Revamp of work style

[DeliciouslyBaked]

I want to totally revamp my work style. I see beautiful stylish women on the tube all the time and i feel like i have zero style in comparison.

I have about £300 to spend and I work 3 days a week (soon to be 4) but two of those will be from home when i can be more casual so I don't need a huge selection. Im a senior manager and am based in Westminster.

Size wise / colouring - currently around size 18 (post two DDs and really hate my tummy area), dark brown but greying shoulder length hair, olive undertoned skin, 5'7.

Have bought some new and properly fitting bras, which are helping already and plan to refresh my haircut before September.

Any advice on where to begin? Shops to consider? Styles that might work for my figure? I've a wardrobe full of stuff that isnt really working for me and so I want to avoid having to buy loads and send back.

Have you properly measured yourself, @DeliciouslyBaked? If you’re looking to pre-owned sites you’d find things easier if you discover you’re actually closer to a 16 than an 18.

You could then look for brands like Cos, Studio Nicholson, Toteme …

(There was a poster recently on another thread who had assumed she was ‘about a size 20’ and was astonished to find she was actually about a size 16.)

I am wearing exactly the old office clothing as you have described and i have an absolute tonne of turquoise in my wardrobe 🤦🏻‍♀️

I too like the Good On You website though with smaller brands their assessments can be a few years old. And agree that Uniqlo is a lot better than many if you’re on a budget.

Hi there, I’m the same profession and age/stage as you, sounds like similar kind of shape too though I’m short so a scaled down version.

I find my most reliable dresses are ‘starlight’ ones from Nobody’s child (I wear a camisole under for work), and a couple of long shirt dresses with a waist. I’m not wearing my floral ones as much as I used to - that feels a bit dated this year.

I also get a lot of wear out of this: https://www.collectiflondon.com/products/caterina-denim-swing-dress which is a lovely heavy denim, I wear without the belt.

And also out of a leather wrap skirt from M&S in dark green, work with a similar colour plain long sleeve top or jumper. The wrap means the size doesn’t have to be perfect as it has a D ring. I think this 18 is the exact one! www.vinted.co.uk/items/6068211278-wrap-leather-skirt-18

Oooh, do you have examples of more brands that do it outside London? I use it for Nobody’s Child, but for some other brands I like such as LK Bennett, I see they only offer it in London, and I’m only there occasionally.

Lovely, that helps!! Environment actually sounds very similar to mine, where you can wear more formal things and not get the side-eye, but also wear more fun/ comfortable things - I brush with the big 4 and finance kind of environments also.

In fact you sound a bit like my fabulous boss…

Out and about today but will come back with some ideas soon 😊

Meanwhile, I did think this website was really good at giving ideas for different body shapes. If nothing else, gave me a few types of items to try that I didn’t think of myself but actually look fab: https://theconceptwardrobe.com/build-a-wardrobe/apple-body-shape Goes into lots of detail about types of necklines, skirt lengths, belt styles etc that could be worth trying out

Im guessing you may be wearing the old version of office clothing , e.g..dark tight fitting suits, dark trousers, cardigans, fitted dresses with tights? This is dated (and boring!).

Oh dear, this is me too 😆
And I always thought black trousers with a colourful top was a good uniform for work...

I have a small Uniqlo near me so have bought some emergency black trousers there but I feel most Uniqlo ranges aren't designed for older women with curves and always mean to try some more 'quality' brands.

Thank you @DeliciouslyBaked for starting thread - following with interest for tips 😀

Surely Vinted is where you head once you've worked out what you're looking for and what size you are across different brands? When you want to reconfigure your style, I'd have thought the ideal starting point would be some real shops? Admittedly I'm old school in that respect but I firmly believe there's nothing like going into a changing room and trying things on, especially things that you wouldn't normally consider.

Or if that's not practical, some online sites with a decent returns policy.

Especially when you're on a fixed budget and can't afford too many mistakes.

Exactly. I’m always a little confused by ‘Vinted’ as a style advise recommendation. It’s just a shopfront essentially.

I am senior in tech and deal with clients and big 4 a lot. Few years ago started really overhauling my style. 53 now.

i started with getting my colours done. It then makes shopping easier.

I also worked out how I wanted to feel, comfortable, me, but with an edge.

The style that works for me is casual/linen suits, or trousers/casual jacket and smart t shirt. I always wear really nice street style trainers too. Winter I’ll often wear a tailored leather jacket which is thin enough to keep on in the office.

start with colours, then go to JL for some styling but never go with anything you don’t feel like you in as it impacts your confidence I have found.

