Work clothes advice please!

[civilfawlty]

I've got a new job in the civil service (ie - briefing ministers and the like) and at the moment I'm scratching around in my wardrobe and wearing cotton summer dresses and tights and heels. but i've noticed most of the women look more expensive.

I dont have much to spend, so I was thinking of getting 5 outfits and wearing the same every week. I'm a size 16, nigella lawson type - so I was thinking of going a bit 'mad men stylee'

Does anyone have any advice about the perfect capsule work wardrobe please? heeeeelp meeeeeeeeeeeeee

Saw a bit of Gok fashion fix this week and he did a rather smart capsule wardrobe for the lady. Can you get it on replay? There was a lovely grey dress (Capsleeve cocoon dress) from river island - sorry cant do a link from river island for some reason.
From what I can remember there was a lovely red short tailored jacket, some wide leg black (or they could have been navy) trousers and a black and white pleated skirt from coast. Sorry hope this is a bit of a help!

Clure - is this the capsule wardrobe you mean?

Can't help with working wardrobe as I wear an expensive (NHS uniform).

Just wanted to say congrats on the new job.

Hobbs do some quite curvy mad men stylee suits, slightly retro looking.

YES! Jackieno thats the one. not that I know much about posh workwear. grubbing about with infant children, clothes covered in paint, glue, snot etc

Don't know what mad men style is but I thinkpencil skirts with fishtail backs, ala Vivienne Westwood, with short-ish tailored jackets with collar detail would look gorgeous.

My work wardrobe is maybe a bit more informal but it's mostly geared around pencil skirts with long sleeved tops and a tank top; wide legged trousers with wrap cardigans or 50s style silk skirts with a plain v neck jumper.

Way out of my budget but this is lovely:
inspired by the Hobbs rec.

its a while since i worked in a similar organisation.....but when i was last there, cotton summer dresses were DEFINITELY not the done thing for senior managers

suits or dresses with jackets , if you wanted to be taken seriously. smart skirt/trousres and blouse/shirt ok if weather warm and not a formal meeting

no doubt its all fat face / white stuff wearing teenagers now briefing ministers

if you are curvy and have good legs i would go for pencil skirts and fitted dresses.

how old are you?

rough idea of budget please?

colouring?

goodness - what an amazing set of responses.thanks for the congrats ck - i just couldnt be more excited about it all.

erm - money is tight. i guess marks and spencer at best. maybe one or two things from a hobbs/monsoon price range if nec.

i'm 32. dark blonde wavy hair. my nickname is nigella - just think her with yellow hair. and i think my legs are pretty nice. also slightly concerned about the cleavage issue - high necks make them look bigger, boobs about maybe not so good... god this is complicated.

and no - summer dresses aren't the done thing. i've just been making do.

i think i'd like 3 dresses, a skirt, some wide legged trousers, and some blouses (eek). and a handbag which i can fit my lunch in. and a neutral trench coat (thinking it would look chic?) and i have some shoes, but i was thinking a mid heel with a pointy toe for a change. does this sound right? will people notice if, for a while, i wear the same clothes every week? i do still want to look chic too please. dont want to be old before my time. oh - and a bit foxy too. i'm single and was thinking that snaring a clever, wise, witty policy making man would be a charming addition to the job perks. ok?

bright dress
black dress
print dress
grey dress

hope these help, not much good with seperates!

I have this one

Shift dresses are AMAZING. You can wear them with things like polonecks or shirts under them in winter, on their own in summer .. the best.

How about getting 1 or two shift dresses, a smart jacket that would pull everything together? The Hobbs ones suggested above could give some inspiration.

what about a top like this to go under suits in summer? don't know how low it would go (and hence how much nork would be showing), but it may work

Maybe a skirted trench like this?

A really nice shift dress, I have grey and black fitted ones that I can make look very different by wearing a shirt or long sleeved top over or under, or a cardigan, bright accessories etc.

Some nice wool blend trousers and fitted but casual tops.

A couple of lovely pencil skirts, again can be worn with a shirt or with a loose jersey top.

Really good shoes and bag are the key.

Shift dresses not so great on curves though methinks - I look dreadful in them. I need a dress with a pronounced waist or, even at size 12, I look fat. Separates can therefore work better, especially pencil skirts with some sort of fluting or flicking or pleating detail and fitted tank tops/twinset type tops, or a long sleeved top with a fitted short-sleeved cardigan over.

Not seen it in real life but this is a better sort of shape for me.

This looks nice too but again I've not seen it in reality.

Skirts:
I like the look of this one but a bit expensive.

This one v cheap but you'd need to feel it in the flesh - could be dreadful.

Like the look of this but those with norks (me!) would need to try: may be too high.

Go on ebay!!

Top quality stuff and can be cheap.

this is smart, and good for nigella types,
this is cute too