DD20 needs business wear, not suits - suggestions please.

[NotDonna]

Just that really. She doesn’t wear skirts as says her legs are fat (they’re not). She’s a curvy size 8/10 and 5’ 4. She does not want to spend lots of money as is a uni student going on a year placement. She’s bought one blue suit from M&S and some lace up shoes. Needs tops. But wants /needs smart business clothes that are good for a twenty year old. Any links would be amazing! Thank you.

sleeveless dresses that she can pop blouses under. I suggest she scours Vinted and charity shops.

Watch YouTube stylists like Nina Lee Caine for workwear fashion inspo. Or Lydia Tomlinson. Both have great styling advice.

Otherwise she could take a look in M&S and Next, they both do good workwear. In this weather a pair of trousers plus a long sleeve blouse/top works well, with a light jacket for when the temperature drops later on in the day.

I’d advise her not to buy too much until she sees what people actually wear in the office she is going to.

In my experience most offices are pretty casual now.

if it’s definitely fairly smart I would recommend a few pairs of trousers and tops that can mix and match to make different outfits.

For the summer you’ll see lots of long dresses around the office

This kind of thing https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/cream-palermo-mini-shift-dress-d241322stn?variant=44282825605291&utm_source=NMPi&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PaidSearch&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19541476977&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIXa8cyLs_7fHX33w6AxYfXsq&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItoPph8injQMVgY9QBh09DwG_EAQYBSABEgKAxfD_BwE

My daughter has just started working in my office during the uni holidays. She is also a curvy 5ft 4 size 10. She tends to wear dark coloured wide leg trousers and a white or black fitted top. She has just ordered a coloured blazer off Vinted that will go with all her dark trousers.

Dresses, ballet pumps. Can experiment with scarves, jewellery etc I look awful in trainers but I notice them around the office

https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/ladies/shop-by-product/trousers/chinos-slacks.html?srsltid=AfmBOorfavk95lRdAs5-8UcDtzPiAf3zI6Cmd8Tb7gk4omrHey2kCXmh

I wear various different trousers like these with floaty tops, cardigans, blouses depending on the weather, with loafers

What industry and what business?
ASOS and Zara would be good starting points, Mango has surprisingly stepped up recently. As a started kit some plain basic trousers in what ever her preferred shape and a hard fuel of tops. Wait and see what people wear before over committing.

edited to add
why is everyone saying dresses when she doesn’t like skirts??

Hollister livvy trousers are good

The younger women I see around the office often seem to wear high waisted, wide legged trousers with some kind of top/blouse that's not a t-shirt. Then accessorise quite well. Lots do dresses too but if she doesn't like that, it might not be that helpful but I saw a few women yesterday wearing long dresses in a sort of summery/maxi dress vibe but in plain colours with low heels and it looked really good.

The local high school has a "business" dress code for A Levels and I'm constantly bemused by the girls in pencil skirts - I dn't think I've seen anyone in an actual pencil skirt in the City in years!

These plus lace-ups or brogues, a t-shirt or button up shirt are what 90% of the women I know working charities/academia etc wear

https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/products/E460311-000/00?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18136599808&gbraid=0AAAAADM0H6iVh8vV4nh0xz_p8lpWWigz2&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxJvBBhDuARIsAGUgNfi_40tXXSLyxFh0Ylfe-0izD0YzUlugc9Y5Ae29NFfrYYe0jSIiGKAaAu3SEALw_wcB&colorDisplayCode=55&sizeDisplayCode=003

I agree with the advice to buy the minimum now and see what people are wearing around the office. The 20-somethings where I work are generally in non-skinny trousers, flat shoes and a jumper/shirt/smart t-shirt depending on the weather. Some go for bright coloured relaxed fit suits with trainers. Others like midi dresses with trainers.

Huge huge thanks everyone!! All very helpful. She’s going for the wide leg trouser & nice top (T-shirt style but better fabric & cut) vibe with brogues. Then long sleeve tops in winter with the same style trousers. She’s already said she’ll purchase 2 pairs of trousers (with one matching blazer) and 5 tops to see her through the first few weeks until she gets to know the style consensus.

Interestingly, my youngest starts 6th form in September where it’s ’business wear’ and all the girls on the taster day wore pencil skirts, blouses, and blazers. Just like school uniform really, and not at all what you’d see in the office. However, I don’t think school would be accepting much variation of this.

This! Office wear is more casual than the casual Fridays were when I was 20.
I thought it might be a local Scots thing, but even when I am down at the London office very few people wear suits or formal office wear these days. Young interns or graduate hires most certainly are dressing what I would call smart casual.

I would go with a couple of pairs of wide leg trousers in black and navy, a pair of loafers and possibly one pair of decent trainers.

Then some simple shirts/ good quality round neck tee shirts, one blazer and a smart sweater/cardigan.

Day 1, wear the jacket and loafers and see how everyone else is dressed.

@Ilovemyshed thats EXACTLY what she’s going to do.

Uniqlo is good for this sort of thing- tops, boxy cardigan etc. She may find the workplace a lot more casual than expected tbh.

Check out Vinted too.

So much ‘once worn’ smart clothing, I'm assuming because many of us buy new for interview and don't wear it again.

She could grab some bargains to mix and match.

The young people I know wear wide legged trousers, smart t shirts and cardigans/merino jumpers or knitted waistcoats.

and trainers or loafers

Glad she sorted a few things, I was going suggest Next or M&S.

Agree with this

DD is at 6th form with a business clothes dress code.

She shops at Next for plain long sleeve jumpers she wears with suit trousers from H&M or Zara. She has also some pencil skirts and blouses, that's then far more formal than what I wear as an Investment Banker if I don't have customer meetings.

She also has some tops from FatFace and White Stuff we got in the sale.

In Summer is vests with thin long sleeve cardigans or short sleeve tops which are a nicer cut and fabric than a normal T-shirt.

Something like that is what she really likes:
https://www.whitestuff.com/p/2178/LULU-CARDI/GREY_MARL?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17434335532&gclid=CjwKCAjw56DBBhAkEiwAaFsG-qPQB2o3rNaRSm0t1qOcLohfgJAVy6ZxjtffmMu15yZT_7WQTZe13hoCFhMQAvD_BwE

Pretty much this. You can get wide legged trousers from m&s in navy black and camel get plain tops if she doesn't like tight just a silky t shirt that you can tuck in, then a nice blazer from next colour or neutral. Mismatch to trousers but not clash.

Defo the wide-legged trouser and top. With a cardigan or jacket if the office is cold. She doesn’t have to stick to neutral coloured tops, but I would agree with dark trousers that will go with most things. In some offices, a waistcoat would be great.

Depending on her and the office, ballet flats, loafers or even smart, dark trainers would work.