I need a work wardrobe

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I'm sick of not having anything to wear and looking like a scruff bag. I run my own company but often am in the office by myself.

I have smart dresses to wear if I'm presenting etc but tend to dress down at other times.

What I want is a uniform I can put on every day (not literally).

I'm a size 16-18 but trying to lose weight so I don't want to spend a fortune. I like dresses and struggle to find smart trousers that fit my arse.

So i tend to wear Fatface jeggings and tunic tops but look like an old bit of rag.

All my current clothes are getting a bit warm.

Oh and shoes. I need shoes.

Help!

I too need exactly the same for my new job.

Someone basically needs to sell as 'starter bundle'

Like you get for new babies.

Agreed! I am really struggling to find anything : a jersey dress or shift dress, for my new job, 2 days in an accountancy firm.

Would smart trousers and a blouse/shirt work for you? This is my go to day to day work wear.

I wear ankle grazer trousers (m and s) most days with different blouses or shirts. They vary in colour and material depending on season. Zara and m and s does reasonably nice blouses as does monsoon, John Lewis.

Shirt dresses are smart and comfortable for summer and can be dressed up or down with sandals/trainers

What's your style and budget like?

I have a couple of pairs of trousers, and tend to wear those with M&S ribbed polo neck jumpers all winter (I have a range of colours!) and swop to Landsend long sleeved tops as weather gets better, to landsend short sleeve tops in summer. All plain colours, a mix of different colours, and can be made interesting with just a necklace or scarf. And if you suddenly need to look smarter, throw a jacket over the top (even the polo necks work fine that way).

I have dresses as well, but my "basic uniform" look is that trousers and top combo. (I'm a cool winter colour, and sometimes its black head to toe, but interspersed with usually black trousers (I have navy and a pine green as well) and tops/jumpers in pillarbox red (a blue undertone not orange), aqua/turquoise, navy, brown (black not yellow undertone) and pine green, and a couple of white or grape purple tops.

Lots of scarves - reds, navy, white, some yellow, black and brown, and mostly they are patterened rather than solid.

And a good few chunky necklaces in various colours, or long silver ones (gold doesn't suit me).

Thanks all.

Yes trousers plus top plus scarf sounds good.

I'm quite conscious of my stomach and am wide around the hips so would want the shirts/tops to be quite long.

Maybe some smart tunics, rather than the quite shapeless jersey ones I have at the moment.

Budget about £50 for top plus same for trousers. About £250 in total.

I've done some shopping around this last week. M&S have some nice work trousers, Hobbs (via John Lewis) had nice tops and Clark's for a pair of simple heels (but I regularly wear trainers.

www.marksandspencer.com/cotton-blend-split-hem-trousers/p/p60133212?prevPage=srp

I’ve just bought a few Phoebe jersey dresses from Boden. Not too low cut, decent length and pockets. I have one last year and it was so easy to wear, I’ve invested in a few more to make spring summer dressing for work a bit easier.

They look good. What's the fabric like? The reviews say they're a bit flimsy.

Op, yesterday I had a Debenhams personal shopper. She was fab, free, 2 hours. I got a black skirt, black work trousers, a top, a lovely work dress, and a shift dress. For £72. Bargain. Highly recommend it!

That is indeed a bargain!

Well done