Office workers, what do you wear to work?

Gloomendoom

We are lucky in that we don't have a rigid dress code so we just wear what we feel comfortable in or what is appropriate for the day's activities. That could be shorts and flip flops at one end of the scale or a smart suit at the other.

Goldiegirl

In our office the concept of dress down Fridays has been extended for the whole week, so if you wish you can wear jeans and t-shirts all week.

However, in practice there is a real mix of attire - business suits (especially if people are going to visit clients etc), smart dresses, skirts, trousers, jeans, plain shirts, checked shirts, chinos and polo shirts, leggings and tunics.

I work two days a week. On Thursdays I wear black trousers and one of a small selection of tops. On Friday I wear jeans and a top from a another small selection of tops. As I'm only there for the two days, I don't want or need many work clothes. Also, as I only plan to be there for another three years before I retire, I'm not planning on getting any more work clothes either!

Rummer

I almost always wear dresses and cardigans with the occasional skirt and jumper combo thrown in. They suit my shape and I feel more comfortable in them then in trousers.

LandyAndy

Dark trousers, the corporate polo shirt and converse.

Marshflower

What a suprisingly interesting thread!
My office is huge and a real hodge podge. Some wear suits, some wear jeans. Tends to be generally the more senior you are, the smarter you dress although that isn't a hard and fast rule, just an observation. I think they do have unofficial dress down Fridays here but I don't work on a Friday so not sure.
I think you have to be comfortable but also have the confidence to do what your role requires. I always feel more confident when I dress smartly and am one of the more senior roles so I tend to keep my dress on the smarter side of casual. I usually wear a tea dress with a smart cardigan and flat lace ups or heels. Sometimes I wear cigarette pants and a sweater. Although, being a 50s retro kind of girl I suppose my every day clothes would be deemed quite smart by some anyway, I don't think I own any jeans!
To the OP - I'd just go with what a few others have said. Dress on the smarter side for the first day and just take your lead from there.

SuzyZ

What I have worn in past and now:-

• Civil service high level PA secretary/director level
  
  skirts (Jigsaw a line knee length)/smart jumpers/tops (Monsoon) and walkable shoes (not too high), smart pinstripe trousers (Mexx). If needed a suit just put one on (Reiss etc) and shirts from M&S/TM Lewin etc.
  
• Architects
  
  If you wore a suit here it was either you were off to a meeting or had an interview! I tended on smart/casual but trendy too. Anything went, nothing too low cut, even trainers... Jeans you could even get away with. especially on site visits.
  
• Accountants
  
  strangely enough here it was a mix of smart/casual. smarter skirts but in summer smart/casual top and skirt.
  
• Legal firm (small, out of London firm).
  
  Again - smart/casual. I can get away with leggings, boots and Fenn Wright Manson jumper in winter and FWM wrap dresses otherwise and sweater dresses (Oasis). But my colleague (legal secretary) wears leggings and sweater dresses (Tesco F&F).
  

Like as few others say, dress for success but also see what others wear. Good luck!

SarahLou81_2

I work for a well known recruitment agency within the compliance department...not a client facing role...however we can only wear Red, Blue, White, Black or Grey :mad:

I tend to wear trousers/skirt and a top or a dress. Gets very dull having to stick to said colours.

If any big cheese comes to see us we have god awful scarves that we must wear which make me feel like an air hostess (no offence to any out there )

MentalMinnie

Leggings, Ugg boots and a lovely warm top and cardi at the moment! Toasty warm and snug! We don't have a dress code here.

CKgeordieinlondon

When I was young an ambitious I always wore a suit to the office (NHS admin), even if those around me were less formal.It worked a treat, people used to walk past my more senior colleagues presuming I was in charge. As a result everyone knew who I was and it did my career the world of good.

Now my main ambition is to retire so I'm in the trouser top and cardie look.Skirts and dresses in the summer once the weather permits sandals. I have a black jacket over my chair and a pair of black court shoes under my desk , just in case.

My work wear is entirely seperate from my "real clothes" washed every Thursday and 4 individual outfits are compiled and hung on the hangers every Sunday.(We have dress down fridays).

Even though I probably look better in formal clothes I wouldn't be seen dead in them during the weekend.Its a uniform nothing more

Scorpio33

I can't beleive no one has suggested to wear stockings under a skirt to the office yet...