Work clothes dilemma

[ladymarysdirtyweekend]

I know this has been done to death - but I need help.

I have recently been promoted and need some smarter work clothes. I feel the cold and work is draughty offices (NHS so offices are in portacabins/marquees/condemned falling down buildings…) Because of the cold I’m always wearing a chunky cardi and I feel so bloody frumpy and unprofessional.

I’m 41, fat (size 18/20) and 5ft 7.

I don’t have loads of money, I get clothes from H&M or the supermarket. Help me please. What am I meant to wear?

I also work in NHS. The office I work in is in main hospital, on a ward but on top floor. In the summer it’s unbearably hot and in the winter it’s absolutely Baltic.

I tend to get my work wear from Tesco / Matalan and sometimes will stretch to Next!

I really recommend buying uniqlo heat tech thermals under your clothes. These were a gamechanger for me.
A long sleeved one under a nice black polo neck.
I wear heat tech leggings under jeans.

I get some nice bits from George and "john lewis anyday" and i like massimo dutti and whistles in the sales and get good bargains in the JL sales

I wear things like a jersey shift dress or more flared skirt dress, with thick tights (sometimes two pairs) and a more tight slimline cardy, like M&S. You can add those thin thermal tops underneath without it showing. If you wear smart flat ankle boots you can also wear socks over tights if you match the colours well. I’m not the most cutting edge fashion wise but it is warm and smart enough.

This kind of thing www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/florrie-jersey-dress/sty-j0849

But mine tend to be second hand off ebay etc.

Check out popsy dresses they're lovely and go well with thick tights a cardi and boots.

M&S thermal tights, Boden easy jersey dresses and a thermal top underneath.
Or black trousers and some thinner knits but with a thermal vest underneath.
Thermals keep you toasty while allowing you to wear normal clothes

As others have said, thermal underwear. I also put tights (normal, like 100 denier) under jeans/ trousers on colder days, or thermal leggings would also work. If you can have warmer shoes, I find it also helps a lot.

Woollen vests!

Thanks everyone. There’s some good tips, I’ll invest in some thermal underwear.

I need to generally smarten up too I think

I’m a lecturer and we have to have all the windows open for Covid. It is absolutely freezing. I teach a creative subject so I don’t need to be smart-smart, but 100% agree with the Uniqlo heat-tech. Today I wore a long sleeved heat-tech top, a Breton over it, and a black cardigan, with nice black jeans.

The heat-tech stuff is very fine/slim so doesn’t add any bulk - and make sure you tuck it in to your trousers/tights/pants/whatever so no gaps!