Please help me look professional and stylish

[iloveeverykindofcat]

Stepping out of my comfort zone.

I'm an academic who usually lives in jeans and t-shirts but have to speak at several 'networking' (aargh) events with 'external stakeholders' (business people) shortly. Dress code is 'business casual'. I'm 5 foot 4, slight size 6-8, with a very short torso and relatively long legs. Olive complexion. I prefer to blend in with neutral colours, nothing too eye-catching. I tried a blazer and skirt but I felt like I was wearing school uniform. What sort of styles should I be looking at and where do I shop? I have smart shoes, they're black and flat (can't walk in heels) with straps.

Ohhh - fun!

Realistically you can wear pretty much anything within the parameters of normal grown up day wear - really depends on your tastes and budget and how you want to project yourself. I can show you some of my current favourite sites; you may find them inspiring to browse, or not. I mostly buy in sales and my intermittent academic wardrobe is a mishmash of these and other brands.

To balance out your torso you could try a long blazer. I love this look, though displaying your middle isn’t compulsory!

https://cordera.es/products/oversize-rain-blazer-cream-pre-fall-23

Or this - only available in XXS

https://www.eatdustclothing.com/collections/womens-all/products/w-b-ss23-005-rcd-504-blazer-70-s-recycled-denim-blue

Not sure what to pick out from here:

https://www.lafetiche.com/shop/?sortBy=myOrder

My most recent academic conference and meeting involved one of their kilts and a Budd London shirt:

https://www.buddshirts.co.uk/women/shirts/all

I would also have a look at

https://www.studionicholson.com/collections/womens-autumn-23

now they have new Autumn stock. Great quality contemporary ‘smart casual’ clothes.

Obviously you don’t have to spend anywhere near these prices! Uniqlo, Community Clothing, & Other Stories would all equip you perfectly well, too.

Great! I will go through these carefully. I want to look professional and I guess authoritative, but not too eye-catching. I like to blend in. I thought a long blazer might look untidy but I guess if it fits well, it could work.

I think you figure is perfect for cropped Chanel style jackets.

M&S do several good version. You just need to get smart jeans or trousers in the right cut, not skinny, straight or wide leg not to swamp you relatively petite figure.

Check out 9 to 5 Chic blogger for inspiration.

The shoes sound like school shoes, sorry. long enough trousers may cover the bar if you cannot replace all at once.

Best of luck in your academic career, my DD is on the same journey!

More …

The Studio Nicholson jacket is on sale in, possibly, your size. You could just buy one great sweater dress to cover all eventualities; this one is Alexandra Golovanoff. Margaret Howell would be an excellent place to look if it wasn’t so terrifyingly ££. Blue shirt and trousers are Cordera.

If jeans and t shirt is what you feel comfortable in, then you can certainly find a business casual version of that. Trousers with a similar cut to your preferred jeans - even in navy for familiarity. Then maybe either a shirt with buttons, or a smart loose t shirt tucked in, made from something like silk or linen. Then you have a similar shape etc to usual and hopefully feel comfortable.

That’s true, @WashableVelvet, and exactly why I’ve recommended those particular brands for inspiration. They all do ‘elevated’ jeans and t shirt shapes in lovely, long lasting, natural fabrics.

WNU (With Nothing Underneath) have lovely classic excellent quality shirts in a variety of natural fabrics and lots of neutral colours. Can be dressed up or down and look equally good with jeans/shorts on days off. An elevated basic. Add some simple jewellery and skirt/trousers in non denim fabric ? Your shoes sound like they’d work with anything. ( not that it matters, but flat Mary Jane style shoes with strap are very on trend at the moment ) - apparently !

Add a jacket perhaps

Surprisingly (because lost faith in Cos long ago) I do like this, and it would be great with some artfully curved trousers:

https://www.cos.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/coats-and-jackets/product.double-faced-cropped-hybrid-jacket-beige.1194916001.html

But you’d really need a long length shirt / top beneath to avoid looking all legs. Also it’s such a ‘this season’ piece, one might feel reluctant to wear it come Autumn 2024. But it’s not terribly expensive, so … 🤷‍♀️

Thank you all this is great. Elevated basics is a great way to put it. Think I will go for a chanel style cropped jacket (a knockoff most likely). They are a bit like school shoes admittedly but if the outfit is lighter cream colours hopefully will avoid the "school uniform " effect. I tend to default to navy as a safe option but some of these cream pieces are really nice. Black shoes are okay with cream right?

Yes, black and cream are good. You can also try a cami under jacket if do not need to take off and you can get 3 - black, cream and patterned black and cream, so you can tie your colours together and have 3 outfits, camis are in expensive.

