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Tuesday 25 October 2011

I really need your help with work clothes please

As you know I was offered a job last week but I have a small dilemma.

Basically I have not worked for what seems like ages and time has moved on.  I used to wear the obligatory pencil skirts and high heels for work but I have always hated work clothes as they are just so boring.

I know that offices are a lot more relaxed now, a friend of mine said a lot of girls in her office wear leggings, dresses and ballet pumps. 

I am not going to be holding an important position only an admin/secreterial role and I won't be meeting the general public.

I have got a few work skirts (boring), jumpers and blouses/shirts but I would like to be able to wear dresses to work. I have got a few dresses that I could wear with opaques.

I have been browsing online (really should stop doing this) and I love all of these items (of course I am not going to buy them all).  I just wondered if they would be ok for work?

This tunic from Topshop ( I have the sleeveless version in Indigo and Red)  but I was thinking I could wear this with opaques and cardigans or fitted jumpers over and a skinny belt....what do you think?



I really love this bodycon navy skirt from Miss Selfridge and its different from the usual black/grey.



H&M Jumper - I could do with a couple of these in various colours.



I love this River Island wool skirt I just wonder if it will be too short.




I definitely need some black shoes but its hard finding ones that are the right height as they are usually really high or flat!


What do you think?

18 comments:

  1. I used to love dressing up for work. My fav things were a shift dress with a cardigan and silk scarf and a nice bracelet or cuff. I love black shiny shoes and get mine from either next or M&S. I would match my bag to my outfit too. I love those wiggle skirts with a blouse tucked in and a skinny belt. The TopShop tunic is lovely and would be fab for work. Those H&M jumpers look nice, might have to get a few... Good luck with your work outfits.
    Dx

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  2. They seem like great ideas Lisa!
    Sorry I can't really help, I'm rather lucky in the fact that we can wear jeans to work and don't have a regulatory dress-code to comply with.....!

    Jules

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  3. Any of these items here would be perfect. I particularly like the topshop tunic.
    I think that most things can be worn for work, if worn in the right way. My rules are to never show my thighs unless clad in 80 denier or above and I never show my shoulders. If tops are a little on the low side I wear a neck tie or scarf to save my blushes.
    As for shoes, you can't go wrong with kitten heels.
    Good luck!

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  4. I've always worked front of house which has meant dressing up to the nines. I kept it simple with good quality black shift dresses and used scarves and jewellery to make it a bit more interesting and splashed out on some Clarks' leather lace-up heeled shoes so my feet were comfy but still stylish.
    That TopShop dress looks lovely. x

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  5. You can deffo wear all of these, love the tunic and body con skirt especially! I love wearing accessories at work, I'm a very silk scarves, necklaces, headbands lass, sadly though my old manager didn't use to let me paint my nails AT ALL in my old job :(
    All those though great for the office, and well done on the job (i know ive already said it...but well done!!)
    xxx

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  6. Hi Lisa,

    Thankyou for your message, I haven't been on for a very long time and I log on and saw that :)
    Congratulations on getting a job, I really need to read back as i'm so out of the loop. The tunic dress and last skirt are beautiful, perfect office wear with a nice cardigan too. I know what you mean, I find work clothes really difficult, and most of the time not flattering!

    I am well thankyou, unfortunately what happened happened again very soon after, hence not posting for a long time, as its been doubley hard, but im focusing on the New Year, and to start it positively and to leave this all behind. Sorry for spam-ing your current post with my reply, but thankyou for messaging. Ill be back in the loop soon! Vicki xxx

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  7. Congratulations on your new job!

    I love the River Island Wool skirt at the end. I don't think it will be too short, and it will be nice and stylish for wearing to work.

    You could wear sheer blouses which look quite smart but not too much. Peter pan collar blouses would also be nice.
    And you could wear long jumper dresses with leggings or opaque tights with a skinny belt like you said.
    Blazers would also be really nice but you can make them not to formal by wearing a soft one if you know what i mean :L

    I looked for a few things to give you some inspirations :) here are the links....

