Office wardrobe refresh

[Jourl]

Please could you advise on brands for me to use to refresh my Office wardrobe? Most of my wardrobe is Tu and Zara and rather more on the casual end of Office attire.

I'd like to look more well put together as I'm entering into a leadership role and will also need to regularly meet key stakeholders. I need to be less casual.

Oh and shoes, I'm in dire need of a decent pair of Office shoes that can also handle an impromptu ramble through a land owner's estate.

For context, I'm 33, 5'3, a size 8 on top and size 10 on bottoms.

Nice easy list:

& Other Stories
Cos
Arket
Massimo Dutti

Try to stick to natural fabrics - they’ll look good for longer.

For shoes try

Grenson
Lanx

Thank you!

I am the same size and shape as you and most of those brands above seem to serve taller audience. If you are after blazers, try Jigsaw Brook jacket as it’s cut with bracelet length sleeve. Next still do petite blazers. Hobbs can be mumsy in some cases but perfect cut and works well for those of with bigger tushi than chest. Marks Autograph can be good, again cut tall and colours can be funky but neutrals and basics are excellent quality. Don’t forget sassy bag and shoes, I love heels, so jazz up my all neutrals clothes with pewter, leopard or bright pink shoes.

Good luck with the new job!

Tops from Hobbs. Usually a viscose mix that doesn't crumple like natural fabrics
M and S have great high waisted trousers for 29.99 which are excellent 👌🏼

Interesting …

Perhaps it’s a matter of proportions? I’m also 5’3 in height and have never worn petite sizes. All the brands I’ve recommended work well for me. Arket does cut longer so might not be my first choice for midi length dresses, but their shirts, jackets, knitwear and coats are all fine as regards fit.

Also, as the OP shops at Zara I’ve assumed she prefers that sort of contemporary, fashionable wardrobe - Massimo Dutti is its better quality sister brand. Cos and Arket are upmarket sisters to & Other Stories which is a little more accessible but still leans more towards workwear than Zara. (At least in the UK - I’m aware European shoppers can buy their entire work wardrobes from Zara and look both businesslike and fashionable.) They’re all more or less minimalist mainstream brands worn by every generation.

(I know Marks and S is constantly reviving and I’ve heard better reports of it lately - but Hobbs, Jigsaw and Next are very much 1980s / 90s relics to me, so wouldn’t be places I’d suggest to anyone who wanted to look current. They’re obviously still popular, of course.)

Btw, @Jourl - your spell checker keeps offering ‘office’ with an uppercase ‘O’ - which is confusing when you’re talking about shoes, as Office is an actual shoe brand.

Oh yes I hadn't even notice that @InTheBleakMidsummer !

I'm taking a look at the recommendations now and I'm really struggling to see anything I like or would feel comfortable in. All seems so structured but then maybe that's what more formal office attire is about?

What do you want to wear?

I mean, you can wear dresses, or relaxed, untailored trousers, or whatever you want, as long as it accords with whatever dress code pertains at your workplace.

Would brands like

Uniqlo
Community Clothing

be closer to your idea?

Usually I wear floaty dresses and wide leg trousers with cardigans or waistcoats.

But I wouldn't say any of my wardrobe is particularly formal as I also happily wear it all at the weekend too.

Floaty dresses and wide legged trousers with cardigans or waistcoats are probably acceptable in most workplaces now.

Really only you know the culture of your office and what sort of clothes would communicate capability and professionalism. Are your colleagues mostly in shorts and t shirts or tailored suits? Or somewhere in between?

My issue is, it's all men and I'm the only woman and so I've no other women to directly look at to compare what's acceptable @InTheBleakMidsummer

The men are in full suit and ties when meeting stakeholders.

In the office I do beleive I can continue wearing my current wardrobe but I do feel out of place in comparison to the leadership team of men when I stand adjacent to them.

Would this work adjacent tailored suits? (Note this isn't me)

Ah - yup, if they’re in full regalia you probably do need to look smart if you want to progress.

Wide trousers, and waistcoats are both in fashion anyway so shouldn’t be terribly different to what you already wear. Why not look for some shirt dresses, or silk(y) blouses to wear with trousers?

Obviously if you have a very strong personality or are highly sought after in your field you might wear whatever you like - but (pre-Covid at least) most people in professional jobs have had to adapt and to some extent conform to the cultural norms of their workplace.

Sorry, crossed your photo. Dress is fine (if print a little dated!).

I’ll leave it to others to comment further.

I'd describe myself as a strong personality but actually want to dampen that down tbh @InTheBleakMidsummer and part of that is addressing my wardrobe

That style though would be okay? @InTheBleakMidsummer , I could see myself wearing that style of dress. What prints are "in" ?

I like shirt dresses as they seem to fit my proportions - I’m five two, 10 on top and 12 on the bottom - and find that shirt dresses can be dressed up with heels or worn with trainers.

Other Stories and Cos seem to swamp me, I avoid them.

Some shirt dress shapes. It’s pure coincidence they’re all navy or black, you can obviously wear other colours. In general it’s easier to build a sustainable professional wardrobe with plain block colours rather than prints which become outdated incredibly quickly.

Shops are still full of holiday wear - but in the next few weeks they’ll be replete with dresses perfect for work.

If the men are in suits and you’d like to balance your look accordingly I think you need a jacket.

You could wear that dress with a blazer and it will be appropriate. Likewise your wide legged trousers with a simple top and jacket. I would buy a few key pieces in classic colours and rotate.

A casual outfit becomes smart with a jacket. I always have one handy at work just in case and usually wear monochrome colours so it all works together.

If the men are in suits it’s probably not a cutting edge and trendy industry so as long as you look
tidy and smart you’ll be fine. It’s trying to look cool + smart that’s harder in my experience

M&S, Mango as well as a host of other brands already mentioned.

What is that last shirt dress, it's lovely!

Probably

https://www.adolfodominguez.com/en-gb/

@DryIce

Think the others are from Studio Nicholson, Cos, (gorgeous last winter wool), and Lemaire - purely for inspiration.

Could you get a smart trouser and waistcoat set? Wear with a nice blouse or shirt/top. I did this when i wanted to look smart. I don't do suit jackets but a waistcoat was enough to make me look smart.

Next is always good for work wear.