Thoughts on this dress for work?

[Hop27]

Corporate city role, bought a couple of dresses for work before Christmas.
One white, one red. I've worn the white one lots but I've not worn the red one yet (which maybe tells its own story) So now I'm doubting myself. (It's high summer where I live)

Thoughts?

RED

https://www.cue.com/au/Shop/Product/Asymmetric-Pencil-Dress-S93374-S22?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8aOeBhCWARIsANRFrQG5i6lwHat1kyQHogmXi1iRR9V11jiOM3kQU4CQNBPRlJo-DmENwQaAnyPEALwwcB

WHITE

www.cue.com/au/Shop/Product/Scoop-Neck-Dress-S93421-S22/501878

Red one would be fine for my corporate role in London. White one not.
But, I have a bunch of fitted shift dresses from pre-pandemic times and I'm barely wearing them now as office styles have got less formal.
Jeans now accepted with a a smart top, very few women ever in proper heels.
Dresses tend to be a bit more draped and less tight and fitted. I'm often in a shirt dress, wrap dress or a smart skirt and top with loafers.
More casual jackets or cardigans rather than formal suit jackets, and it's been a while since I saw a woman in a full on suit.

I've lived in Oz and worked in the Sydney CBD. I'd say fashion is a little behind there - so your dresses may seem OK but if you were wearing either of those at 42yrs of age in a City of London firm - you wouldn't be taken seriously. I'd expect to see those types of dresses on one of the PA's in their early twenties.

Look at Me&Em
Massimo Dutti
Hugo Boss

It really does depend on the culture of your company and expectations of your client base. I would play it safe for the first month whilst you see how the land lies.

Consultants in some firms are actually quite casual now.

I really like your style OP, it's what I'd wear (I'm 39). But not to a corporate job in the UK except the green one, which is gorgeous, and I might buy for my new job!

I say bring your style with you, be you.

I work in the City (finance) and literally no one in my firm dresses this formally at work. The senior female partners are in trousers, shirt/high neck top (absolutely no cleavage) and a blazer if needed. Although often just a short tweed jacket. Never seen: sleeveless anything, bare legs, low cut, really bright block colour like the dresses in this thread - just not a thing at all. It’s the same at client’s offices (which are large corporates and PE firms).

Watch an episode of the apprentice. You can see more UK corporate style there.

I'd wear the red one, if I didn't only wear trousers. The drinky one looks like a nighty.

@Starseeking
I love thst red dress.
I worked in London in the 60's and wore smart but with short mini skirts. I had suits with short skirts. I finished my working days where I live now in trousers, summer and winter. England sounds very stuffy now.

No. That is not suitable for corporate senior staff in the UK.

I like the red better, but would recommend overall a power style impression suit rather than a dress, @Hop27

I would wear the red one but not the white, the latter would be too short and not practical for me; the tiniest mark from a chair etc would show too much.

l’m surprised about some of the sleeveless comments. I wear sleeveless dresses to work in a professional environment as do many others. Since when have arms been taboo?

This thread is eye opening!
I do not work in the UK & do not work in a corporate sector. However I am very senior, Director level, in a creative sector & I have never worn anything like those dresses. Ever. They are incredibly dated to me. I'm 53.

OP I have worked in Australia & I think the climate influences so much there. UK posters will not necessarily have that experience.

I would look at sites like ME+EM for inspiration with a little more 'edge' than most of what's been recommended here.

Good luck- it'll be a culture shock!

By 'those dresses' I mean 99% of what has been recommended to you on this thread! But even the ones you've posted are nothing like what I wear day to day

My first thought was the Appretice too. I think we've all got out of the habit of dressing like that now. It does seem quite old fashioned. OP, I think you need to suss out what other women in your company wear. The vibe may have changed entirely. I would say that while I am happy to wear sleeveless, apart from about 3 weeks in the height of summer, you are likely to need sleeves!

You would freeze in that here 😄😄😄 And also, bars in London particularly are really casual. Most would be in trainers or boots or sandals in the summer. You would simultaneously look underdressed and overdressed 😬

Certainly not appropriate for work.