Impossible work wear rules

[HereKittyKitty6]

New role and dress code is conflicting! No low necks, no open toes, smart enough to work in council offices but also ‘relaxed’ enough to meet with homeless folk (some on street so plenty of walking). Have been told I look too expensive (?!). My style is quite classic and I struggle with non natural / soft fabrics.
Im pear shaped 10 (have recently developed the love handles so I do seem to look strangely curvy not nice curvy now!), petite 5ft 2, and shoes without a strap just fall off!
So far I have wide legged jersey trousers in navy, black paper bag tapered trousers, and a light cream cashmere cardigan. It’s cold/hot I’m really struggling here! Thinking of budget high street maybe? Please help!

The rules aren’t impossible. You can still look put together without wearing clothes that are seen to be “too expensive”

It doesn’t sound too difficult to avoid low necks, open toes and look ‘business casual’?

I think this is what I and a lot of office workers wear every day tbh! So something like cotton or chino material trousers (baggy or like cigarette pants- not jeans), a plain ish cotton top or blouse with short or long sleeves that is not low cut with a cardigan or casual blazer to sling on if needed. Shoes like comfy loafers, low heeled boots or smart trainers that don’t look like trainers.

uniqlo and m&s have loads of stuff that would fit the bill for you.

Lose the diamonds, get a less expensive bag. When you leave the office, swap into some trainers at the bottom. Wear a jacket in meetings, take it off when going out and put on a casual jacket/fleece/cagoule.

You've been told you look 'too expensive' for the work outside the office with service users. I think this is very easy to address in your dress code.

They are all widely understood to be markers of an expensive style, whether or not they were found in a bin or bought at high price.

This thread is rather amusing: ‘I just have to wear cashmere and diamonds, or this dress code is impossible for me!’

When I was working directly with children I would often follow a rule of ‘formal shapes, casual fabrics’. So, perhaps a blazer-style jacket but in corduroy or a textured fabric. Or a nice jersey dress but with a full skirt so that I could still move around freely. Professional but suitable for the environment.

Consider:

Cotton shirts with a collar
Loose cotton jacket in a cotton or linen mix
Smooth knit jumpers for winter
Cotton or linen trousers for summer
Blouses with a short sleeve for summer
A fabric tote bag or cross-body bag
A belt and a couple of beaded necklaces (not a diamond pendant!) to pull it all together.

Listen to the advice from your managers, as the last thing they need is you getting mugged for your bag or jewellery while you are on duty.

It sounds easy enough to me, I'd wear something like this:
https://www.thewhitecompany.com/uk/Organic-Cotton-Travel-Wide-Leg-Trousers/p/organic-cotton-travel-wide-leg-trousers?swatch=Navy

A t-shirt of your choosing with a cardigan if chilly. Some 'smart' trainers, by that I mean not some skanky old ones but also not some that are £££.

Other brands are available, but I bought those and they help me feel a bit less like I'm just wearing joggers, even though I am lol

This post surely cannot be real? No one is as tone deaf to wonder why diamond earrings and necklace and cashmere is too overdressed for outreach homeless work.

I am sure the OP is just trying to have a snide pisstake of S&B.

Agree.

Impossible to avoid low neckline and an open toe?

Yeah, right!

I used to work with the public, out of the office. I would wear wide leg trousers, heavy cotton t shirts or long sleeve tops. There are lots of casual shoes you buy that look smart enough for office wear and are comfortable to wear whilst walking. The link to the trainers below has an all black version, not leather just an example. https://www.marksandspencer.com/lace-up-platform-trainers/p/clp60681860?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

The no low necks may be for a bad reason (avoid pervy men looking down instead of talking to your face) but not that difficult to avoid.

https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/hope-henley/26137185-p

ugly but comfortable (and black leather if trainers are completely out).

I have a similar dress code.
I tend to wear wide legged trousers (dark denim, black suiting, navy suiting, cord), long sleeved top/Breton for casual; merino jumper (Uniqlo) or shirt and jersey blazer for smarter. Brogues, loafers or trainers on my feet.

Sometimes I mix it up with a cord or linen shirt dress.

Lots of mix and match possibilities there.

edit: definitely a backpack rather than a “nice” bag. To not look too expensive, you probably need to tone down where you shop. Uniqlo, M&S etc

No low necks, no open toes, smart enough to work in council offices but also ‘relaxed’ enough to meet with homeless folk (some on street so plenty of walking) is hardly prescriptive.

