I've recently returned back to work from maternity leave after having my second baby. I work in a construction industry, very heavily male dominated. Most of the dudes have been super supportive of me but there's one thing I've been hearing over and over again and I'm getting pretty tired of it. They relate that after their wife had a baby, they realized daycare cost more than she was making so she ended up being a stay at home mom. Now I have a lot of stay at home mom friends and I know that they are all doing it because it is a choice they made with their partners and not because they had crappy jobs that didn't pay enough for quality daycare. I myself am not making a ton but I'm making basically twice what I pay yearly in daycare for two kids. Some of the people who have said this to me report to me, so why they think it's appropriate to insinuate that as a women I don't make enough to pay for daycare is beyond me. Am I crazy or is this really old fashioned thinking? Anyone else have similar experiences?

So the link is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HP3H9SW

Feel free to skip any questions you don't feel comfortable answering. It's pretty short, only 25 or so very quick questions :) Let me know if you have any questions!

The general rule for dressing for an interview is to dress nicer than you would have to day to day for the position you are interviewing for. For most jobs this means a neutral colored suit. (gray, black, khaki, or navy.) Even if you do not need to wear a suit daily each piece can be used to create other outfits. Before you go shopping see this guide for how a suit should fit.

Price range includes jacket and skirt or pants unless stated otherwise

Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew
Normal Price Range: $250 to $450
Sizes: 00-16, Regular, petite, and some tall options You may want to shop in store from these brands to determine if the fit and fabric meet your expectations.

Express
Normal Price Range: ~$250
Sizes: 0-18, Short, regular, tall pant lengths
The Editor and Columnist pant are considered the go to pant for many women. Keep an eye out for buy one get one 50% off sales. Be aware that the cut and style of their suits may be too “sexy” for some offices.

Brooks Brothers
Dress trousers: $200-$400
Jackets: $250-$900
Skirts: $150-$300
Sizes: 00-20, 14W-22W
Lots of wool pants, skirts, and jackets to choose from to pair together that will last for a long time if cared for properly.

Talbots
Normal Price Range: $300-$400
Sizes: Petite, regular, women's plus, and women's plus petite
0P-20P, 2-20, 12W-24W, 12WP-22WP.
Word of caution: I personally find sleeves fit snug at Talbots. I think the quality of some items could be better considering price, but I like picking up basic pieces when they have massive sales. You may need to have your jacket tailored to be less boxy.

Nordstrom
Price Range: $400-$1400
Sizes: See specific brand for sizing
Brands: Armani, Dolce&Gabbana, St. John's Collection, Yigal Azrouel Gabardine, Boy. By Band of Outsiders, Lidd Baday, Rachel Zoe, Theory, Lafayette 148, Rebecca Taylor, etc. So many brands, suits, and cuts to choose from. Call ahead and schedule an appointment with a personal shopper.

Macy's
Normal Price Range: $200 - $400+
Sizes: 0-15, 14W-24W, 2P-14P (Depends on brand)
Brands: AGB, Alex Evenings, Alfani, Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, Charter Club, Evan Picone, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Le Suit, Michael Kors, Nine West, Style&co., Tahari
Nice variety of suits to choose from and a great range of sizes.

JCPenny
Normal Price Range: $60-$150
Sizes: 2-16/18, 12W-24W, Some petite options available.
Brands: Alfred Dunner, JonesWear, LeSuits, Liz Claiborne, Nine & Co., Worthington, etc.
Most material tends to be thin and tends to hang from the body instead of draping the body. Lesuits and Jones Wear seem to have the best customer ratings. Some colorful options are available, but stick to solid neutral colors for an interview.

Pant or skirt?
If the company dress code is conservative wear a skirt that hits below the knee with panty hose and a close toed shoe. Pair your skirt and jacket with a solid colored button down shirt or silk shell. Pants are fine an interview where the dress code is business or business casual. Err on the side of caution and stick with a closed toe shoe.

Make sure it fits!
Once you found your suit consider heading to the tailor to have pants or skirt hemmed, waist or jacket taken in, or pants pockets sewed closed and removed if the outline of the pocket is visible through the fabric of the pant. A mid-range suit that is tailored to fit you will look miles and miles better than a high end ill fitting suit.

What do I wear with it?
Accessories should be fairly simple: post earrings, a watch, a simple handbag, and a pendant necklace or a strand of pearls. Tip: if you are going to carry a handbag with you to an interview take a bag that you are not currently using as your main bag. Only remove what is essential: wallet, keys, pen and pad of paper, cell phone (On silent), and a file with copies of your resume, references, and cover letter. If you need to reach into your bag for anything during an interview you want to be able to quickly.

