Work requires expensive tailored clothes

[PriscillaPartridge]

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?

I often had to work through the night and the following day in deadline or crisis management situations.

On several occasions I've had to work through 3 days straight, including both nights. I can confirm I was a mess by the end, and I couldn't do it nowadays being 20 years older, but needs must when the devil drives.

So many crazy myths on this thread about lawyers that clearly come straight from US TV shows 😃

I have worked with some huge corporate clients, foreign Government clients, billionaire clients and not one has ever paid for a new wardrobe just because I had to work all night. 😂 In one well-reported case a partner did get convicted of fraud for trying to bill personal expenditures to the client.

Anyway OP I think everybody seems to agree that it's not reasonable for them to demand you wear expensive clothes if they aren't either paying for them, or paying you enough to make it a reasonable expectation that you can just afford them anyway. If you worked for me I'd either give you a raise or an allowance, or get back in my box.

I have just noticed that the OP never came back after her first post.

Either out shopping, very busy at work for all her picky clients or journalist…

And used a burner Mumsnet account - this was the only post ever made by that username

Try t.m Lewin for new items, they used to do some women's wear

A very good leather handbag and a tailored suit are very much noticeable. You can spot them a mile away. They do not need to be branded though. Sometimes brands like LK bennet use fake leather, they are expensive and the quality is horrible.
I worked with and known loads of lawyers and some women wear cheap £30 skirts and super cheap clothes. I know they are payed well and I actually don’t care, but I always thought why they don’t put a bit of effort really. They just need to invest in 3-4 good pieces and do not feed the fast food clothing industry. reading this thread I see it is very common!

A very good leather handbag and a tailored suit are very much noticeable.

Only to people who care about such things.
I'm not a scruff but I am not brand aware when it comes to bags, shoes and clothes. I buy things that suit me and fit me.

I don't like faux leather bags, but I wouldn't really notice whether someone's bag cost a three figure sum or a four figure sum.

My current bag is a grey Radley one. I bought it because grey goes with all of my clothes and I liked it.

The bag thing is a massive myth, perpetuated by people who sell bags.

Good fitted clothes don’t need to be appreciated for themselves - they will make the wearer look good regardless.

You could also try an outlet like Bicester Shopping Village

Why are people still replying to this thread?

because people choose to ? or is there a suppose time limit for threads

The one time I stayed at work after an all-nighter, I was hallucinating by the end of the day and my work was full of errors (one of which broke a live system), so I refuse point-blank to ever do that again. Plus, being autistic, sleep deprivation is a major contributor to sensory overload.

The only time that unplanned (e.g. not night shift) overnight work should ever be acceptable is crisis management. If you are using it to make deadlines, your time management sucks. If your employer is using long hours or overnight work to make deadlines, find another employer. Even the games developers I know are refusing "crunch time" working because they are starting to realise that it's counter-productive. And pulling all-nighters in civils, electrics, or any other kind of safety-critical work is a fantastic way to get people killed.

I'd personally be far more concerned if my solicitor was visibly exhausted than if she/he turned up in a Fiesta or an off-the peg suit. But then I work in STEM where the product is what counts.