Professional wardrobe?

[chicagogirl]

Ok, I think this could go in this forum. Ladies, am I the only one that gets frustrated when looking for clothes for work? As a young woman, I know that I have an uphill battle to be taken seriously in a professional environment, so I'm picky about my work clothes. I went shopping the other day for clothes. 3 stores later and I only had 3 shirts. I can't seem to find anything that's appropriate! The skirts are too short or too tight. And half of the slacks appear to be low-rise and hug my butt like a needy bf. The tops are too tight, or more often, the neck line is *way* too low. What's with all the button down shirts missing the top button? :confused: I can't wear that to work and expect to be taken seriously! So my question is, what are good stores that carry nice clothes that are both fashionable *and* work-appropriate?

[winneythepooh7]

NY&CO, Old Navy, Express, Sears, JcPenney............I also think you can never go wrong with black dress pants and sweaters, both zip up and pull overs, as well as turtlenecks. Some jobs are dressier than others however, so I would say to look for suits and the like at regular dept. stores like Sears and JCPenney. It's also good to look in the women's section and not the juniors dept. ;).

[shimmer728]

I buy tons of clothes at Express and NY and Co. Some of my clothes probably push the envelope a little bit, but it helps that I'm not in an ultra-corporate environment.

[wordsmith]

I'm the worst. I've pretty intentionally worked places where it's not required that I be "professionally" attired consistently. When and if that changes, I'm going to be looking at a big expenditure...and I'm not looking forward to it, because I have a very difficult time finding "professional" attire that isn't, well, dowdy. I don't dress like a club kid or anything, but I do expect things to be cut fashionably, don't care for ultra-conservative, i.e. "church-appropriate" attire, and cringe at things billed as "blouses" and "slacks." Even in business casual, I tend to push the envelope toward "casual." But, I really honestly don't foresee ever working in a mega-corporate environment, or any setting that would really demand very conservative attire.

[Kitty]

It looks like your'e going for pretty conservative..so you might want to try Ann Taylor loft, Ann taylor, or Banana Republic.

[wordsmith]

Hey, since I know where you're going to be working, is it totally necessary that the attire be super corporate? It seems like a setting where you could push the line toward more business casual.

[MetFanL]

I work in a pretty conservative environment, but I've been able to stay fashionable. I don't love suits, so I wear a lot of dresses. Wrap dresses and things like that. I'll also buy cute blazers that I can wear out on the weekends w/ jeans and wear them to work w/ monochromatic pants/skirt and top underneath (usually black or camel) and some fun jewelry. I think you can pretty much dress a lot of borderline professional stuff if you look pulled together enough.

I would just invest in some well fitting pants. That's really a good base and, if your clothes are always tailored properly, you'll always look good.

[pisces2473]

I hear you on the dress shirts missing a top button. What I do is wear a cute camisole in the same shade (or a neutral if need be) to cover the area. It's annoying, but I'd rather be too covered up than busting out.

[wordsmith]

Met, I love wrap dresses, but mine all have deep v necklines. I just go with them, because I don't friggin' care (today, I'm rockin' more cleavage than necessary and it's on a scoop neckline). But how does that work out for a conservative dress workplace, out of curiosity? Do you wear a cami underneath?

[winneythepooh7]

I don't know where you are going to be working, but I seem to remember you saying "human services field" in the past. A good rule of thumb to remember is to dress for the population you will be working with, and the environment you will be spending most of your time in. For example, if you are doing lotsa fieldwork with poor clients, it will be very uncomfortable for them, and probably you, if you show up in business suits everyday. You don't want to start out negative from the start by making it look like you are in a huge position of power. This is hard for clients to deal with as it is. I dress super casual for work and have had no problems making a good impression with both my superiors, as well as my clients ;). Today I am wearing a pair of jeans and a fleece pull-over.

[MetFanL]

Met, I love wrap dresses, but mine all have deep v necklines. I just go with them, because I don't friggin' care (today, I'm rockin' more cleavage than necessary and it's on a scoop neckline). But how does that work out for a conservative dress workplace, out of curiosity? Do you wear a cami underneath?

Yeah, I'll usually wear a cami, or make sure to have a strategically placed safety pin. I probably show a little more cleavage that I should, but you can only cover up so much, ya know?

[wordsmith]

Yeah, I really tend to not worry about it. Again, I have essentially no dress code, just have to tailor my attire situationally, and that can't always be done if something comes up.

