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Original poster

Work requires expensive tailored clothes

289 replies

PriscillaPartridge · 04/09/2023 22:02

I work at a very traditional law firm. I earn very little compared to the partners who impose this policy. Work clothes must be of good quality fabrics and preferably fitted by a tailor/adjusted to fit. I asked if M&S was ok, but was directed to more suitable brands such… some places are £300 a skirt. Any ideas on where to shop for expensive looking but not big ££ clothes?

OP posts:
mauveiscurious · 04/09/2023 22:03

Vinted.

PictureConsequences · 04/09/2023 22:03

Zara?

fiorentina · 04/09/2023 22:05

Definitely look on Vinted. Especially as super formal office attire is less common you may find some bargains.
Otherwise Hobbs clearance/outlet, John Lewis clearance/sale online sometimes has some good deals on formal wear.

FannyFifer · 04/09/2023 22:06

Unless you get a clothing allowance surely they can't make you spend £300 on a skirt. That's ridiculous.

GingerLiberalFeminist · 04/09/2023 22:06

I advise find TM Lewin, Hobbs etc on eBay and a local seamstress to tailor

Ghostjail · 04/09/2023 22:07

If they expect staff to wear particular brands of clothing then they must pay for it. Negotiate a clothing allowance or wear what you like. Unless they inspect your labels how on earth will they know where you bought your clothes.

WhoPutCrabsticksInMyBedroom · 04/09/2023 22:08

Does buying this put you below minimum wage? Because if it does it is illegal

Honeysuckle9 · 04/09/2023 22:09

M&S and get it tailored if the fit isn’t right. H&M do faux silk shirts that will pass. Pussy bow ones are participating nice.
Plain pearl or simple earrings (can be fake, doesn’t matter)
Good leather handbag is a must. Decent shoes. Again M&S are fine.

If your hair and make up are good, no one will know the difference, trust me. I worked in these environments for years

minipie · 04/09/2023 22:11

Brands to look for on Vinted

LK Bennett
Hobbs
Reiss (esp older Reiss when they still had wool suits)
Massimo Dutti

As a pp said though, unless they inspect you labels, they won’t know.

fernsandlilies · 04/09/2023 22:13

I’m just wondering how they are possibly going to know where you buy your clothes?

I buy formal workwear and I notice a lot of expensive brands are made from exactly the same types of fabric as the likes of Next and M&S. There are a lot of black crepe jackets about which look a bit worn very quickly regardless of the price tag.

I agree with pps who suggested Vinted and maybe try to find jackets / skirts that are a wool mix.

do you like the firm, will you be staying there?

(Its not Vardags is it, she who banned cardigans then was seen wearing one?)

TheWayOfTheWorld · 04/09/2023 22:14

Oh god it's not Vardags is it? Can't think of anywhere else that has such a daft dress code.

RhymesWithTangerine · 04/09/2023 22:14

Sympathies, OP, that is tough. If you are a partner at a traditional law firm then you will be paid reasonably - but it is still frustrating that a woman’s wardrobe is so many times more costly to achieve the same result.

A man’s outfit might be £1k from head to toe and he’ll look good. And he can wear it 5days a week - give or take a few shirts and socks. If we want to turn up in £1k outfit every day it would cost ££££s.

stevalnamechanger · 04/09/2023 22:15

Buy second hand and have tailored

TheWayOfTheWorld · 04/09/2023 22:15

@fernsandlilies cross post Wink

Colinorpercy · 04/09/2023 22:15

The problem with Vinted is you could order stuff and then you’ll be stuck with it if it doesn’t suit. I agree with previous poster-if they want to stipulate what people wear they need to be giving a clothing allowance. To insist on someone spending £300 on a skirt seems ludicrous and totally unreasonable!

Magenta65 · 04/09/2023 22:18

Outside of imposing a dress code of smart office wear they can’t dictate where it’s bought unless they pay for it. How will they know it’s an m and s Suit?

fernsandlilies · 04/09/2023 22:19

I guess you need to be willing to re sell if Vinted stuff doesn’t work out.

TigerDroveAgain · 04/09/2023 22:20

I'd look for another job unless you're nailed on for a serious promotion. I'm a partner at an international firm and basically wear whatever I want, Toast dresses if I'm seeing clients, otherwise jeans and trainers. Haven't possessed a suit for 15 years, I don't have to go to court but basically a black suit would deal with that. The days of power dressing are well and truly over and a firm with such a restrictive dress code will struggle to recruit

Bubbleses · 04/09/2023 22:22

I’m a lawyer and have never heard of this kind of policy anywhere?! I’m in house now but when I left private practice it had gone very causal - most people dressed down day to day and kept a suit in the office to change into if you had to attend formal meetings…

HowcanIhelp123 · 04/09/2023 22:24

Another asking how they will know!

Are they going to demand you take off your clothes so they can look at the label? Just buy a good fitting M&S or whatever and claim it's from elsewhere if they ask.

Vinted is also a good shout.

Treesinmygarden · 04/09/2023 22:25

They've their heads up their holes!!

Are they going to inspect the labels?

I'd buy a couple of mid-range suits, black and navy, and a selection of 5 shirts, and wear them in rotation.

Clymene · 04/09/2023 22:27

This just isn't true. No employer can specify where you buy your clothes unless they pay for them.

TotalOverhaul · 04/09/2023 22:27

The trick is to go around the High street and try different cuts of suit until you find one that really suits your body type. If it fits well, it will look brilliant. DH used to get asked if his suits were Armani and he'd just nod and smile. They were M&S but exactly the right cut.

ChampagneCommunist · 04/09/2023 22:28

My fellow partners & I were all wearing shorts, tee shirts & flip flops today. Want to come & work for us?

LaurieFairyCake · 04/09/2023 22:29

It's really easy, EBay.

Hawkes and Curtis shirts - all £20
At the moment brand new from their sale

And aquascutum skirts off EBay - for about £20 as well

It's so easy to dress in fancy designer brands for buttons

Alternatively buy one amazing suit for £300
Off M and S and get it tailored and wear it every day like the men do

WAAMD - he would wear the same suit every day with a different shirt

NO ONE NOTICES - all suits look the same in a navy or dark grey