I agree with most of the posters above. The requirement certainly is not impossible as you claim. Your diamonds may be fake!/inexpensive but they really are not necessary or suitable as work wear in either of your work settings.

These t-shirts are organic cotton, are a nice shape (the scoop isn't too low but they also do a higher neck version)

https://rapanuiclothing.com/product/womens-scoop-neck-t-shirt/

I have a non open toe shoe rule at work and struggle with it as I get hot feet and hate trainer socks! What about espadrilles or Tom style shoes? Or if you want to go for trainers I like Allbirds, they use natural materials and are super light and breathable

https://www.allbirds.co.uk/products/womens-tree-runners-kaikoura-white?price-tiers=msrp%2Ctier-2%2Ctier-1%2Ctier-3%2Ctier-4

They've also got to consider your safety and if you do indeed look 'expensive' with a fancy handbag, cashmere, gold and diamonds (and an expensive watch, perhaps?), you're screaming out to the world that you're going to be worth robbing - add in being smaller and wearing little strappy sandals and it would be an easy fifty quid for somebody to corner you for jewellery and bag.

Leave the nice shoes and tops in the office, leave the diamonds and expensive handbag at home and wear lace up shoes/trainers, trousers and a cotton t-shirt with a backpack to hold a bog standard Marks' cardigan. That way, you're not advertising your finances to the world including some desperate people (and not just the ones you're there to see), your feet aren't at risk of injury from many unpleasant things and you have the ability to make a rapid exit from any situation. Then you go back to the office and put on an expensive blazer/top if you do actually need to wear something more formal.

Ask what they mean by 'too expensive'. If they mean visible jewellery then OK, but if they mean because you're not wearing poly cotton then I don't think that's the same.

That’s not going to work when she is in the office with the smartly dressed people though….

The issue here is to find a way that work in BOTH environments.

I'd do this if you are driving to work. Have office wear and then trainers, casual jacket etc, work rucksack in the car. I've worked with plenty of outreach workers in the past and some have been very casual (falling apart baggy shorts etc) but many wear normal smart casual stuff more office stuff for visits.

I don't think people in council offices dress that smartly. It's just the standard casual office gear - plain t-shirt, plain trousers/skirt, simple cardigan/jumper, smartish trainers or plain leather shoes. Nothing fancy.

If OP does need to dress particularly smart on occasion then a simple blazer or other nice jacket can be an easy way to achieve this. If there are lockers available, it can be left there until needed.

I'd stick with the existing trousers and then add some slightly scooped neck white t shirts under a basic round neck cardigan with the neck open. Blues and greens would work with the navy trousers and maybe a red or pink with the black. You might like a sleeveless cotton jumper for the summer as they are quite current. M&S are usually good for this sort of thing as they have lots of colours https://www.marksandspencer.com/ribbed-crew-neck-cardigan/p/clp60714379?color=GRASS#intid=pid_pg1pip48g4r2c2

Buy a chanel style jacket that you can keep in the office and then you can make a quick switch from cardigan to jacket if you have a meeting and choose a colour like red or cream that will go with navy and black trousers. Some good ideas here https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/514807/best-chanel-style-cropped-jackets/

Plain loafers/driving shoes on your feet will be comfortable if you are out and about and should be smart enough for the office too.
If you want a watch/jewellery make it simple and not an expensive brand - have a look at Cos for jewellery.
Agree with a pp about a canvas tote or backpack (make sure its waterproof) - there are some nice styles with leather trim that look smart. If you prefer a leather bag look for one which is pretty understated - these are reversible so you could have one side to go with navy and one to go with black. https://www.anyasushko.com/collections/kent-shopper

Not to bitch but she works for the local authority so is unlikely to be bumping into 'smartly dressed people'.

Basically this rule is: don't get your tits out because the clients will wank in front of you, don't wear open toed sandals because Joanna sued us when she got a toenail ripped off on the entrance doors, and try not to look like a dim Duchess from a Dicken's novel who is visiting the workhouse.

Sounds like pretty standard uniform policy really.
Linen trousers, wide leg trousers, crew neck thin knit sweater, linen blouse, t shirts etc, with a blazer or smarter top.in the office.
It's a bit of a no brainer that anyone in a public facing role working with homeless people shouldn't be wearing cashmere and diamonds.

is it ok for the workplace to tell you that you look "too expensive"? It sounds weird to me. If I was homeless I wouldn't want someone to dress down in order to meet me. That's patronising.

So why does it have to be synthetic materials? You can wear cheaper cotton items