Quick Advice on Looking Corporate

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, it doesn't really matter, but I'm going to this awards/conference type thing tomorrow (DH is up for an award). Dress code is 'business dress'. All food is canape style. Industry is fairly geeky, but in an investment-banky sort of way, not Google. (Whose dress code is, in case you were wondering, 'you have to wear something'.)

I'm tempted to wear a pair of golfy sort of checked trousers, a nice blouse (cotton), and a Balanciaga-esque coat (which I will check). I am not wearing heels.

All my business clothing predates DS1 (so, 7 years old, whoops). And it's in size 18, I'm now about a 14.

Other options:

• tweedy long suit. Think it might still fit
• I have a few giant blazers, the kind that go to mid-thigh nearly, all are black. Too big is presumably not a problem with these, but they are (I think?) rather out of date.
• I have a reasonable pair of black dressyish trousers, that fit.
• I have some other dressy tailored clothes, I think there's even a skirt, but I doubt it fits (too big).
• Oh, I have some tailored mens-style shirts, again, too big.

I want to be comfortable, really.

I also have to dig up some sort of bag, I have a class beforehand, so I need to have stuff with me, but I'm thinking a knapsack isn't quite the look I'm going for ... although I guess I could take one and check it ...

I think your first outfit is perfect tbh.

And don't know if you do always, but if not, I would do 'done' make-up and hair.

Last one!

Good luck for your dh. Hope it's fun (as is possible)

I don't really do either, ever.

I was planning on not cycling, though, so my hair doesn't have helmet-head, if that counts.

Glad to hear my first outfit is ok, though. I'm comfortable in these trousers! I have some simple black flat but dressyish shoes.

Ha! That definitely counts

[rummages in memory banks]
did the silk dress not go down well at last year's do?

check trous and blouse sound perfect

This is v daytime, so silk dress too much.

DH doesn't think the checked trous are any use for this - so I'm wearing black trousers and a cowl-neck blouse. (Oh, or maybe a v pale greeny-blue heavy satin blouse? Not sure, probably too warm.) Safer, anyway.

I have a wide collection of blazers that make me look like David Byrne. Whoops. And all the dress-up clothes I buy now are things like evening gowns or floaty cotton skirts.

Oh, and the tweedy suit, lovely though is, makes me look like I have cancer.

How is Team Badger? I was surprised to see you suggesting a ceramic otter as a gift, on another thread - surely a ceramic badger would be far superior ...

Team Badger are very well thank you

the otter is an oblique vintage Cod reference, and besides a badger is probably to good for them...

Maybe you should buy a nice trouser suit that will work for this sort of thing over the next few years?

Yeah, I should probably do something. I really just need a plain black blazer that fits and isn't fashionable (so won't be out of fashion, either).

I am not 100% sure I am staying this size, though, so am inclined to give it a year or so first, before buying anything like that ... might keep an eye on the market stalls for a suit, though ...

Oh, and I went with nice flarey black trousers and a dark turquoise cowl neck top. Looked fine, felt fine.

The other women there (there weren't many) were of the big-hair-bright-coloured-suit-and-a-scarf look - not much chance of me looking like that!

[pictures NQC dressed like Sarah Palin]

[falls over]

Ha! I have hair now (seriously, a fair bit, am no longer by any standards bald), but it's deffo not Big Hair.