What do you wear to work if you are fat, fifty and fookin boiling hot?

[SodOffbacktoaibu]

I'm eyeing up my wardrobe, wondering what the hell to wear to work in the next couple of days when I have visitors at work.

It's not a suit environment so casual is ok but I would like to look cool and not a sweaty and uncomfortable blob.

Maxi dresses all seem either too strappy or frilly and flouncy.

I do trainers and DMS, so I'm not particularly a dressy person. Bit alternative perhaps. I like a lot of black or monochrome. I don't mind some bright colours. I don't do patterns and fussy stuff.

Style and beauty is not my usual stomping ground!

@SodOffbacktoaibu
look on yours clothing.
I have lots of dresses and tops from there.
the prices are reasonable and a lot of the dresses are cotton/cotton blend so nice and cool on a hot day

I am very similar to you OP! I like Sugarhill Brighton a lot for dresses but I appreciate a lot of their stuff (not all!) is patterned and very colourful. And my stuff from there has worn amazingly well (I wash everything at 30 degrees though!). The materials they use are generally really nice and breathable.

I know what you mean about polyester, I prefer cotton (ideally organic) but it’s getting harder and harder to find, silk, linen etc though can cope with jersey. Also interestingly this Lenzing Ecovero viscose that seems to be everywhere now seems to be nice and cool and breathable even though it’s synthetic.

I know what you mean about the annoying flouncy frills on dresses especially maxi dresses that seems so in fashion currently (and has been for a while). Here’s hoping that trend will disappear soon!

I generally wear linen trousers with elasticated waist from M and S to work in the summer with some sort of loose cotton or silk top. Or sometimes a silk or cotton/jersey dress, I don’t mind having some leg showing as long as it’s not indecent lol but I generally prefer the look of maxis. Monsoon used to be my go-to for maxis but I do like pattern and I feel like the fabric quality has plummeted in recent years, though it also seems to be getting more affordable than it was.

White Stuff has more plain type designs often and has generally very high quality cotton and linen. Again not cheap but they often have good sales or discount codes.

I agree Sainsbury’s can be surprisingly good for clothing too!

You don’t need to go sleeveless just because it’s hot. It depends if you don’t mind your upper arms. I hate mine so always like a little bit of sleeve. Cotton/thinner tops and dresses will be fine wirh a bit of arm coverage and absorb any moisture.

Sigrid Olsen linen shirts are good OP, TK Maxx currently have some online. Wear as is or open over a cotton vest with wide legged cotton or linen trousers.

Gudrun Sjoden (bought predominantly in the sale) is my go to for coolness. Drapy jersey trousers and long shirts or tunics made of beautifully thin and breathable cotton. The fabrics are all natural and lovely. I buy in the sale and on vinted.

1940s style tea dress and converse. It’s all I wear to work when the weather is like this. Many styles hit me below the knee or mid calf and I’m 5’9”.

I spend the winter in jeans and DMs so I feel your pain! I am not built for summer.

https://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/clothing/dresses/curves-black-shirred-waist-midi-dress/p/919675601

New Look Curve have some nice dresses

Thanks for starting this thread OP. @ThinWomansBrainive just bought myself one of those Uniqlo dresses - fingers crossed it somehow makes me look size 8 and 5’9”! Or at least less of a lump than I now am

Thanks. Black one is not bad at all. Worth a go for the money. 👍🏻

Nice. Thanks.

I have a similar dress from seasalt. Not cheap, cheap but good quality.

Same! I have a few in different patterns 👌🏻

Wide leg linen trousers from h&m .. and a loose floaty top from tesco today.. or h&m l/sleeve very light patterned blouse, they also do some good dresses that are either plain or big print ...
Also TU (Sainsbury's) summer range has some good stuff
Zara have some lovely skirts this year but like Uniqlo I have big bust so often their dresses dont work for me

White stuff and seasalt dresses. I ordered a few from white stuff recently thinking they wouldn’t look that nice but surprisingly they are quite slimming, comfy and so cool.

If you lean a bit alt, have a look at disturbia shirt dresses!

Wide leg linen trousers or ankle grazers and a ‘cool’ top with nice dressy flat sandals or smart trainers.
Frequently my top will be of the more ‘cover up variety’ over a vest. So modesty main function!

The skinny gals can get of with wearing a smart vest or sleeveless tunic top.
Big busted, spare tyre bingo wings me feels automatically messy looking in something like that for work

I do love dresses and where a lot of those in autumn & winter with different deniers of black tights.

But for summer it brings more challenges hate my mottled chicken skin fluid retaining shapeless legs.
Fine if I’m fresh from holidays with a bit of colour and a leg wax!

Don’t want to be shaving legs & tanning for the sake of work 😜

It’s actually (surprisingly! I was very ready to send it back!) a really nice thin ish cotton. But not see through. It just hangs well on my podgy frame and skims over the belly and bum. Not too long like some maxi dresses. I’ve ordered another one, but I don’t like the florals I think they are a bit frumpy on me. I will definitely be wearing it as every day wear.

I buy a lot of Uniqlo- I don't like frills and tiers- and looked at that flared dress in store yesterday. Lovely cut but I can't bear the Airism fabric. Makes me sweaty.

Ended up buying one of their cotton tshirt dresses, which I buy every couple of years in different colours. Also bought a linen teeshirt.

Either black or navy wide leg cropped linen trousers with a Breton t shirt and low converse or Gola Hurricane trainers or slimmer leg black and white harem trousers with a white vest top and a white sheer linen mix long shirt (actually a plain white beach cover up from Primark) over the top and Birkenstocks. If wearing trainers, I found some brilliant invisible socks from Asda of all places. Don’t show at all even with low converse, made of sock material rather than tights material so they don’t make my feet sweat, and the gel tab on the heel actually works at keeping them in place.

A simple cotton shirt dress as others have posted above. With these shorts under - they keep you incredibly comfortable and it is much cooler wearing them than not, no chub rub!

wirarpa Ladies Anti Chafing... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09QV9STM8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I think you need this sort of thing OP
www.next.co.uk/style/su381376/e60770#e60770

I have these in 2 colours and 2 patterns- mine are not all from Next but they are all either cotton or muslin types. I am also alternative - and these go with platform brogues or trainers. They are so cool and breezy yet smart enough. I get loads of compliments on them.

sorry meant to say- I have the full co ord - not just the trousers.
It also makes work dressing simple for the summer- as they are just a uniform and they dry overnight too and mine don't need ironing !

I quite like these as a non- iron uniform. Great for travel too.

Every year H&M do floaty shirt dresses in soft wafty viscose. They’re cool, smart enough and they’re inexpensive. They’re my go to for the office.

Loose weave linen jacket and cotton shirt.

A cotton T shirt is very good in a sweaty environment,