https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:22:43 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377814 Wed, 08 Jan 2025 17:29:33 +0000 Sal 2377814@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think that’s good advice Lisa. Something for me to think about! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377766 Wed, 08 Jan 2025 02:08:49 +0000 Lisa 2377766@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I rarely wear dresses but when I’ve shopped for work dresses in the past I looked for those with sleeves that were elbow length or longer so I didn’t have to layer over it for warmth (like a wrap dress) or sleeveless so I could layer a blazer over it (like a sheath dress).</p> <p>&nbsp;The length is very important to me, when I sit down the dress has to be close to my knees, it’s very important to do the sit down test when trying on dresses. I also stuck with solids or simple patterns (stripes, floral).&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377764 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 21:42:23 +0000 Sal 2377764@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks JAileen - your dresses would all work for me, and it's a nice collection.</p> <p>Jaime - yes some days trousers or pants are just easier and it is good to be realistic about that.</p> <p>Angie - I love your dress collection and have a fondness for your shirt dresses.&nbsp; That's a good shape and style for me too. And would work for many months of the year too.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Bijou - yes many people in our industry wear polos with trousers or jeans and or merino/puffers in the winter.&nbsp; I haven't gone down that path except for a puffer vest which does come in useful.&nbsp; You have a lovely collection of dresses too.</p> <p>Yes Rachel, the jacket or cardigan over a dress is always something I struggle with unless it is a very simple dress.&nbsp; Office air conditioning can be too cold for sleeveless.&nbsp; The cropped sweater is a good idea!</p> <p>Yes that's also it Jenni - sometimes the vibe has to be right.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I think the lesson for me right now is that I don't need any more occasion wear dresses NOR summer beach dresses.&nbsp; I could do with one or two work dresses which need to meet my requirements for sleeves, non floral, wash and wear and simple - not necessarily neutral but a pattern that I won't tire of quickly. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377759 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 18:15:39 +0000 Jenni NZ 2377759@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What you’ve said about your reasons sounds totally sensible Sally! I am less of a lover of dresses I think. I like the *idea* of them which is probably why I own far more than I get good use of, but for my work I feel better in pants, just more covered maybe and more “ready for anything” that comes in the door? I do make myself wear a dress or skirt occasionally at work to use them more.<br /> I also find dresses with more polyester easier to look after. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377756 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:50:57 +0000 RachelNZ 2377756@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wear a lot of dresses to work but am in a more standard office based environment than you&nbsp;<b>Sal</b>.</p> <p>I wear dresses year round to work but used to struggle with the transitional periods as if it's sleeveless you need an appropriate topper. I've found a lot of longer sleeved dresses this year and they have really filled that gap. Weirdly I will feel warm enough with bare legs if I have my arms covered. I have also found a couple of cropped jumpers that I like wearing over top of a dress - it feels less formal than other types of toppers. I am also happy to wear black tights in winter although that style does not suit every dress.</p> <p>I don't have all my dresses in finds yet but all of these have been worn to work. 4 of these are second hand with the knits and striped linen dress being new purchases.&nbsp;</p> <p>This is the cropped sweater I have been wearing over top and example of how I wear that - it works well on dresses with a tie as I tuck the front up into the tie.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377743 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 03:37:50 +0000 Bijou 2377743@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree with your analysis. My preferred work dresses are generally solids rather than patterned and have fluidity in them. Whilst the lilac silk dress is not a typical work dress, it becomes work appropriate with the lilac tweed coat over it which is from my pre-2020 wardrobe when I was working in a very formal office. I still have the matching tweed sheath dress and wear that too. Most of my work dresses are synthetics and launder beautifully. My work from home casual dresses are cotton or natural fibre mix.</p> <p>The lace topped black sheath dress is worn to work dinners or after-work networking events.</p> <p>Since 2020 and the covid lockdowns, I have noticed in the city office workers are dressed far more casually than before. Very few people wear formal suits other than accountants and lawyers. Those in the mining industry (which is massive in Western Australia) often are in jeans and work polo tops - that is the engineers, geologists, geophysicists, HR and management teams working in city offices. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377739 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 01:27:02 +0000 Angie 2377739@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These dresses don't go to work: </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377738 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 01:24:11 +0000 Angie 2377738@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Sal</b>, a gorgeous assortment of dresses that you wear with panache!&nbsp;</p> <p>Totally get why 4 of those dresses don't go to work: too beachy, too va va voom, too occasion-y. Spot on!&nbsp;</p> <p>On that note, for your work, you need<b> </b><i><b>covered</b></i><b> </b>dresses that are <i><b>casual, not tight all over, &nbsp;</b></i>and <i><b>machine washable.</b></i> I think you'd be fine in non-neutrals and patterns if the silhouettes were right.</p> <p>Actually, most of my dresses fit that bill - and apart from the fancy lace dresses and a funeral dress, they all go to work. Some of the belted dresses can be worn like straight sack dresses too.&nbsp;</p> <p>The sleeveless dresses are majorly problematic during the day because they leave my arms exposed to the sun when I'm out and about. I wear them on hot nights in the &nbsp;shade - or with a jacket indoors in a/c :)&nbsp;</p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377728 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:50:14 +0000 slim cat 2377728@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great collection of dresses! <br />I'm more into separates and rarely wear dresses so I stopped buying them long ago - lol. Dresses seams to require more polished shoes and certain well coordinated accessories - somehow it complicates outfits too much for me ( it's mostly me of course - lots of ladies have a great time wearing and styling dresses ). