Work clothes

scary_tractors

Hi all,

Looking for a bit of help here! I am looking for nice, fairly fashionable work clothes. I'm about to be promoted into a new department where staff don't know me so I need to look a bit older and more together (no more jeans and cons to work :rolleyes:). Bear in mind I am short and about a size 14. I will wear a kitten heel but nothing higher... any ideas for where I should go for affordable clothes? In general I buy my clothes in Topshop but it's a bit expensive and also a bit too trendy for the office (oh yeah - not too much visible flesh is a criterion as well!). I'm not looking for suits and I don't like the shirts and pants uniform you see everywhere, because shirts don't tie around my boobs!

Now that you have a picture in your mind of a large-breasted (but strangely attractive, might I add) hobbit, any help is greatly appreciated

Lobelia Overhill

Evans? Oxendales? Bravissimo (they do clothes as well as bras!)

giddybootz

Dorothy Perkins. I too am busty, short and a size 14. I thought DP was a mother-shop but it is actually very trendy and affordable! I discovered it when I had to get work clothes too!!

labradoodlelady

My auntie is great for advice on the ol work clothes. She says get a few staples and plan a few outfits around them. Here's my 2c (stolen from her really) on it.

You need your basics - a couple of pairs of black/grey trousers, couple of dresses and a couple of skirts if you wear them. Those sort or wool/tweedy style trousers that the shops always have in autumn winter are good for when the weather is colder.
Couple of tank tops/vests for under dresses if necessary. Some nice long sleeved tops. A few different shirts. Some light jumpers (more detail below!!)

Right do you wear skirts/dresses. A pencil skirt with a nice top/shirt and courts can be lovely as long as its not the up your arse kind. Most high street shops will have pencil skirts in quite regularly. A black wraparound dress can be lovely. Stick a long sleeved tee a vest or a shirt under it if it's too low cut or you want to cover your shoulders. Dorothy Perkins and A-Wear usually have nice dresses like these and they're not too dear. Even a shift dress provided it's not too short!

I'm not too keen on the colour but something like this and you can put a vest under it if necessary.
http://www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=20552&storeId=12552&productId=1102489&langId=-1&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=

Shirts are great for office wear.If you son't like wearing shirts or they're gaping at the boobs get a little jumper for over it. Not a big hoodie, but something like this. This isn't the best example but you might get what I mean!
http://www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=20552&storeId=12552&productId=1085391&langId=-1&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=

Also - you know the tee shirts that they have in Topshop - they're something like €9 or 2 for €15 the basic kind of ones. Well a long sleeved tee with a tank top over it, the sort of layered effect tees that they show on the manequins in store
Shoes wise plain pumps with pants are great if you don't want a heel and the weather is nice! You can get flat boots or boots with a little heel in places like DP or Topshop that are grand for under pants. Next do a range of court shoes.Go for comfort if you'll be on your feet all day. Have a look around high street shops. I always like to try and pick up stuff like this in the sales - I got a pair of Faith pumps in Debenhams in Cork for €10 after Christmas.

Shops wise, next and dorothy perkins are your best bet in my opinion. Dunnes is ok but some of their office stuff can look really cheap. Stay away from Penneys - I'm a devil for getting stuff in there but a lot of the time you can tell its cheap esp with black pants and stuff and if you're booby then their shirts/tops are nightmare.

Finally another tip from the aunt - iron your work clothes well - they sit so much nicer on and they just fit/feel/look better.
Congrats on the promotion btw!!

dudara

From your description, your build sounds pretty much like mine.

I wear mainly skirts and dresses to work. I've got 5/6 shift type dresses (Roland Mouret Galaxy style) which are really easy to wear, and make getting dressed a no-brainer. Add a jacket to smarten with heels, or wear with a cardigan and semi-flats for a more casual look.

I also find that Next Petite range fits pretty well.

scary_tractors

Thanks a mill that is really helpful labradoodlelady!

Yep, I do wear skirts - have good legs and I love skirts and dresses so looking for stuff in the line of those shift dresses you mentioned Dudara - where did you get them?

labradoodlelady

You're very welcome!! I'm too broke to go shopping at the minute but no harm in looking!!!

Do you mean the Galaxy/shift style of dresses? Kind of like this.

http://www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=true&catalogId=20552&storeId=12552&categoryId=134452&parent_category_rn=49448&productId=1120059&langId=-1

Oasis, Miss Selfridge, Dotty P (jeez I sound like a rep for there by now!!) have all had them lately and I think I saw some in Dunnes.

Something like this would be pretty with a little top under it just to cover up the shoulders.
http://www.missselfridge.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=true&catalogId=20555&storeId=12554&categoryId=87412&parent_category_rn=63749&productId=1155262&langId=-1

Oh just thought Zara is pretty good for work basics too!

Edit: Just found this - Oasis workwear range has some ideas!!

http://www.oasis-stores.com/fcp/categorylist/dept/workwear?resetFilters=true

scary_tractors

LOVE that Miss Selfridge dress. Wow.

dudara

That Dorothy Perkins dress is exactly along the lines I'm thinking of. When you have curves, this type of dress just rocks on you. Think of that secretary from the TV series Mad Men.

Two of my dresses came from my last trip to the States, one is from Banana Republic and the other is from Sears.

I got a dress and jacket set from TK Maxx - it's a little on the pinafore style so I wear it with a shirt underneath.

I have one from Penneys, believe it or not. Fantastic value and looks so much more than it cost.

The rest I've made myself - I'm currently trying to put this one together - and so far it's looking good.

aloevera

zara have beautiful stuff and even the savida range in dunnes!!

well done in promotion :-)

best of luck

i love those dresses op has posted above - sexy and smart!

labradoodlelady

Dudara that pattern is beautiful, it will look fab when complete

Scary tractors I found this.

http://www.dunnesstores.ie/fashion.php?id=women&secId=308

If you look at dresses and skirts they have the Ponteroma dress in a few diff colours which is similar to the other dresses. x