When choosing a top to go with your suit keep it simple. White, light pink, and light blue button down shirts can be found at any store you are shopping for a suit in. If you are wearing a button down be sure there is no gap between the buttons. You may need to buy a larger size and have it taken in to fit correctly. A silk or cotton shell is also appropriate. Simple patterns are ok for business casual offices, but for a conservative environment stick to solids. Do not wear a shirt that is low cut or loose enough to show your chest when bending over.

So i have recently learned there are something called dress leggings or dress pant leggins which, to me, sounds f-ing fantastic to wear to work.

I work in a office space where everyone is dressed from suit and jackets to jeans and blouses. Important meetings = jacket. Does anyone have any experience with dressy leggings and know if it's okay to wear to work on other days beside Fridays?

Hey all! I will be starting to work in an office-type environment full time for about half a year. I have never had this type of job (I am not even 19 yet!) and all of my colleagues will be around the mid-thirties mark. It seems pretty business casual, with people wearing button ups, nice jeans, and cardigans and blazers, but my usual wardrobe consists of just... black. And leather.

I'm usually wearing black jeans/jeggings, leather boots with small platforms, and plain black shirts (usually with some sort of detailing, like lace) with a leather or black denim jacket over it. I really don't know if this will be appropriate office wear for what where I will be working and what I will be doing (customer service.. mostly at a desk on the phone/computer)

I'm really not into wearing colour. Would the all-black thing be too weird? Is there a way to make it work? What are some pieces I should be buying?

Thanks so much for the help!! If anything should be clarified please let me know.

TL;DR I wil be working in an office environment, I am young and I like to wear black and leather. How can I make it work?

Hi ladies! Just discovered this subreddit! I'm in the midst of redoing my wardrobe, from "post college entry level," to "oh I'm in charge of people now." What do you go to feel put together and on your game? And, where did you get it?

Right now I'm wearing emerald colored jeans (casual media environment), a navy boat neck cotton top, black booties and a large bangle.

Thanks ladies!

Hi All,

I'm (41F) looking for favorite sites for business attire. I generally shop at Anne Taylor and Black House white market....but I feel like the clothes are a little old. I'm looking to curate a more modern look. Can anyone provide some direction?

https://discord.gg/A6zWz6d

Two of the women I work with seem to be conspiring to make my life miserable . They bitch about me behind my back ( I walked past one of their desks one day and saw a comment about me in an instant chat box).  One of them is responsible for office admin and has left me off important internal emails and meeting invitations, as well as doing petty things like not delivering my post.

The other, who works in the same role as me, ignores me completely in any professional context and will talk over me if I speak in a meeting. If I encounter them in the kitchen they either blank me, or laugh and give each other knowing looks. It’s been going on since I joined the firm six months ago. I just want to get on with my job but get so distracted by their whispers, and feel utterly paranoid and confused. Can I do anything?

Can anyone recommend a bag that's great for holding the laptop, laptop accessories, and "purse stuff," but that also looks cute and is suitable for the corporate workplace?

I currently have a synthetic leather black bag, and the handles are ripping. It's time to replace it, but I'm not looking to spend tons of money. I really like Michael Kors and Kate Spade bags, but I'm looking for something that is a bit more suited for toting computers and computer accessories (but that doesn't look like it from the outside).

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Hello office ladies! I am lucky enough to have an interview with Harrods next week and I need some help. Obviously for a place like Harrods you need to look fantastically smart. The dress code for the interview is 'professional dress' and I want to follow the guidelines of the what I'd actually have to wear if I got the job. The code is:

Black smart, matching suit worn with a plain black, round neck top Black smart dress (dresses with a cap sleeve or longer can be worn without a jacket)

Black structured heel shoes

Complementary accessories

A high standard of personal grooming, including hair, make-up and personal hygiene

I am a 21 year old, 5'4 and don't normally dress fancy, so I'm worried about looking out of place in this dress code. Any tips or styles you prefer to go with to help? Any stores (UK) that sell good clothes for this?

Thank you!

Hi ladies, I need some advice on business conservative attire for my first job interview. I’m wearing a white camisole underneath my Brook’s Brothers shirt as many advise but isn’t it bad for my camisole to show through the shirt like this? Is this a big deal? Wouldn’t a nude camisole look better? Is it a better impression to not have my camisole show or to have that crisp white look?

Do you think I need a bigger shirt? This is a 6P and I thought it looked great until I paired a white camisole with it.

http://s16.postimg.org/4jzwzlcyd/DSC01177.jpg http://s16.postimg.org/i26tbvp3p/DSC01179.jpg

Thank you in advance!

Edit: Thanks for the advice. What do you think about the fit of this jacket? (The jacket looks great while I'm standing.) In the photo, I am sitting down. Would this be acceptable? If not, I'm willing to get it altered. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks! http://s17.postimg.org/6m9l4y7lb/DSC01188.jpg http://s17.postimg.org/54jjfndgv/DSC01189.jpg