It's not as if I'm flashing a boob, and in all honesty, low neckline or not, I have boobs. They're not going anywhere. And they're going to be fairly noticeable, whether in extra inch of skin is showing, or covered up by some fabric. I'm not coming in to work in pasties...I think it should be fine.

[blueyes]

I'm not coming in to work in pasties...I think it should be fine.

I laughed out loud and made my coworkers stare at me. :lol: That's awesome.

I have zero exciting pants now, b/c of the corporate scene. I'm a big fan of turtlenecks and sweaters since they keep certain sets of eyes off of me. I think in the 2+ yrs I've been here, I've worn a skirt less than 10 times. I don't wear dresses or boots (even though mine are terrifically comfortable) or anything that's even remotely low-cut. I recently picked up a very butt-complimentary set of 'work pants' - but I know I will never wear them to work b/c of the ass-ogling that would occur every time I leave a room.

You can never go wrong with conservative - Ann Taylor and Banana Republic are good for that. And you can't really go too wrong with Express pants (the Editor are my favorite) or NY&Co. But shop the sales...otherwise, you'll end up blowing way too much money. :neutral:

[ya never know..]

What about for those of us who don't have the body for low-rise pants??? Are we just screwed or what?

[chicagogirl]

What about for those of us who don't have the body for low-rise pants??? Are we just screwed or what?

Yup, we're screwed. ;-)

But yeah, I know I'm a bit conservative on dress.

I had a fellow intern (at a counseling center) who dressed horribly for work (think short skirts with slits up the side, flip-flops, etc.). All the other interns tlaked about how they couldn't believe she dressed like that. It was hard to think of her as being a professional. I think that experience really made me think about how I dress affects how others see me.

The other thing that got me were a few studies. One found that women who say they show more skin at work tended to get fewer raises and promotions over time than those who said they don't.

the other study showed pictures of a woman (same woman) dressed in two different outfits, one a professional outfit of some sort, the other a casual outfit. the group that saw the less professional outfit said that she was likely to be unintelligent and have probs makng decisions. the group that saw the professional outfit said that she would likely make a good boss and be good iwth people.

[AngryMomma]

I hate trying to figue out what to wear to work so I don't. I guess I'm not being very helpful, and maybe that's one of the reasons I'm getting nowhere fast at my job. I pretty much wear t-shirts and jeans to work. In fact, I ALWAYS wear jeans. Sometimes I'll wear a button up shirt or a sweater. I just can't stand collars, I feel like I'm choking. And the last time I wore a dress or skirt was to someone's wedding. It's just not me. My legs are too stumpy for skirts. And since I've NEVER worn a skirt or dress to work I NEVER will. I'll never hear the end of it. I've tried dressing up (nice "blouse" + "slacks" these words also make me cringe) to work, and because everybody makes comments when I get dressed up, I feel all weird and I can't focus and then I can't get anything done. Plus I'm uncomfortable and self-conscious about how I look when I'm dressy. So to not have to deal with that crap, I dress down, I'm comfortable, and I can work...If I had to dress up every day to go to work it would take me 5 hours to get ready. And then there's hair - I either let it dry natural or put it in a ponytail. I don't have time for that crap. Makeup - if I have time maybe a little eyeliner and some neutral eyeshadow/blush. Bam I'm done.

[wordsmith]

Same, here.

Today I am at work in jeans (I also wear jeans about 99% of the time), a T-shirt with a cardigan over it since we keep the heat low, and my hair is wet and in a bun. I threw on some powder and mascara, but that was all I had time for this a.m.

i don't mind dressing up, but I'm going to be spending all day today staring at a computer doing layout. There's no reason I need to look like anything.

[MuBetaPsi_Xi]

I, too, find it very hard to find work clothes which I can wear and be taken seriously. I work in a very conservative office with a strict dress code. We have Business Casual dress every Friday and for a few months out of the summer, and its hard for me to find casual women's clothing that fall within our office's guidelines for business casual. In the summer, all of the casual pants I can find are those ones that only go down to the ankle (I forget what they're called) - no way would we ever be allowed to wear those. Sometimes in the warmer months on my bus ride into downtown, I see all the people walking along the street on their way to work, and I think, "Where the heck do YOU work that you can get away with wearing THAT?" I know some of these people work in offices, too, because I see people in the elevator at work dressed the same way. (I work in a high-rise and alot of other companies have offices in the same building.)

I also can't get over all the shoes that are sold in stores as "career shoes." Its really hard for me to find a good pair of shoes that I can wear to work and be taken seriously.

