Interview outfit ideas for a senior NHS role after having a baby

[polka72]

Interviewing for a senior position in the NHS but recently postpartum and nothing I own fits.. last time I did an interview was pre-pandemic!

I'm probably a size 10 maybe even 12 now (previously 8 but also pretty short so was in proportion) now carrying extra weight around the middle and will likely need "shapewear" to wear underneath.

Would ideally like to wear a dress and a blazer but can't seem to find much of this anywhere these days?! I'm mid 30s so don't want anything too dated. A friend of mine said trouser suits are much more popular now rather than dresses/skirts.. is this true? I'm not keen on skirts but could work with high-waisted trouser suit. For shoes, thinking flat black ballet pumps/loafers (can't wear heels are a knee injury).

Very grateful for some suggestions! Thank you :)

What do you consider senior?

Thank you, took a look at the Next blazers you linked too. I'm quite short (with a particularly small torso and relatively longer legs, so worry that these blazers would drown me and I'd need a short blazer. Most blouses/shirts are too long for me, yet trousers from the "regular" range fit me fine)

I would wear this dress yes on my non patient-facing days which makes me think its not smart enough? I think I'd be expected to wear a full suit rather than a smart workwear dress for an interview like this.

Medical consultant

If it’s a full suit, skirt suits are old fissioned. Trouser suits are fine. Work dress fine. I agree about the dress you posted maybe being not smart enough for daily work. But I don’t work in NHS senior admin!

Black trousers and a smart shirt/blouse? Looks professional clean

https://www.zara.com/gb/en/crop-blazer-p02010753.html?v1=521605454&utm_campaign=productShare&utm_medium=mobile_sharing_iOS&utm_source=red_social_movil

Whistles do a petite blazer.

Thank you, do you think this blazer would work the dresses I linked earlier? As in not only would it look right but also is it appropriate in place of a full suit?

If you don’t want to spend money on something you’ll have no use for afterwards, why not rent?

https://www.hurrcollective.com/collections/suits?

https://byrotation.com/category/women/suits

Etc.

I say this because the sort of suit you’d actually want will cost several hundreds. It may be that the medical profession won’t notice a dated, wintery dress at an interview, but you’re not going to get away with a £49.99 polyester jacket more suited to a sixth former on work experience.

Or just bite the bullet and buy yourself a proper jacket. (If you’re certain you need one. To my eye a jacket and trousers looks more contemporary than a jacket and dress).

Me & Em would be the cheapest I’d recommend.

https://www.meandem.com/tailoring

(As a lawyer in a different era my actual suits came from MaxMara and Jil Sander. If I needed that sort of clothing now I’d be looking at Margaret Howell, Studio Nicholson, Rohe - but I appreciate not everyone wants to spend that amount on work clothes.)

It could do.

If you’re set on a suit also places like Reiss, jigsaw, Joseph, Karen Millen is where I got mine when I needed them. Shirts were TM Lewis and Karen Millen. You could easily find them on eBay/vinted.

OP isn’t a lawyer. She said she needs work dresses to wear in the job. A senior lawyer I worked with (deputy director) in Government Legal Department, now solicitor in Grenfell enquiry, most of her smart clothes were from Tu Sainsburys, she did have more expensive clothes too. Some other female lawyers wore Hobbs. All used to be lawyers outside government apart from former GLD colleague who used to be in nursing.

I don't think you need a corporate type suit nowadays and they are very dated. I'd opt for a shirt dress, there are lots, and team it with the Whistles jersey blazer which comes in a variety of colours, is smart enough for meetings and works well with jeans outside work.
https://www.whistles.com/product/slim-jersey-jacket-30907.html
I have these in Navy, Grey, Burgundy, Cream - director level role that sometimes involves court.
Nothing looks more naff than cheap tailoring.

