Dresses for work (again)...

[PurpleNailVarnish]

As our workwear has to be smart and I'm petite I usually wear dresses, I can never find trousers in the right length.
With dresses I can get away with smart shoes/boots, tights and a blazer. So I can get away with non-tailored dresses.

I need another 5 to get me through winter, as I'm short a regular length mini sits on or below my knee, which is fine.

Arms must come at least to elbow length but I have to be able to move around in it and look smart in all weathers.

In previous years White Stuff and Fat Face have usually had a few but this season their ranges look too informal.
Nothing much in Hobbs grabs me, the colour range in Boden looks limited, I've got some L K Bennett dresses but they have shot up in price, look much the same as the ones I've already got, cost a fortune to keep dry cleaning and can be too tailored to move in.
Boxy Cos type shapes look terrible on me oh to be tall and williowy.

Where are the dresses this season?

I wish I knew. Everything (affordable) seems to be big and boxy.

How do you fare with wrap dresses @PurpleNailVarnish? I have some DVF and Issa dresses that I wear for work - lovely colours, comfy and nicely made. I mix that up with some from LK Bennett (although sounds like they're out for you at the moment), Joseph, Winser, The Fold and Jigsaw.

Happy shopping!

M&S? My very smart colleague had a blouse from there on earlier in the week - I asked her where she got it as looked very pretty.

Zara if you dig around a bit should offer you value and what you’re after for wise. Here’s one that I think works

Monsoon and next do some lovely ones

Closet? They sell it on ASOS and other sites. Loads of dresses and many have pockets!

Supermarkets are usually great - sadly Tesco doesn’t sell online any more but the other main ones do.

Also try the charity shops and vintage shops I got some great ones in a vintage shop and fairly cheap (also petite) X

Might sound a bit odd but consider Homeyee on Amazon. They're favoured by a lot of US news and weather presenters randomly. I've had some fabulous dresses from them for work and church.

Excellent ideas, thank you.

I've found Zara quality to be variable offupop but that dress is lovely and just the thing.
The same with Next bumblebee39 and M&S MikeUniformMike you have to have a proper root around to find a gem, I don't get the chance to get to the shops during the week so I'll book in a weekend shop.
IME Monsoon clothing tends to be long but again, I'll go and try some things on.

WhatWouldPennyDo the shape of wrap dresses is good on me but being a titch means that sometimes the wrap of the wrap dress is too low, it doesn't help that I'm busty and have to be able to move around and still be covered. Wearing a vest underneath can show through and ruin the line of the dress. Again though, I need to go and have a good root through.

Our local charity shops aren't great but I do sometimes find something there.

Please keep the ideas coming, I'm taking notes.

I was even wondering about a personal shopping try out at John Lewis.

I did personal shopping with John Lewis about 6 months ago and it was great. Put as much detail as possible into the online booking as it doesn’t really prompt you e.g. the stylist didn’t know my age so assumed I was about 50 rather than 30.

It’s free and there was absolutely no guilt trip to buy anything. I was specifically looking for work trousers with pockets and found a pair after trying on about 20! I have large bum/hips and small waist so most trousers gape.

I got some nice dresses in Justfab recently. They won’t last forever but they do the job and for well. I’m petite too and the sizing is good. They were also super cheap.

If Zara doesn’t work - Whistles quality is amazing, and they’ve a sale on at the moment - these might suit

www.whistles.com/women/sale/elderberry-print-dobby-dress-28131.html?cgid=Sale_WW&dwvar_elderberry-print-dobby-dress-28131_color=Black%2FMulti#start=0

www.whistles.com/women/sale/adelaide-print-silk-bodycon-28127.html?cgid=Sale_WW&dwvar_adelaide-print-silk-bodycon-28127_color=Pink%2FMulti#start=0

www.whistles.com/women/sale/pitti-print-shirt-dress-27800.html?cgid=Sale_WW&dwvar_pitti-print-shirt-dress-27800_color=Blue%2FMulti#start=0

www.whistles.com/women/sale/lottie-silk-phoebe-bodycon-27133.html?cgid=Sale_WW&dwvar_lottie-silk-phoebe-bodycon-27133_color=Multicolour#prefn1=subCategory&srule=Bestsellers+Storefront&sz=60&start=0&prefv1=Dresses

Lots of them will be dry clean only, but I have several whistles dresses and they hand wash well