Dress frustration

[Caminante]

I have spent a couple of months looking for cotton dresses suitable to wear to work )which is fairly relaxed)
I'm very short, size 12 but big waist so avoid anything with a waistband or belt. 55 so not a fan of the puffy sleeve look--plus it makes my big boobs look all matronly.

First hot day in the office and I am wearing a shapeless black M&S t shirt dress--I'm sure I can do better!

I have scoured M&S, ASOS, New Look, have tried on loads of things but not finding anything that suits me 🥲

I'm happy with midi/midaxi, budget up to about £50 I guess but could go a little higher.

Have you found anything lovely? Help me please 😂

Biggest recent disappointment was this: https://www.marksandspencer.com/pure-cotton-floral-midi-smock-dress/p/clp60542165?intid=mobileappppdpshare

Lovely fabric, decent pattern but hangs like a sack of spuds and like I said, I can't do the belt thing.

I think this dress should work. It has the placket in a different fabric, and there is the same fabric in the skirt. These attract the eye, when you first look at it pay attention to what you notice first. Rather than hiding your stomach you need to make it so as no-one notices it ( nicked from a stylist on you tube)

www.monsoon.co.uk/embroidered-tape-midi-dress-blue-24218061.html

Suggest H&M or Monsoon

You don’t say exactly how tall you are but I don’t think the style of dress you linked is ever going to work well for anyone ‘very short’. And the pattern was far too huge and garish.

Have you considered something like this & Other Stories dress? They seem to have several in that shape in different prints.

The scale of this Community Clothing dress should work, too. Nicely flexible as it could be worn without the belt, or with trousers. Again, available in different fabrics.

Thank you, that looks really lovely!

I'm 5 feet. I do wear long dresses etc and it seems to suit me, just as long as I don't drown in them.
Agree about the M&S one, pattern is questionable but it came in a short length which was right for me.

This one is really nice thanks, still worried about the sack of spuds effect though

Haven't looked in H&M for a while, all the midi/midaxi stuff is gigantic ally long on me!

Ok. Are you open to trying a different length / shape? I don’t want to waste your time if you must wear long dresses.

If you have any choice in what you wear, both this black dress and this denim dress seem suitable for a relaxed workplace, and close to your budget.

Essentially, it might be enlivening to consider a sharper, less ‘girly’ outline in your work clothes. Simpler and more sophisticated.

I'm going to order a few of these (various colours available) to wear with sandals in work during the summer. I'm 5.2 so they will probably be just below the knee for me which is fine.

www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.1058018001.html

Gosh, could you really wear those to work, DialSquare? They’re so thin - actually see through! Surely they’re intended as home-wear, to lounge in the garden, or maybe outside the tent / villa on holiday?

Maybe you work from home?

No obligation to wear long dresses but my legs aren't my best feature these days 😂

Those dresses are really interesting though, I'm not really a girly dresser most of the time and I struggle to make good choices in summer.

Thanks for this, bit too relaxed for me unfortunately, unless they're cut really well I would just look a baggy mess. They look sooo comfy though!

I like these from Amazon. They are LONG so you will need to take them up which is great as you can decide exactly how long you want. I don't (can't be arsed to!) sew but the local dry-cleaners take them up for me for a few quid. They are pure cotton seersucker (except the solid colours), so they also don't need ironing. I put them wet on a hanger to dry.

www.amazon.co.uk/YESNO-Dresses-Casual-Bohemian-Pockets/dp/B09V716RFK?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

I always wear a slip under a dress which can transform the way a dress hangs.

You need a dress with a bit of shape to it.
The CC shirtdress is ruined by the shaped hem IMO.
The Cos dress is for someone taller and slender with a boyish figure
The Monsoon oneis great

What’s your job, OP? No need to be specific but what do you need from your work clothes? Do you want to look authoritative, creative, approachable? Do you want to give the impression you’re still forging ahead in your career, or do you just do the hours and go home?

Because although I always say we can wear what we like, a working wardrobe can have an effect on career progression. And in one’s fifties it’s as well to be taken seriously at work.

Uniqlo have some lovely cotton dresses. Often more tailored to petite frames.

Thank you! I can't quite work these out...maybe I need to look on a computer, not my phone. But I like the look of the black and white one.

Thank you, I will have a look

It's an office job in higher education and I'm not in the least important, just want to look respectable and be comfortable! But you know, also feel as though I look nice.

I'm not sure that I've actually said anything useful there.

How about this one? www.pocketsforwomen.co.uk/product/14991/sorrento-womens-pocket-dress-dark-blue it's gathered at the waist but not tied. Smart but simple

Have you considered wrap dresses? I th8k they would suit you.

M and s

Also, for large boobs, go for v-neck dresses.

I like that very much, thanks! Hard to guess the length but the shape is definitely good 😊

Thank you for the link. I'm not against wrap dresses but not so keen on the multi level hem. I did have a good look at all the wrap dresses on their website though, so thanks for that!

Thank you for the link. I'm not against wrap dresses but not so keen on the multi level hem. I did have a good look at all the wrap dresses on their website though, so thanks for that!