jackets.

For now, maybe just buy a black or navy dress, jacket, skirt and some shoes, plus some very plain tops, and then upgrade over the next few months as a PP said.

Suits feel a bit 1990s....I'd be wary of spending lots on suit jackets that spend most of their life hanging on the back of a chair...

Personally I prefer long sleeve, just above knee length dresses - no ironing, no deciding what to wear with what and no uncomfortable jacket. Feels more modern too.
J Lewis, Boden, Cos, Hobbs or Mango/Zara are worth a try.

For trouser and blouse days I keep a jacket at work (cropped length, round neck, neutral colour, not matchy-matchy).

As you say, best to buy the minimum and see what others are wearing.

Sign up for Gap/Banana Republic emails, and they will send you discount codes every day, seldom less than 15%, and 40% about once a week.

one word: Uniqlo. definitely get a couple of pairs of uniqlo easy care ankle trousers and a couple of blouses. wear with a blazer.

TK Maxx for work dresses

Well done on the new job!

www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/product/women-ezy-ankle-length-trousers-409062.html?dwvar_409062_size=SMA001&dwvar_409062_color=COL04&cgid=IDw-trousers-leggings in black and navy, paired with this
[https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/product/women-drape-mock-neck-34-sleeve-blouse-411179.html?dwvar_411179_size=SMB002&dwvar_411179_color=COL01&cgid=IDdrape1287]] or this www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/product/women-rayon-skipper-collar-34-sleeve-blouse-408903.html?dwvar_408903_size=SMB001&dwvar_408903_color=COL00&cgid=IDsilktouch1282