    Jumper dress
    http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/dresses/ribbed-roll-neck-dress_224201301

    Blazers
    http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jackets-and-coats/boxy-cropped-blazer_231101157?icSort=-publishDate

    http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=3253914&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208526&parent_categoryId=203984&pageSize=20&refinements=category~[209745|208526]&noOfRefinements=1

    Hope this helped!
    ---------------------
    hollylikestoblog.blogspot.com

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  8. wow thanks so much for you all replies I really did not expect so many.

    Love from Poppy - yeah I used to feel like this about work clothes but I suppose I have changed and much prefer to wear flats or boots now.xx

    Jules - you are lucky that they let you wear what you want xx

    Hazel = ha ha about the thighage, I would not wear things too short for work like you said unless you havwe 100 denier tights xx.

    Vix - I like dressing up but just hate wearing high heels and pemcil skirts every day xx

    Dibdabs - OMG so glad I can wear nail polish xx

    Peacock Lace - I have left a message on your blog I hope you are ok, please take care xx

    Holly - aww thank you for visiting my blog and for looking at things for me thats so kind of you. I am now a follower of your blog - thankyou xx

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  9. My spelling is awful I was rushing when writing the above so please forgive me xx

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  10. I like all those items! I have a job where I meet clients and I wear short skirts a lot, but usually in winter with boots and opaque tights. I really like that body-con skirt as well. I usually go for skirts and jumpers/cardies in the winter, or smartish jumper dresses with tights and boots. I've also got a couple of "relaxed" blazers that I wear on top of t-shirts and smartish tops. I hate wearing blouses because of my big boobs! They rarely fit me! Plus they involve lots of ironing, which I can do without. I think all the stuff you've picked out looks great! xx

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  11. Do you like those fish tale or flare out bottom skirts? I have a black skirt which is fitted at the top and flares out. I wear this with a fine knit black sweater, short red swing coat with 3/4 sleeves with tights and stretchy knee high boots.To top the look off I sometimes wear a little pair of leather gloves. A girl at work once said "Who does she think she is" when I walked past. Haha. A pair of wide leg trousers look fab with a pussy bow blouse and big patent belt. Sorry if I`m going on. I love clothes and fashion and putting outfits together. Dx

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  12. BBB - I know what you mean about big boobs and blouses lol I have that problem too.

    Debbie - yeah I do like the fishtail skirts that outfit you said sounds gorgeous. ha ha that girl at work sounded jealous lol
    Of course you are not going on I could talk about clothes and outfits all day - thanks for your advice xx
    xx

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  13. I would go for the Topshop dress, i think it would be really versatile. It would be cute with a skinny leopard belt, black opaques and some interesting shoes. Or you could put coloured tights with it.
    xxx

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  14. Oh my god - that skirt at the bottom is seriously amazing! I wear a right random mixture of stuff to work - I'm sure anything you choose will be fine :)
    x

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  15. I liked the pieces you chose! Check my Chicisimo page, I have a few work outfits ;)http://chicisimo.com/fashion/fashionista/pingas/

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  16. all these are very office appropriate.
    I think most things are fine so long as they are not:
    1.too short. 2.too low cut. 3. see through. 4.loud in crazy colours of prints or 4.show too much flesh.
    I guess start low key and get the measure of what others are wearing.

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  17. Hi Lisa Jane, The dress you liked on my blog is 35 inches from shoulder to hem and is not a bubble hem. Happy to reserve it for you while you sort ou Paypal if you'd like. Vx

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  18. My work clothes at the moment involve nice winter jumpers (roll neck or v neck- smart) and wide palazzo trousers or various skirts.

    I think you could definitely dress that dress up too! Another style to look out for is a dress with a collar (shirt or peter pan) as they are dead easy to layer with a cardi or even suit jacket. I have several and wear one at least once a week.

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Lisa-Jane
xx