Are these two dresses dated for workwear?

[CoastOfXmasPast]

I know “if you like it, wear it “ but also I was loved the era of a power Galaxy dress, and would live in them for the rest of my working life, so need some perspective.

https://www.hobbs.com/product/meera-dress/0125-5237-9045L05-ZINNIA-PINK.html?utm_source=google&utm_source_platform=google_ads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NEST_Hobbs_UK_EN_BoF_Shopping_Brand&utm_id=22300217733&utm_content=agid_171138532490-ad_736662908342&network=g&device=c&targetid=pla-293946777986&utm_tpl=live&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22300217733&gbraid=0AAAAADC5o-KwGWjelOitcXVX5sd7rkULg&gclid=CjwKCAiAzOXMBhASEiwAe14Sac3hzLKfFRuXOlOBqVaIJQVk1lrUH-RBsTvlRqGi-flYMFJ-RP3vIxoCkeIQAvD_BwE

https://www.hobbs.com/product/hallie-dress/0125-5635-9045L00-HYDRANGEA-BLUE.html

What?!

Ill make sure to let my 32 year old Director colleague know hes not a man.

Where do you work? I'm a consultant formerly a partner, in an upmarket, private client, non legal aid law firm. I personally wouldn't wear those dresses as they're not really my thing, but with flats and a cardigan, no one would, to use a favourite MN cliché, bat a eye lid.

What you're describing sounds terribly dated.

This is not my experience of working in the City at all- sounds a bit old-fashioned. I'm imagining you all dressed like candidates on the Apprentice!

I've just come out of this shop, must rush back and tell them and their male customers "men don't wear cardigans" and go back and tell my husband the same.

dicks-edinburgh.co.uk/collections/mens-knitwear

I think those are both old fashioned and not very nice. The combination of colour and the shape (high neckline, odd sticky out cap sleeves) is not nice.

Actually I am taken very seriously at work and probably do live for my career and that poster is talking nonsense. I own and wear several cardigans.

'It's got your name written on it' springs to mind.

Thanks! Will have a look at those. Budget is up to £100 per dress - don’t want to spend loads as I mostly WFH. But I’m presenting at a conference this summer so on the look out. I’ve tended to rely on Hobbs in recent years as they do petite but pretty uninspired by current offer. My 5+ year old Uniqlo dresses get a lot of compliments but they don’t seem to do work wear dresses that suit me anymore.

Somewhat ironically I suppose I work in a global tech as GC.

My team is definitely more formal than some - our engineers and data scientists for example would have their own dress codes (mostly hoodies and caps!)

I wouldn’t say anyone on my team (which also covers govt affairs, corp communications, compliance and security) is dated but a pink dress would certainly raise eyebrows.

I’ve not watched the apprentice but my limited knowledge of their outfits was that they weren’t particularly conservative.

We’re a sea of olive green, navy blue, grey and cream. Defo no pink dresses with nude heels or espadrille wedges.

I see them more as news reader wear. Primarily the Fox News end of styling than maybe the more modern fashion look of some BBC or Channel 4 presenters.

I’m not going to dispute its misogynistic - that doesn’t negate the fact they exist. iircc it was PWC who were taken to court for their lengthy style guide.

i’m amazed how many people have not come across a corporate style guide. I accept in my 40s I might be older than most and I see them less now than earlier in my career but most places I’ve worked have had them.

Well that'll put the cat among the pigeons

i’m amazed how many people have not come across a corporate style guide.
I've never seen one.
I've more than once been told by a manager that I don't need to wear a suit.

Snap! Well I'm more media than tech but I'm GC at a tech driven global media company. You're an outlier as far as I can see (obviously anecdotally). I interact with tech firms all the time and am about to close on buying one and they all seem to dress very casually, include their legal and corporate affairs people.

I'm on the board as well as leading the legal/ risk function and I wear cardigans most days! Usually with a colourful t shirt and some wide trousers. I love a jumpsuit too but also normally have a cardigan over the top of it.

Edited to add - I used to wear a suit to client meetings when I worked in a city law firm but that was literally last century!

I'm 66 and have worked in private sector, private client, non legal aid, non criminal law firms all my career. What you're describing sounds so last century.

Oh aren't you so hilarious.

And you’ve really never worked anywhere with a written dress code? In that case you’ve been enormously lucky or unlucky depending on your perspective because to @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie point a written dress code can be problematic but unwritten rules are even worse as they tend to single out those “not in the know”. Which means privileged Arabella whose mum is a partner in the magic circle firm down the road knows exactly what the expectations are in terms of how she presents herself but Amy who is the first person in her family to go to uni is struggling to understand what’s expected.

I don’t know about last century but certainly ten years ago corporate dress codes were everywhere, then I guess two things happened: “lessons were learned” from the PWC debacle and Covid changed things up but as I say, having the rules go underground doesn’t necessarily make it easier for people.

I would like to confirm that cardigans are acceptable to shareholders ;)

It's all in the type of the cardigan isn't it, a huge fluffy thing with a wolf on the back maybe not but a structured thin knit or a heavier more jacket type is absolutely fine for corporate (maybe not super high powered day but day to day)

It actually would be very outing to post the 2 firms I've spent the majority of my career with but they feature prominently in tier 1 listings in Chambers and Legal 500, as do I for my sector.

The only dress codes were to be smart, clean and presentable to clients. I'm struggling to remember when I last wore a tailored suit, doubtful if it was later than 2010.

Thinking about it, I might have seen something like this but not for a long time.
Dress code policy: advantages, tips, types and examples | Indeed.com UK

Hmm you don't believe me or hmm you don't agree with me?
In my office, this is how it is. This includes different norms across departments. I have worked in other sectors and companies where the rules have been different.
And yes, a lot of corporate workplaces do still have a written dress code.

Agree! If I'm in the office (civil servant) I like to look professional, furthermore I work in a military environment where the service personnel are always well turned out.

I would wear both of these dresses for work but would probably wear a plain tailored jacket or cashmere cardigan over the top (if not too hot)

I do think dress standards have massively gone downhill over the years but given that I am 60 this year, I may be considered old fashioned. In that case, I would just say "you do you" etc!

If the only written requirements were smart clean and presentable then I’m going to assume there were a lot of unwritten rules around what constituted “smart”.

I looked smart when I went for dinner last night in an olive green leather skirt, a cream silk cami and (ironically) a slouchy cropped cardigan but that wouldn’t have been tolerated at a client meeting when I was in a magic circle firm.