smart skirts for work? do people actually still go to work?

[xksismybestletter]

Im looking, fruitlessly, for some skirts to wear to work. I have some jackets from m&s, so went there to look for skirts and can only find "jersey mini a-line" skirt, which doesnt exactly scream corporate smart.

And it has kicked off a long hour in front of the laptop trying to find a suitable skirt or two for work. They need to be smart, suitable to wear with black tights, and ok to go with shirts and jackets. Does no-one dress like this anymore?

I have a senior professional role, but find suits with beige tights both cold and dated looking.

Please recommend me some shops - ive tried wallis, dp, boden, hawes and curtis and m&s so far. Bit of a range of pricing I accept!!

Skirts not shirts

Next, but usually they have a better range online than in the actual shop

@NeverDropYourMooncup

Going by the sixth formers on the bus last Friday afternoon, if you don't mind straight tailored skirts in various colours and textures that just about skim over the darker tops of a pair of black tights and you're about a size 8, somewhere is selling them.

They do look very smart, albeit potentially a bit chilly come December.

Trutex?

They weren't school skirts by any stretch of the imagination.

I buy all my work skirts and suits from Matalan!

I have the M&S a-line mini too and have worn it to the office back in 2019. It's fine. I got the long length in my size and it hits somewhere around mid-thigh. Appropriately covered and definitely not a clingy bum-skimmer. The teen in my house wouldn't be caught dead in a version I bought in her size for school.

Have you tried Matalan? Thats where I get my stuff and it is really good x

@FrangipaniBlue Snap!

Hobbs and John Lewis

How about something like this? House of Bruar

Another Bruar one

asymmetric pleats from Reiss

Something went very wrong there with the links! Try the House of Bruar, they have some smart midi options hiding amongst all the tweed and tartan.

Are you allowed to admit to shopping in Primark on here? I work in a school so don’t wear anything fancy. Last winter I got a couple of smart wool style skirts (obvs polyester!) from Primark that I always wear with thick tights. Checked. One dogtooth, one tartanesque.
Roman Originals also do some ok ones.

Hobbs, Zara and H&M usually have something when I've looked, I did get a black pencil skirt from H&M in the spring. I've recently seen a lot of tailored stuff on eBay, which seems to be people getting rid of their formal work wear, so have had some bargains from jigsaw, whistles, Hobbs. I'm a lawyer, still client facing, so there's only so casual I can go.

Can't believe no-one's said eBay! It's great for preloved workwear like pencil skirts - I usually look for M&S, Next or Boden work skirts on there.

It's so hard to dress for work now though - I'm in a fairly formal office but only two days a week, and buying new stuff feels like a bit of a waste, so I'm trying to buy stuff that will work outside of work too and it's a tricky line.

I can heartily recommend Next flatform patent brogues though - very versatile.

Have you looked at Jigsaw

I've got 2 in my charity shop pile, I'm now wondering if I should sell them.

Agree with the M&S one. I'm 5ft 10 and it's work appropriate on me

Try Oliver Bonas, Whistles, Reiss.

Awkward time to buy for now as some places are still having a sale of their summer stock.

@NeverDropYourMooncup

Going by the sixth formers on the bus last Friday afternoon, if you don't mind straight tailored skirts in various colours and textures that just about skim over the darker tops of a pair of black tights and you're about a size 8, somewhere is selling them.

They do look very smart, albeit potentially a bit chilly come December.

Yes! DD1 got hers from a trawl of charity shops.

Go and have a look in a few charity shops. Seriously, I've seen quite a bit of office wear recently.

I came on to suggest Jigsaw too - haven't looked recently (I'm in full time joggers atm!) but they always used to be pretty reliable for corporate but nice skirt options

I think @flowersmakeitbetter has it though- I have just sent a load of my corporate pieces to the local charity and second hand resell places as I won't be needing as many of them going forward. Do you have local second hand designer shops? They can be fun to look in as well

Since Debenhams went I struggle. I tend to wear long skirts or trousers (both with tights). Sainsbury's have some nice smart clothes.

Libby London

Not cheap but you said you have a senior role

www.libbylondon.com/collections/skirts-and-trousers

Jaeger used to be good too and are available online from M&S now that they've bought them.

@marmiteloversunite

Hobbs?

Was just going to say that.