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!

my thoughts entirely. Go and have a look at Cotton Traders for lovely soft cotton T shirts and cotton and linen mix trousers. You don't have to pretend to be something you are not but FFS!

edit: I am really hoping that this OP is a joke in poor taste

Of course it is. All she needs to do is keep a nice cardi at work and change into it before going out. And then just wear decent trousers and tops.

@bluesinthenight I don't think dressing down is patronising - on the contrary, dressing up is tone deaf in this situation. Perfectly possible to maintain a professional look without dripping in diamond jewellery, cashmere and leather bags .

You're wearing gold and diamond jewellery and cashmere to work with homeless people? No wonder someone's had a word. This is not a sector where it's appropriate to wear status items. Maybe it would be helpful to think in those terms? Is an item — jewellery, fabric, bag, pattern, label, watch — designed to shout 'look at me, diamonds, cashmere, labels — I have money'? Then it's not right for your current work.

Cross-body bag preferably in a material that can be cleaned easily and you won't have to worry about in the rain.

Mary Janes are your friend in the office. Trainers when working outdoors. I like Cos for simple, stylish minimal workwear in a subdued palette, but their shapes may not work for you if you're shorter.

You really have to ask why wearing your diamonds and cashmere is making you look a bit too posh when meeting homeless people?

Yes I’m somewhat perplexed by the op actually choosing to do this sort of job! @HereKittyKitty6 You want easily washable clothes, especially if you are meeting people with pets that may or may not have fleas!

Marks and spencer habe a huge range of round neck tops and pair with trousers or stretch jeans, its my standard work wear look.

Presumably you’re not homeless, with no experience of ever being homeless, so you can’t actually comment on what you would or wouldn’t find patronising if you were.

Ditch the cashmere, diamonds, and gold for work. Keep your plain wedding band on of course.

In your office, wear a pair of cheap polyester trousers, a t-shirt, and your cashmere cardigan, and or a nice scarf. Have a cheap work handbag (Primark) and keep your nice one at home.

To meet the homeless people, wear the same pair of polyester trousers, and t-shirt, but change into an inexpensive hoodie (Primark). When not wearing your hoodie, tie it by the arms around your waist.

I hope these guidelines help you and that they meet your employers weird stipulations on dress code!

I work with a lot of local authorities.

With a very few, few senior executives, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a suit, or even a tie.

Plain basics, swap around trainers/smart shoes; cardigan/jacket.

They’re not weird stipulations at all though, are they? They’re common sense.

Our office is very smart casual (too casual in some cases I'd say). My staples at the moment are dark blue or black straight leg jeans (will get the chinos out when the weather is a bit warmer), white leather lace up trainers (unbranded so no sports brand logos on them), and a variety of tops - either shirts or tops with a cardigan. M&S has loads of plain coloured cotton cardigans you can mix and match with whatever you've got on underneath. I have black & navy ones that are actually from their school uniform range as I prefer the longer length of them and they wear really well.
e.g. Pure Cotton Striped Collared Shirt | M&S Collection | M&S
Buy Black Slim Supersoft Jeans from the Next UK online shop

This isn’t my dress code but would accurately describe what I wear most days to work.

I usually wear a fitted cotton t shirt (either no sleeves, long sleeves or short sleeves depending on the weather), with wide legged trousers and suede/leather ballet flats or ankle boots in winter. I’ll then wear either a cardigan or a blazer depending on my diary for the day.

Colleagues also wear smart jeans and smart trainers, which would also fit your criteria.

I think it’s actually a very easy dress code.

As PP said, it’ll be the diamonds, cashmere and leather bag that are contributing to the quiet wealth look of your style (along with a presume frequently styled/coloured hair which also just gives an expensive feel to someone’s style). I’d lose the accessories and I think you’ll probably be fine.

I don't know about the OP, but I'm not wearing polyester trousers and getting thrush for anyone. Cheap doesn't automatically mean synthetic.

New Look (and Sainburys often have them) have some affordable blazers which are really soft and comfortable. You can throw one of those over a top or shirt for office meetings and then change to a more casual coat or jumper to meet the homeless people. Womens Coats & Jackets | New Look

OK, depending upon personal susceptibility to thrush, cotton or other natural materials. Or a plain skirt.

I can see why you've been given advice about what to wear in the people facing part of your job and there is some really good advice on this thread, but I'm puzzled about the "in office" dress code in local government these days, especially a social work environment. Haven't seen anyone, male or female in a suit or anything close in decades.

Practical, washable fabrics, large plain bag in a wipeable material, change into trainers when not in office if needed. Lose all jewellery apart from wedding ring/plain studs. Keep a change of clothes at work at all times, not just for meetings but in case you get wet/dirty. Smart jacket if absolutely needed as suggested above. It's important to be clean and tidy if you want to inspire any confidence in your clients (in my lengthy experience) but it is not about dressing for your own preference or style.

I spend my life running between meetings requiring presentable dressing and dealing with drug users.

I usually wear linen trousers, smart trainers and a nice t-shirt and a cardigan. It's not difficult or something special but it is smart enough without being inappropriate for all frontofacing client work I do.

Natural fabrics don't have to be cashmere. Cotton is a perfectly acceptable natural fabric.

I have only got this far in the thread and this screams out to me.

Come on OP, it really isn't that difficult. Comfy trainer like shoes, wide leg trousers or chino type trousers with a plain tshirt. Ditch the cashmere and buy a regular cardi from Sainsbo's

You can wear your bling in your spare time

This is what I thought! Surely just a t shirt and trousers - when I worked in an office we could wear black jeans too

Exactly this. I have a colleague who, without fail, wears the same thing to work every day. 7/8 length trousers, with trainers, a nice t-shirt and a shirt or a jumper.

In her spare time she is all frills and flounces with glitter everywhere and swilling champers.

Dress for the job you do, not the life you have on the outside.

This sounds like a school dress code - take a look at Popsy dresses which are designed with teachers in mind.

I had a client in the social community sector that I had to visit (I worked as a consultant). I was told to wear jeans, joggers (I wore canvas cons) and a jumper or a t-shirt because I overdressed.

You shouldn’t need to be told what to wear. Just wear some black pants and some adidas shoes and a long sleeve or short sleeve crew t-shirt. It’s basically how my psychologist used to dress. White t-shirt + black pants and sneakers.

I buy clothes for how they feel, not just how they look, but until you feel them who's to know? Who can tell a cashmere cardigan just by looking at it?

Perhaps other Mumsnetters have mega magnifying-eyed sartorial detection talents that I don't possess.

Cream cashmere for working outdoors with the homeless?

Cream — very easily marked or dirtied. Homeless person's dog jump up: muddy paws, oily marks and a toenail catches a thread and pulls and.. disaster, your £100+ card is ruined.

Cashmere that has to be handwashed carefully or specialist cleaned. How on earth would anyone think that was a sensible choice for work. Or for life generally?

Cream cashmere says: 'I don't eat, I don't cook, and if I do accidentally manage to drop some coffee down my front I have staff who'll sort the problem out.'