What to wear for career change to academia/museum or archive work?

[MarjoramPtarmigan]

After 15 years of self employment and working from home I am going to be changing career, possibly part time, and will be working in museum/library, archive/conservation environments. I am aware that this is mostly smart casual and jeans won't cut it, so am looking for tips on what type of items would work well for this transition.

I am 50 and average height, regular BMI, and dark blonde. I don't suit wide leg anything and don't like boxy styles like tshirts or shirts, so brands such as Toast or COS are not for me. I'm not interested in trends but don't want to stick out like a sore thumb either.

All i can find for smart casual are elastic waist wide leg or office style trousers which I'm not keen on.

I see a lot of women in these fields seem to wear dresses, but I'm not sure as never tend to buy them, although i do suit them - might be worth considering?

It will be an academic environment, so not corporate or desk based. Any tips or advice much appreciated!

Thought it worth adding, I won't pay over £150 for a dress!

My experience of academic and archive environments are jeans are totally fine. If you are concerned just go for black jeans. I am a dress and trainers person but you dont have to force yourself into a dress if that is not you. Would be floored if anyone in those spaces that I know is paying £150 for a dress.

What is your normal style? I would go with that and tweak a bit.

Thanks. I was expecting the usual dress recs from high end brands! it has to be something that moves with ease so stiff cotton not great, jerset and knits ok. I have so far noticed most women in these fields seem to wear a jersy dress with a cardi, or plain coloured layers in soft fabrics. I think the soft fabrics is the main ingredient.

I've moved from a very different, more outdoor focused lifestyle so was previously wearing technical gear, leggings, cargo's, fleeces, but I am a bit tired of all that. I want to transition into softer, simpler or more fluid shapes but no idea where to start!

Unless there’s another poster in exactly the same situation - I’ve previously responded on one of your other threads. Almost certainly suggesting clothes that cost more than £150 full price.

I’ll be honest - I don’t think you’ll find much that’s interesting or exciting below that - though there will be lots of dresses. Either utilitarian; Uniqlo - or ingratiatingly flouncy; Never Fully Dressed, etc, etc.

Or you could shop almost exclusively from the sales or pre-owned.

I’m not so sure about the soft fabrics you describe. Don’t they rapidly lose any structure and shape after repeated laundering? I’d have said cotton twill, or cord, or any winter fabric, might stand up to daily use better.

This probably isn’t your style - but if you couldn’t do the printed versions they have at least one plain dress in the sale:

Palava dresses

(I couldn’t wear these - but I do think they’re a look, and must be very stylish on the right person.)

Are you wanting to be stylish, having previously worn outdoor stuff? Or just looking for whatever people in this environment wear - cos if the latter it won’t be remotely high end for most people. It’ll be jeans and Fat Face tops, or White Stuff dresses or Saltwater tunics!

I love that site, lovely dresses, but alas I couldn't bring myself to pay £189 - well maybe for one that really caught my eye as a treat. I don't claim to be stylish in any way at all OP but I have spent a lot of time in archives and academic departments and I almost exclusively wear Next - simply because of the ease of ordering online and returning in store. This means I probably own a disproportionate amount of bad material etc, but I fit in just fine. If though, as @titchy says you are looking for a bit of a new style for yourself then that is different and I think about trying different things and seeing where you feel comfortable, because if you feel comfy you will pull it off.

Stop lying and trying to make the OP feel bad for not wanting to spend a fortune on dresses. Not everyone is as privileged as you to spend upwards of £150 per dress.

Give me a good laugh that

Perhaps you ought to inform these ladies at the London Museum that they are cheapskates?

I find people like this are generally somewhat insecure and possibly up to the tits in credit.

I wonder whether, in that kind of environment, you’re going to be doing a lot of going up and down ladders or shifting heavy/awkward items in which
case go for practicality, safety and decency so dresses may not be the best idea. I’m sure jeans would be fine with perhaps a smartish shirt and trainers or boots without much heel - you would definitely need practical footwear. You could then have a jacket of some kind to
put on over that for smarter moments such as meetings. Also, are there likely to be days when you know you’re going to be in a more formal situation and can go a bit more corporate than other days?

Sounds like good advice, thank you. A few items for more formal occasions will be likely but not in the main.

I work in museums and it’s totally causal. I wore leggings yesterday (They cost £9.99 for reference 😂)
Although I guess it does depend exactly what sector you’re in.

My SIL and her friends work in these environments. She wears Uniqlo, Sezanne, Wnistles, Zara, Anthropologie, Nobody’s Child, Cos, even smart dark denim jeans. She also wears a lot of long skirts and trousers with tops but she’s 5 ft 9 and slim. SIL is management so is smarter on those days and more casual if eg she’s picking up and carrying stuff around.

I am a university lecturer and the overall style is quite casual. Many of my colleagues wear jeans to work, though I don't (just a personal preference). I like to dress in layers, with a casual blazer, cardigan or jacket that can be removed if I want to. In addition to trousers, I have a variety of dresses and skirts, mostly midi length these days. You can certainly find very nice dresses under £150. I see that you don't care for boxy tops or wide leg trousers. Do you like more fitted styles?

Thanks. I think i prefer more fluid or soft rather than fitted, so to be comfortable and be able to move without restriction is important.

I am head of a department in a russell group uni and work closely with colleagues in our library/museum environments.

Pre covid I would wear more formal work clothes and always heels. Everyone dresses much more casually now.

In summer usually wear dresses, plenty are from supermarkets, or joe browns or new look though I do have some from ghost. I never wear heels.

In winter I am much more likely to wear jeans. Everyone wears jeans including directors.

The sales are your friend. Jigsaw, Mint Velvet, M&S, French Connection etc all have nice dresses under £70.