Exactly. Thinking more along my lines. Only option if OP is petite you need to get the right length shirt dress.

https://www.hobbs.com/product/petite-brigitta-cotton-shirt-dress/0126-5702-1144L04-MIDNIGHT-NAVY.html?utm_source=google&utm_source_platform=google_ads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NEST_Hobbs_UK_EN_BoF_PerformanceMax_Winners_Test&utm_id=23733268764&utm_content=agid_-ad_&network=x&device=m&utm_tpl=live&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23743093105&gbraid=0AAAAADC5o-KiYVClKQ0Q1IrvLB0kNRM97&gclid=Cj0KCQjwornRBhCrARIsAON5exGHBiMdgnMFylS-plHTXkc1wWgH_NDWhEhDhsguOasxeSTkXBwCtJcaAqRhEALw_wcB

https://www.hobbs.com/product/petite-kalinda-shirt-dress/0225-5002-1185L04-MULTI.html?utm_source=google&utm_source_platform=google_ads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NEST_Hobbs_UK_EN_BoF_PerformanceMax_Exploratory_Test&utm_id=23733268755&utm_content=agid_-ad_&network=x&device=m&utm_tpl=live&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23738463806&gbraid=0AAAAADC5o-IidFZBAi-2mW7mW5lo-Nebd&gclid=Cj0KCQjwornRBhCrARIsAON5exECS3ljeRmDyYibQYQkrv3DK5hVQGjC0oUxuEWO_2FXz1LBPwJZKdYaAi4cEALw_wcB

I have the whistles jersey blazer in navy and pale pink.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain I am v tempted by the pale pink or powder blue.

Thanks for your opinion. I'm not sure I can justify ~£800+ on a suit that I almost certainly won't be wearing again. To me that feels like a huge waste, and while I'm applying for a consultant position I certainly don't earn that much now (especially not whilst on maternity leave!).

My issue with renting in general (having previously attempted and failed for a wedding guest dress a few years ago) is that it only really works if rented outfit definitely fits well and you rent it for a short duration. Personally I'd want the peace of mind knowing that it does in fact fit will ahead of the date of the event to avoid any surprises. I ended up paying more in total for a 4 day rental than buying the dress outright and it didn't fit perfectly. Hope I'm making sense. I can totally get behind the concept of renting but it didn't work for me.

I'm also not a lawyer and I can't imagine many (if any) from my circle would spend this much on one outfit.

I'd be more inclined to spend more on a smart dress as this is something I could wear again but the drawback of this is that if its informal enough to wear as a workwear dress as opposed to formal interview attire then its not formal enough for an interview! Catch22.

I take your point though (and others who've said similar) that a trouser suit is more modern than a dress+ blazer so will certainly explore this option too. Challenge is being petite and a little bit lumpy bumpy now postpartum..

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain Thank you, the dresses you've linked are lovely especially if the length comes up right on me :) I could certainly see myself wearing these on nonclinical days but I'm not sure its quite tailored suit level formal enough for a cons interview?

Hmmm not sure! They probably are suitable but someone here may have more opinions. It’s tricky when you’re petite (I’m 5 ft 5) as more midi dresses can swamp you. As pp said though, add a jersey Whistles jacket (very versatile, smart and comfy) and you should be fine. Plus low heels. Kitten maybe.

https://www.karenmillen.com/categories/womens-petite-workwear?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=%7Bcampaign%7D&utm_adgroup=%7Badgroup%7D&utm_term=&utm_device=m&utm_content=&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21831290090&gbraid=0AAAAACo7BY_HGDSK5gXIgcOfOdE3JfWs3&gclid=Cj0KCQjwornRBhCrARIsAON5exGtgammkRYOhSpi64quIJ54vuBvwoFtwG-BfB2sOw3Ra4U1HmvFqZ0aAsUGEALw_wcB]

@polka72 is the Panel going to assess ypur competency for the role based on your outfit or the performance you can evidence? If the former, no wonder the NHS is going to hell in a hand cart. Clean, tidy, conservative, professional.

TM lewin used to do work dresses (I had one) but they’ve stopped now, maybe look on eBay/vinted.

The Karen Millen petite workwear I posted. Well I used to wear this all the time. Not as stuffy as Hobbs, Reiss.