Summer work wear - help!

[LadyBee]

I need help. I was on maternity leave last summer, and breastfeeding. Now I'm back at work and not, and none of my clothes seem to fit or go together or be anywhere close to stylish. And it's getting ridiculous to still be wearing my grey wool trousers, black wrap top.

I go in to work in the office three days a week, and would like to have 6 'outfits', as I reckon most people won't notice if I rotate through them every couple of weeks. My company is not at all 'suity', so it doesn't need to be too formal, but I don't want to look like I'm chasing fashion too much either, as there are lots and lots and lots of lovely young things who are very on trend and it'll just look like I've got it a bit wrong in comparison.
I'm 35, 5'5, a generous size 16 hourglass shape, 36E, brown hair cut in a bob with green eyes.
I like dresses but don't like my calves so feel better about wearing them in winter as I can wear boots and not feel so conscious of them. I need summer work shoe help.
I also like wide cut linen trousers but don't seem to have a pair that fit at the moment. And the thought of ironing at the moment is a bit off-putting.
I feel that tops need to cover at least the top of my arms for work, and everything seems to be so floaty and beach holiday-ish at the moment. Where are the clothes that people wear to work?
And does anyone fancy putting together a 'gok-like' capsule wardrobe for me that doesn't include shorts?

LadyBee - I have absolutely no idea - have just gone back to work myself seem to have only 2 outfits that sort of go together and fit. I don't know where to start so will follow this thread with interest!

Monsoon have some nice wide cut linen trousers

Bought a similar pair last year and love them - only issue with mine in white is a very obvious VPL. I solve it by going without but realise this is not to everyone's taste .

Thank you so much for this post, OP, as I am having the same dilemma (and do so every year). I am a similar shape to you, although more petite and find summer work clothes really difficult: especially as my classroom can easily reach 35 degrees or more - arghhhh!

Today I wore:
'bare-leg' type tights
a silk skirt
a camisole
a short sleeved fitted cardigan in a cotton/wool mix.

It was okay but I was boiling by the time I got home.

Yesterday I was more casual as I was only in the classroom with no meetings etc - I wore a cotton shirt dress with bare legs and ballet flats.

I have been looking for suitable tops in the shops, as most of the ones I own are either long-sleeved jumpers or camisoles, neither of which are appropriate.

The nicest I found were in Ted Baker but I baulked at spending 65 pounds on a shirt.

I was looking for a top I bought and came across these which all look rather fab?

I bought some linen mix trousers from New Look - £10!!! and some shirts by Great Plains, which are reasonable in price.

I find fitted t shirts are better, more stylish, with skirts, but I personally get too hot with fitted tees in this weather.

i'm loving shift dresses at the mo for work...

in the winter i wore with polo necks opaques and heels or high boots

at the moment wearing with shirts underneath (GAP do lovely cotton shirts with amazing tailored cut), bare look tights and court shoes

when it's hotter (and i have brown legs i'm planning on bare legs and peep toe shoes plus a little cardi for the air conditioning

Oh lovely, some great suggestions. I was looking Very Hard at people on the street today and think that shirt dresses and also short sleeved, good fitting light cotten shirts might be a good start. And maybe a light, simple, plain-ish skirt, and a couple of short sleeved cardigans, and some wide leg trousers.
Shoes are still stumping me - will have to continue to study. Oh yes..and maybe try some things on.
Gap for shirts? New Look or Monsoon for trousers. But where for dresses?

I saw a fab shirt-waister in the Laura Ashley sale website ... (am at work so cannot search now )

Gap are usually good for dresses but I didn't find any last time I looked. My two shirt dresses are both M&S but I can't see any nice ones this season. Zara are sometimes good for cotton short-sleeved shirts but they are rather hit and miss and the sizes are weird for anybody with nork issues (I need a large and am usually small or medium).

Larger branches of M&S have some great dresses and matching short sleeve jackets. For shoes I wear peep toe courts, not sandals

Should have added - i hate ironing- only ever pick up the iron to put name tags on DC clothes, so the thought of ironing cotton tops seems unnecessary hard work - hence all my M7S dresses are machine wash, non-iron...

pa - as you are lucky enough to have hour glass figure and 'e' norkage, guarantee no-one is looking @ your calves