Black wide leg trousers (soft tailored) i bought a great pair from tu which is very reasonable (I usually buy from nobody's child so spend more), 3 tops of varied print and colour to tuck in, I like cos, hm, anywhere with a print that you love the colours of, olive toned skim can take some great colours. Then dresses, 3 different ones, statement jewellery (necklace or stacked bangles worn not at the same time) good shoes. I like a smart brogues patent or leather. Get your hair cut, I've gone with a chin length bob and my hair is now pure white at 45. I went grey at 13

Oh and the people saying get your colours done are right. Its a great idea. Im a cool summer and it's changed what colours I wear for the better

I really enjoyed a JL try on - I was a 16-18 coming off my third maternity leave and didn’t understand my figure, style or colouring any more. When you book it, you can pick your stylist and I picked one that talked about helping mums find their style again.

Mine listened to me that I wanted a capsule work wardrobe and convinced me to
try a couple of things I would never have ordinarily chosen - eg some cropped wide
length trousers in gorgeous fabric, which paired so well with a striped top and Hobbs blazer that I honestly didn’t recognise myself. There were a few things I made a note of and picked up subsequently on sale or at Vinted but I left with about 6 pieces that were enough to give me confidence going back to work.

I’ve now lost weight again and really recommend ChatGPT - if you ask it to be honest, it will tell you what suits and what doesn’t, and why, and make recommendations on colours and fits. But for me I needed a real life person first to push me out of my comfort zone.

I'm glad this is resonating with a few of us... "I'm guessing you may be wearing the old version of office clothing , e.g..dark tight fitting suits, dark trousers, cardigans, fitted dresses with tights? This is dated (and boring!)."
I wrote it as I've observed a lot of women our age (I'm 50) wearing this, and as a result they kinda blend into the background. Which is fine if thats what you want. But personally I find clothes have a big effect on how I feel and I'd love it for us to be as confident as possible especially in the workplace.

Asda has lovely dresses at the mo

I used to work with someone who had a personal shopper / stylish. Every few months they would go shopping together and she would get a few lovely pieces including shoes and handbags and dresses. She would wear them a lot on rotation in different combinations. I suspect it might be a bit too expensive to do but it did seem to work!

I agree with the advice to go and look for inspiration in person and especially to visit larger stores that have more choice. I fell in love with most of the M&S Jaegar range in black and cream in the spring, but sadly it was out of my price range. Instead, I bought cream wide leg trousers from their standard range, a black & cream Chanel style jacket from Uniqlo and have been able to wear my own version of the look with these and some tops I already had.

@WashableVelvet I love that leather skirt and may have just acquired one in my size from Vinted

Are you a size 10-12? I find the Vinted magic doesn't work in size 16-18. I have landed a couple of wins on Ebay, but these are actual ancient vintage items that I assume came from post-mortem house clearances. Last year's Lauren or Gucci bargains simply don't turn up in bigger sizes, at least not often enough to make it worth searching.

@Starch1e, one of the most difficult things to get your head round is that clothes have much more volume now. There are different ways of handling it -I'm not going to make specific recommendations - but any style concept that would be most easily described as 'neat' is hard to do without looking dated in the 2020s.

The Uniqlo 'C' recommendation upthread was a revelation to me, too: never been attracted by this high street workhorse before, but I'd shop that range if I weren't on a self-imposed ban! See how they've been photographed loose-fitting with lots of movement? That's the direction to aim in.

https://www.thereformation.com/products/will-oversized-shirt/1309967MPS.html?dwvar_1309967MPS_color=MPS&quantity=1

i love this look

I used to have a passion for fashion, but I think one I settled down with a guy that had no interest and also started spending my weekends hiking rather than going to the theatre, I kind of disconnected from that, worked far too hard, and gradually ended up looking a little sad and worn out. Suppose it can be a bit similar to the 'early years' of being a mum, people simply don't have the time and resources to look uber stylish.

I'd say don't buy a whole new wardrobe at once. Try on a few pieces, wear them, if you love something and it makes you feel great, keep it, live in it. If it sparks joy every single time you put it on, get some more similar styles.

Mine was an emerald Ralph Lauren faux wrap dress (faux wrap dresses may be a good place to start as they flatter most figures, especially if you're lucky to have hips or a bust). Got so many compliments in it and felt comfortable, so got a couple of similar items and built from there. Maybe one new item a month, but only something I completely loved, nothing so-so.

You could try out some maxi dresses, which can be really flattering and comfortable, and worn well with any footwear if you can't wear heels.

I'm guessing you have some of your old favourite clothes stored. Have a look at the/ try them on to remember what you used to love/ what you look great in. Can you source some similar pieces/ see what the brands you loved offer these days?