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377724 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:44:57 +0000 Jaime 2377724@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It sounds like you have a good handle on what you need for your various roles at work and a beautiful collection of dresses for various occasions. When I am doing somewhat physical work I need clothing that I feel comfortable bending and reaching in. Dresses are awkward that way, so I don't really wear them for that.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377719 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:10:06 +0000 JAileen 2377719@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I used to wear dresses or skirts to work almost exclusively. &nbsp;For me, no cleavage, long (below the knee), and not the least bit sexy. &nbsp;The Eileen Fisher dresses I have would have been fine. &nbsp;I would have worn work appropriate shoes, of course. &nbsp;:) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377718 Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:09:03 +0000 Sal 2377718@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Cookie. I struggle with jackets over dresses which might also be part of the problem. I don’t have a denim jacket any more but I have worn a black blazer over this dress for one or two events. I can wear heels on occasion when I have special events. I am fine wearing sleeveless at work if it is weather appropriate.</p> <p>Suz I can see some similarities in our position. I also wear more dresses in summer and typically am not at work as much in summer due to vacations. I like your collection a lot but can see why they don’t get as much wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377716 Mon, 06 Jan 2025 23:41:41 +0000 Suz 2377716@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You have a great dress collection, <b>Sally</b>! I agree with all your reasons and observations about what makes a dress work-suitable, at least for your work setting.&nbsp;</p> <p>I mainly work from home now, but I do teach in a classroom once a week for part of every year, usually fall or winter, with additional short classroom teaching gigs at various times of year. I also sometimes have to give presentations and sit on panels, or take on otherwise public-facing roles both in person and online.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;I own almost no dresses, and those I own are all essentially summer dresses. (My entire collection, below)&nbsp; I don't think any of these would be inappropriate for a work environment (especially if I put a topper over the sleeveless ones) but I don't teach in the summer months, and even if I did, I probably wouldn't reach for these. I <b>do</b> wear skirts at work, though. So it could be that the only thing really holding me back from wearing a dress to teach in now is the fabrication of the dress (i.e. it needs to be warm enough.)&nbsp;</p> <p>In general, I'd say for me to feel comfortable wearing a dress in a work setting, it would have to be covered enough (so no cleavage, not that I have any), not a lot of bare skin, period. Not too tight. Comfortable to move in (I have to move around a lot when I teach). Be wearable alone or with topper. Be wearable with low heels/ flats/ flatforms. Be easy to care for. And -- a more personal aspect, for me and my own style, I guess -- not feel too feminine. I probably wouldn't buy a dress that feels "too feminine" (whatever I mean by that), but if I did, I wouldn't want to wear it to work.&nbsp; :)&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377715 Mon, 06 Jan 2025 22:59:57 +0000 Cookie 2377715@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, I am not even going to count how many dresses I own, but there are only a handful I wouldn’t wear to work, even if I would also wear them on the weekend or to a nice event. It doesn’t have to feel like “a work dress,” it just has to feel not-inappropriate. That is, not extremely dressy, not excessively cleavagey, not so schlubby or casual that it feels like beach wear. And sometimes if something is a BIT too cleavagey I say screw it and wear it anyway. Admittedly, I work in journalism and it’s pretty live-and-let-live, and at this point in my life people take me as seriously or not as they’re going to.</p> <p>So I basically agree with your criteria (though I am willing to wear heels around the office if I’m not planning a long hike to lunch).</p> <p>Would you consider wearing the blue floral dress to work with a denim jacket and sneakers? It’s so lovely! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-makes-a-dress-work-appropriate#post-2377706 Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:55:44 +0000 Sal 2377706@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie asked why I love dresses but don't wear them enough?</p> <p>Which is a very good point.....</p> <p>And the answer is that often I don't wear them to work.&nbsp; I work for our company based at an airport, with a mix of offices and a workshop.&nbsp; I walk outside at times on grass and gravel, and can be in the workshop where everyone is in high vis.&nbsp; It's not dirty but it is engineering.</p> <p>Here is my current dress collection (outside two that are clearly more evening options and older)</p> <p><b>Work dresses (3)</b> <ul> <li>lilac -&nbsp;worn to work once a week in summer.&nbsp;</li> <li>black sweater dress -about once a week in winter (but am a bit over it)</li> <li>soft floral long sleeve - I am off this dress but have kept it.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <br /><b>Sometimes work (3)</b> <ul> <li>the long black, the floral faux wrap and the zebra print&nbsp;&nbsp;have all been worn to work but I feel as though they are a bit too "special".&nbsp;They are all suitable though and I would wear them if heading from work out, or if I have special visitors or a lunch.</li> </ul> <br /><b>Never worn to work(4)</b> <ul> <li>red and white wrap - too much cleavage for work</li> <li>white linen - too bare and beachy for work</li> <li>70s style - feels like more of a party dress</li> <li>turquoise floral - I have worn this to two weddings and it feels like a celebratory dress.</li> </ul> <br />To make a dress feel suitable for work it needs to <ul> <li>be wash and wear (happy to iron, but ideally no drycleaning)</li> <li>be able to be layered - we have varied temperatures in our building</li> <li>work with sneakers or flat shoes</li> <li>not be too delicate&nbsp; or require too much maintenance</li> <li>feel like a work dress.&nbsp; Linen to me feels like a vacation or weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li> </ul> I have been a life long lover of dresses and over the last 15 years, have really enjoyed floral dresses.&nbsp; I still like them, but I think I should stick with my current collection and not add more florals for a while.</p> <p>As I have been trying to buy more natural fibres they often aren't as easy for work as polyester or other fibres.&nbsp;This is something to ponder.</p> <p>What makes a dress work appropriate for you?</p>