"Business wear" conference on Tuesday Help!

[BelatrixLestrange]

Surely, nobody has worn bloody business wear since covid? I thought we all realised life is too short 😭

I don't have spare to buy anything new and need to look smart.

I have these things already, do they go together? Could I pull it off as smart "Business wear"?

https://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/p/GH365

https://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/p/UL370

https://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/p/EM533

https://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/p/JT862

What combination would you choose? I only have the one pair of boots. All my other shoes are trainers.

Cherry shirt, black trousers, if that’s possible.

Combination from your wardrobe: dress and shoes or boots

They all look good. I particularly like the black shirt with the cherries which you could pair with the black skirt.

I agree with @GarlicPound: 'You're the client company, so are there as guests in your role as the company you are. The company you are doesn't wear suits.'
Your company is there as a guest, so you dress as you normally would for a work thing. The tech company will expect the delegation from its client to look like the people and company they really are - that's part of the point of showcasing your clients.

The only requirement is to be presentable, which your options easily fulfil. I'd wear the cherry shirt and black skirt, but choose whatever combo will help you enjoy yourself.

I were a suit most days for work. Business dress is all but required. Everything you have posted will be FINE. The dress or the skirt + shirt. The boots are completely fine!

Please relax. Business dress is a very broad range and how it is interpreted depends on lots of different factors - age, nationality, cultural background, previous work experience…

@BelatrixLestrange I’m sorry things are so tough for you right now. I’ve had days in London when I didn’t dare try my card on the Tube, so had to waste time queuing to buy a ticket at the one cash taking machine. Trudging from coffee shop to cafe and ending up at Tesco because other places only took cards. Walking when I really didn’t want to walk …

My question is why you are in such straitened circumstances when you have a job. And your apparently lovely boss has invited you to a conference that you can scarcely afford to get to and can’t afford to dress for. (Obviously not questions you need answer at all. But I do feel for you.)

Don’t buy cheap black anything. Spend half an hour today browsing the Uniqlo site, and try to find something similar if you go to a charity shop.

It's not creepy, it's kind. Someone's trying to help you based on facts not some outdated idea of what business wear is.

I'd absolutely wear what you already own.

Please report back on whether I was right or wrong on people wearing trainers!!

Honestly it’s tech they def mean ‘no jeans and scruffy trainers’. I went to a black tie evening do in Kensington a few weeks back and there was all sorts there including women in what I would class as work wear - black trousers and trainers. They’ll be hundreds of people, it will be mainly dark and no one will give a shit what anyone is wearing apart from if it’s way too far either way. I’d put your dress and boots on. I always overdress and I think you’ll be fine.

This is anecdotal, but I find that events in London which are attended mainly by London colleagues tend to have a more casual dress tone than events in other parts of the country. Plenty of jeans and trainers - they might well be super cool designer brands (I wouldn't know as I'm not really a brand person) but they're not what I would call business wear. I put the trainers down to them having to keep their balance on busy tubes and schlep across roads that have those awful countdown timers on the pedestrian crossings 😆

Have you booked your travel yet? On our company portal you can put a tube station as your destination. Then, when you print out the train tickets they also work on the tube

Yes I was picturing the OP running out and spending her last £10 on a pair of “suitable” shoes and hobbling round London for no good reason.

Was pretty confident I knew the style of event but a 10 sec google proved me right. OP will definitely be fine with what she has got.

Dont worry OP I won’t turn up tomorrow stalking the woman with the cherry print shirt.

😵 I never thought to try this. I have already booked so will need to buy tube tickets or bus tickets and expense it back (can't do the tap on and off as no receipt to present)

I will try this next time though. Thank you.

Given it's a public event and you are asking for help, I think your comment isn't very fair.

The poster was helpful (the most helpful on this thread tbh) and has taken the time out to try to give you some confidence about the dress code.

If someone's overly friendly tomorrow, telling me how lovely my outfit is I'll know it's you 😂

If you can get one thing from the charity shop I'd go for a black blazer, wear with the dress and boots. The quickest way to K smart is to wear something that's tailored and not stretchy and I think a blazer is the easiest way to do that given the rest of your wardrobe.
But as pp have said, given that it's tech then business wear (for the men at least) will probably just be smart jeans/chinos and a shirt (dh in tech and that's what he wears for big events).

Will a print out of your expenditure count? I'm not sure if you can do this but maybe try registering your debit card with TFL to see your expenditure?

The black and white dress and boots will be absolutely fine!

not the cherry top though

Train tickets with the tube station as the final destination are a rip off anyway, they're far more expensive than buying separately.

You can download a receipt up to a week (I think, check this) after travel if enter details of the payment card in the TFL website. Or can you ask your employer for an advance for the cost?

You say your employer values you, but they can't value you that much if they pay you so little that things are so tight that you can't even afford a few quid for an ad hoc expense like this and only have £10 for new trousers.

But the clothes/boots in the link are fine. A pair of plain black trousers would give you a second option with the blouse if the conference is more than one day otherwise just wear the dress and boots, or trainers if they're reasonably smart/plain. You won't be the only one.

Agreed
skirt, blouse and boots will be fine.

Could you get an advance for your tube tickets? The tube/bus transactions show on your bank statement if you tap in and out with your bank card. Could you use that for expenses with everything else redacted?

The tech industry doesn't feel particularly stuffy or formal - it would be different if you were a barrister.

I think your dress & boots or your skirt & blouse & boots will look fine.

Try putting the dress over the skirt for a statement look.

Get some quality opaque black tights with your £10.

Do you have necklace or earrings or belt to play with?

And if your boss comments on your outfit, suggest if they're doing well enough for a presence at the Savoy, it might be time for a raise...

To add to your wardrobe on a budget, I'd suggest:

Some plain silk, cotton or linen t shirts, black or your best colours, to go with the skirt (I have two linen v-necks from M&S that go with everything including my necklaces)

Yes, some smart black trousers - good under the dress and with the blouse and boots, so gives you more options.

Charity shops have yielded some great bits of distinctive jewellery for me.

Have a fun event 🤗

Primark have some black trousers for £7 https://www.primark.com/en-gb/p/high-waisted-tailored-trousers-black-991122679804

I am here and for anyone interested, I am one of the smarter dressed people here!!!

Lots of jeans and trainers, not even fancy looking ones.

Also, the buffet service at the savoy is shit for this many people! I am currently in a queue for food that's out the door! (used to work in hospitality, dissapointed?)

Thanks for reporting back! I knew you would be fine! Glad you didn’t panic-buy anything to smarten up.

Hope the food is worth the wait - a crap buffet is one of life’s great disappointments (especially if your expectations were above the curled up sandwich level)

I knew it! 😁 This 'business wear' idea people have is so outdated. I knew you'd be fine in your trainers op. Next time you'll be more confident I'm sure 😊
Hope you're having fun