In terms of brands, I'd look at Hobbs and LK Bennett, perhaps Reiss, Joseph. You're guaranteed to find some statement pieces where you look at yourself and go 'wow', even though the overall vibe may feel a bit conservative browsing. Now, I don't suggest you get them at full price necessarily. Go to the shops if you like shopping in person, or get a big online order delivered to get an idea of your favourite styles, colours, materials. You can get some pretty decent deals on their sale. But usually, once I love a style/ colour and know my size, I look for it on Vinted, and very often find it.

So essentially, I wear pieces that are priced at GBP100-500, but I pay 10-40 for them. That's why for your budget, you could get around 10 very good, ethical pieces once you know what you want.

Here's an example of what brands offer with Harper in London: https://www.lkbennett.com/LKB-harper

In terms of websites, M&S and Next stock many brands these days, not just their own, so for example, if you're looking for a black skater dress, lots of options of different pricing pop up. It's also a good way to discover new brands. I mention those 2 as their online experience is super smooth, next day delivery, and returns get processed super quickly, too.

Being in London, I'd pop somewhere like Westfield for a day, as there's lots of varied brands under one roof, and it can again help you discover what you like, and see things in person. (Personally I hate in-person shopping as it's busy, pushy sales people with opinions, unflattering lightning, but if you're not sure what you like, it might be a good start)

Colours - really good idea about getting your colours done, or even just trying on different colours to see how they look/ feel. I used to live in black and beige, and they don't flatter me at all, whereas emerald or peach really suit me. Statement pieces often make an impact because the colour is bold yet flattering, right?

ChatGPT is also a great shout, just 'build a relationship' with it first if it makes sense. Mine's excellent at recommending clothes as it knows me so well.

Hair - is it generally in good shape? While it's not directly fashion, good hair and a generally groomed appearance lifts every outfit.

Autumn is coming so I'd perhaps look at blazers in all their forms as one purchase. May sound a bit old fashioned but hear me out :) Blazers come as blazer dresses, jackets, buttoned up, open, whatever. Lots of more fashion forward options available, e.g. leather trim, trendy sleeves, soft, more structured, colours etc. You can also accesorise them and wear them however you want.

There was a time when my body was changing a lot and I was doing a lot of public speaking, and blazers absolutely saved my life. The colours I chose really flattered me, I had to worry a lot less about what else I was wearing, as simple black trousers went with it well, and I could style them as more formal or quite trendy depending on the occassion, e.g. soft slouchy blazer with skinny black trousers, cool t-shirt and leather boots.

Looking stylish is of course great, but I'm nearly 40 now and strongly feel that I only look stylish if a) the clothes make me feel comfortable and 'like myself' b) I look in the mirror before heading out and think 'yup, definitely look fab'. I go back to old favourites a lot.

Personally I feel a small well curated capsule wardrobe, e.g. 3 dresses, 2 skirts, 2 trousers, 4-5 tops, 2 bags, 2-3 pairs of shoes, but all items that you absolutely adore and hope you never have to part with is an approach to workwear that can work really well.

I love watching stylish women come off the tube during London rush hour sometimes, nice to see people still love fashion and have fun with it.

Hope some of this helps and that you find joy in building your autumn work wardrobe again!

Sorry, @ElleintheWoods- meant to reply about Harper. So far I’m only aware of Margaret Howell offering it - so have assumed other places are too! (I haven’t used it yet; I dare not.)

I used it for Nobody's Child and found it very good, 5 days to try on items before getting charged.

Obviously I don't mind shopping 'the old-fashioned way', but if you aren't sure which size you are, or are perhaps looking to lock down an occassion outfit quickly, and want quite a few options, that's a really good way to do it. Some retailers take ages to process returns and I like to avoid having a large sum of money appearing on my credit card statement if I can help it...

Definitely recommend! Saves you time sending items back and forth, and I appreciate some people don't want CCs or don't feel comfortable having over GBP 500 fashion spend on a CC to try on a few different sizes and colours even if they know most of it is going back.

Apparently it works quite well for the retailers, as it increases the basket size the consumer ends up keeping.

I have recently redone my work wardrobe after losing a lot of weight.

I work in an office in a senior role. Frequently on stage at conferences etc.

i have found choosing a limited colour palette works - I keep everything quite plain so I can mix and match. hate patterns and you can’t stamp repeat them often.

trousers - wide leg, black, neutral and white
shirts - one blue, one white, one linen black
short sleeve knits - white, cream black
short sleeve blouses - maroon, white, black
jackets -, black, grey, brown.
good quality thick white t-shirts

i shop in mango, arket, reiss, whistles, marks and Spencer and H&M