[chicagogirl]

I also can't get over all the shoes that are sold in stores as "career shoes."

Heh, yeah. I hear you on that one. Need everything covered with the right amount of heel (not too high, not flat either)? Do you have a DSW near you? They're usually a good place for some things. That and some of the better quality department stores I think can be good, but they have a smaller selection.

[Lipgloss Boost]

I'm in a whole different world! I have to find *sturdy* clothes that can handle being washed a million times.

Since I work between an addictions facility, a halfway house, & a homeless shelter - I wash my clothes alot. I can either just stink from being at work, or I was covered in urine one night (that a guy was stock-piling in his room in jars), I've been drooled on from a guy who seized for an hour & a half, my pants got ripped when I was scooting away from a client who was trying to attack me, etc. So I find all these pants & think, "Yeah! They'll last one shift!" My best friend works with kids with atutism & is in the same boat; if the clothes can't handle rips, boddy fluids & daily washings then it ain't gonna happen!

Suzy Shier for me! :)

[Taza Tikha]

You gotta think like a guy. I love bright, unique clothing, but my work "uniform" is dark pants, solid-color tops, mix and match. That way I can wear the same stuff over and over and not have it be obvious. Like the Marie Claire monthly spread where they take a few items and show you how to get two weeks out of them. I get extra leeway because I spend most of my time wrapped in a massive shawl to battle the zealous air conditioning in my office, so it's not like people get a good look at what I'm wearing anyway, lol.

A black suit is a godsend. It hurts at the cash register, but you can wear the same one two or three times a week with different shirts and accessories. A couple pairs of good black/dark gray pants do the same job. I am Ann Taylor's bitch, especially at the sales rack. I prefer knit shells and sweater sets over button-ups, mainly because I hate ironing and button-ups are always wrinkled unless straight from the cleaners, and I hate paying for dry cleaning. Knits get the Dryel treatment and come out fresh and wrinkle-free.

I quit shopping at stores like NY & Co when they quit making tops that can be worn alone. Sorry, I'm not going to create more laundry (plus the expense of buying in the first place) to layer tanks and camisoles just so people can't see down/through my shirt.

I wish someone would come out with a line of "casual Friday" jeans. You know, jeans that flatter me when standing, cover my ass when I'm sitting yet not ride up into my ribcage (try sitting like that at a computer for 8 hours), are NOT pre-faded, pre-ripped, sequined, and patched. I mean, seriously. I'd be willing to pay good money for jeans I'd wear to work if they LOOKED LIKE JEANS I COULD WEAR TO WORK.

[blueyes]

Are you serious? You don't wear dresses to work at all? Because someone might see your legs?!?!? That crap would be a major issue for me. Have you spoken to your supervisor about your perception of this?
I'm entirely serious - no dresses, no boots unless they're under my pants, and skirts only when the weather hits Nice-as-Hell (which happens for about 2 wks during the summer here in Pittsburgh). I'm not phased by it b/c, frankly, I know my body looks good - but I have a few coworkers whom I wouldn't stop to give the time of day to if I didn't work with them. They are either constantly toeing the line of sexual harrassment (it's been discussed - at length - repeatedly) or are just a jackass in general who believes a woman's place is anywhere but the office. I'm not about to open myself up to anything from either set of coworker, b/c it's not worth the time, energy, or effort to battle against them and their bullshit mindsets. I'll just run the office one day instead, thank you - AND look damn good doing it.

It also comes down to being taken seriously; I'm young, female, and in a very male-dominated field. If I'm wandering around in a dress, I'm not going to be taken seriously by my coworkers, let alone clients. It's not about 'OMG - they'll see my legs'; it's 'OMG - I'm going to lose a project.'

and Taza, I feel you on the jeans. I wear AE jeans almost exclusively, but I recently picked up a pair of Old Navy jeans b/c I couldn't find any AE jeans that weren't super-ultra-low-rise-dirty-acid-wash-with-sequin-detail-on-the-ass.

[MollyMe]

I wish someone would come out with a line of "casual Friday" jeans. You know, jeans that flatter me when standing, cover my ass when I'm sitting yet not ride up into my ribcage (try sitting like that at a computer for 8 hours), are NOT pre-faded, pre-ripped, sequined, and patched. I mean, seriously. I'd be willing to pay good money for jeans I'd wear to work if they LOOKED LIKE JEANS I COULD WEAR TO WORK.

Yup, I agree. I bought jeans at the Gap and they are good.

[wordsmith]

My Old Navy jeans are pretty work-friendly.