I have several good blazers for work in neutral colour but lots of camis - from silk to cheap Primarni, some neutral, some bright, all in slinky fabric, so that pop of colour creates illusion you are wearing something new and not just boring safe colours.

With Chanel style jacket you can also wear crew neck t-shirt, Pinterest has tonnes of inspo.

Check out ME + EM

I think if you’ve got long legs and a short torso don’t hide your good fortune - how wonderful to look like you’ve got legs up to your chin!

Tailored trousers - I like Mango or Reiss ( Reiss better quality but you'll need cropped/ ankle length at your height). Nice shirt tucked in -?possibly good leather belt ( also Mango or TK Maxx often have great leather belts). I also like a tailored jersey type blazer type jacket. Epitome of pulled together smart casual. Whistles have these. At your (our) height I'd avoid current fashion long slouchy jacket - although perhaps might suit you - I'm better slightly shorter Whistles style.

@mm47 I've always felt my build is a bit awkward (all legs) but we all want what we haven't got I guess! Some of these sites are a bit out of my price range but I've gotten a lot of inspiration to try and put together a cheaper version of a cream blazer and tailored trousers look. @EvelynBeatrice definitely hear what you're saying there - I tried on a long slouchy jacket and felt a bit 'swamped' - though I understand that's how they are supposed to be worn.

Hello OP.
Marks do a silk and wool trouser in Autograph. I have five pairs! They say dry clean. I wash mine on a wool programme with woolite.
For work I buy two blazers a season, silk tops and wear the aforementioned trews. I tend to wear ballet flats or a small heal but I'm older. You could wear a bright pump.

I came across a you tuber who is pretty good at styling quite professional looks but not uniform-like, imo. Her name is Erin Elizabeth. search for her by her name on YouTube. (I’m sorry, I’m on my iPhone atm and it’s difficult to link).

Just this morning I came across her videos again, and she does fashion styling, cooking, travel etc. She’s pretty good at showing how to style clothes imo . She does a ‘French girl’ look, but also other styles. She doesn’t use expensive designers. I think its what you call high street clothing in the UK. (It’s besides the point, but I noticed that’s She’s also gone from bleached hair to brunette which looks much thicker, and nicer - she does ‘easy hairstyles’ for very thin hair too). She’s got a heap of videos on you tube, so look for her fashion styling ones: From the vids I’ve watched so far, she likes flat shoes :).

The Next website on clearance - see brands - has several Reiss items on sale in your size, including some trousers. I see Reiss now do petite too.

Oh great! I'm wondering if I can pull off something like this actually, https://www.next.co.uk/style/st108480/M84533#M84533
The model is undoubtedly taller than me, but my concern was that black and white would be too formal or make me look like waitstaff, but she looks very nice.

That is a completely basic black suit, as worn by thousands of people every day.

I’m going to say this as no one else will - wearing it might communicate a lack of imagination and … pizazz. Obviously you’re valued for your brain rather than your wardrobe, but no one has been so boringly dressed at any of the (invariably international) academic gatherings I’ve attended most recently. And obviously if people already have an unfashionably cut jacket or trousers in their wardrobe there’s no reason why they shouldn’t wear them - but those pieces would be odd things to buy right now.

Yeah god that black suit is a bit dullsville. Now normally I love Cos and Studio Nicholson but I think their oversized pieces might swamp you. Cos will have pieces with a waist though which could work. Do you ever look at Massimo Dutti? They seem slightly more casual than Reiss to me.

Oh I’ve just thought of Any Smilovic who heads up US brand Tibi…. She does lots of style advice to achieve a “modern chill” aesthetic with clothes. She’s done various blog posts and videos on SM which are interesting. (She’s also very slim and partial to flat shoes.).

How important really is style to you? You have some very styled options above. However for some colourful and comfy work basics try Uniqlo. Totally appropriate, but not attention seeking, and better than the dull Next offering.
https://www.uniqlo.com/eu/en/content/backtowork-women.html

Critique accepted! I'll try to be a bit more bold and check out the vloggers

@turkeyboots I did mention Uniqlo in my first post! I’m well aware most people don’t want to spend huge amounts on clothes - but as you indicate, stylishness generally involves an awareness of current modes of dressing. Uniqlo is current,@iloveeverykindofcat, Reiss is - backward looking.

It sounds as if you’re fairly early in your career? Quite honestly, if you want to build a stylish conference / meeting / networking wardrobe you’d be best to step away from Next. Don’t look for what you think is appropriate; instead browse fashionable shops and be guided by what they’re selling.