I've got a job now so ... What do normal people wear to work?

[Spidermama]

I was just begining to wonder if and how I'd ever get back into work when I was offered this job.
I start in four weeks. However I look like an old bag (very much a SAHM wardrobe with seven years of chronic under investment) and I'm wondering how to improve the situation.

I used to love clothes. I used to wear clubby stuff Mambo, Komodo, WLT etc ... but I'm all grown up now with kids and this sort of stuff would look ridiculous on me. High Street stuff doesn't look good on me and doesn't last so I need some ideas.

I need more designer names so I can search for their stuff on ebay, but I don't know of many these days. I know plenty of kids designers but not grown up ones. I quite like Nicole Farhi, Betty Jackson and Paul Smith, but I need more ideas.

Congrats on the job. Am . No advice though im afraid.

No advice here either still a scruffy SAHM but well done you on getting the job

Thanks. I went into a posh designer shop the other day but I was so nervous I walked passed it three times before going in. Then when I did shuffle in with my big muddy trainers and warm coat I felt people were looking as if I was lost and had come in by accident. Horrible!

I did that once SM when i was a student, my mum had passed away and I was left alot of money being only 22 i frittered much of it away. I went into a designer shop and they looked at me like dirt I felt like the scene in Pretty Woman when they refuse her...I was like if only they could see my bank statement grrr needless to say they didnt get my custom!

this

stop trying to kill threads whizz. well done on your job. i'm sitting at work in my scruffy mummy clothes

Oooo I'm being followed !

< scary music >

yeah, i'm the chuffing thread police.. hear me roar

I don't buy designer so wouldn't really know where to start with that.

But what about the more expensive end of the high street - I have some work clothes from Reiss which are a bit more quirky that something you would get at for eg Jigsaw. Coast is good for tailored trousers - I have a pair of wide legged black trousers (K Hepburn-ish) I bought from there three years ago that are still going strong. Also French Connection for funky but still work-y dresses and skirts that you can make a bit more work-like with a plain top.

What's the job? I guess what to wear depends a lot on what you're doing. The days of only being taken seriously if you're in a pleated navy skirt with dark heels have Gone. (Thank goodness.)

Have you thought of doing the personal shopper thing? Most places it's free & no obligation - good way to find out what's around now, so that you can then go & track down elsewhere.

Have absolutely no idea what normal people wear... although it depends what your job is... I work in a pre-school and come home covered in snot and paint so I wouldn't suggest a designer wardrobe...
anyway just wanted to say well done for getting the job... what is it or do we have to guess?

Yes what is your job?

I tend to keep a uniform for work, black suits and a number of shirts/tops - boring but functional and tbh I can't be arsed to spend lots of money on work clothes.

You don't need to buy designer stuff IMO, try something like Linea (house of fraser)for suits etc or Jigsaw for tops

ps am not normal

Don't know much about working but I'd second debenhams, msot of my wardrobe comes from there. Then I top up with designer stuff like nicole fahri, ralph lauren, ted baker, ben sherman, jaeger, mexx, tommy hifigur in the sales. Also try john lewis own brand.

These are good ideas. I've never been into most of the shops you've mentioned because I tended to go for more clubby stuff before the kids, and nowadays I just chuck on any old piece of sacking which covers me up enough to be decent on the school run.

Reiss eh? Debenhams and Frasers. I always avoided them because I thought they were for ... er more mature ladies ... so I guess the time has come and I must embrace.

Thanks.

scuttles off shortly to re-emerge as a grown up spiderwoman

Spidermama i so know where you are coming from! and i havn't even been a sahm fulltime.

My old job didn't require smart at all, and as you say like to think i was funky clubby stuff when i did dress smart pre-dd.

When dd was 3mths old i took new job which required smart - my body had changed shape completely and i was so depressed as you describe walking into shops and feeling like everyone was looking at me. i didn't have a clue what fitted me.
I know its boring but Next helped me a lot through this time! i used to order a lot of their website, so i could try lots of different styles on in privacy of my home and send what i didn't like back.

Now i'm brave enough to go shopping again! i tend to go in big dept stores - House of Frazer, debenhams, John Lewis as you get a big range then. Coast is also good.
Not sure about designers though i'm afraid!

Spidermama try Kew as well - there;s one in brighton behind the street jigsaw is on (other side of the arcade)A bit 'younger' than jigsaw (which I find a bit mumsy).

Can also advise the shoreham m and s which stocks the Limited collection - I have some great work stuff from there and it's not that pricey. Got a great work skirt at Xmas which gets loads of compliments and looks as though it cost three times what I paid.

this is heresy but ....i find lots of the kew stuff a bit dowdy.
it all depends what your job is and how much you want to spend -there are nice things in fcuk and great plains at the moment. and toast, and coast.

I love having smarter work clothes

Last year when not pg I bought two nicole farhi skirts and some nice but plain black tops. The skirts worked fine with black tights in the autumn and also through the summer with no tights.

Jigsaw is great for tops. I think you want to stay quite funky if that is your style or else you will feel miserable. I personally think Jigsaw is much nicer than Kew (but obviously Kew is more affordable).

As others have said, it really depends on your job, mine is in arts management and today I am wearing wide black trousers (actually I wear them almost every day but I am 30 wks pg) and a long stripy dress from topshop (looks like a very long top on me) and a pair of patent black ballet shoes.

I have a black skirt suit that I wear v occassionally when needing to be v impressive.

Also.... I personally find light make up and decent hair cut makes me look and feel 10 x more professional...but this may not be your thing

I've never even heard of Kew. I'll look into it then. Puddle I didn't know you were from round these parts.

Do you have a Joseph? Their trousers are brilliant.

Debenhams and John Lewis (and others) do those consultations things whereby a Woman Who Knows gets lots of things for you to try on, maybe worth a go?

When do you lot all have time to shop? I'm reduced to what I can get in catalogues - can't remember the last time I went to a SHOP to buy CLOTHES....

Yes Debenhams & John Lewis sound like a good place to start.
Both have loads of sections - a nice pair of trousers from the wallis section, an unusual top from the Jigsaw section - atleast it would give you a solid basis to start from.