Jane and Beryl's working wardrobe snoop

Jane and Beryl's working wardrobe snoop

Wednesday 1 November 2017

Jane and Beryl's working wardrobe snoop

Beryl and Jane are horribly tired having been to work for a whole week staging their latest art exhibition. How do other women do it week in week out? They are full of admiration for their gainfully employed sisters. This week they pay tribute to that happy breed of women who keep the wheels of commerce turning and the home fires burning - while looking completely marvellous. Jane and Beryl have kindly been allowed to rifle through the working wardrobes of Alison who is head of HR for a large company and Lisa who runs her own planning consultancy from home - Jackson Planning. 

Lisa wears a red Hobbs suit from the Swindon outlet bought for £80 for the set

Beryl and Jane were awed by the condensed nature and focused purchasing of these of wise women. No closets groaning with improbable, impulse buys here, Beryl and Jane take note. Lisa and Alison both invest in classic and sometimes expensive kit, which they expect to wear for many years. They have essentially evolved a uniform that takes them from boardroom to building site, via time spent at their desks. They have also clearly received the fashion memo of the season with regard to wearing red. These cherry items have been in their wardrobes for years. Jane and Beryl are full of approval.

Lisa wears black shirt from Silver Pink bought at the Hampton Court Flower Show, with a Boden skirt

Here Alison and Lisa are in every business woman's favourite staple: the monochrome palette in classic skirt and top combo. Jane and Beryl find monochrome a bit, well... black and white really but appreciate that there are times when one really can't frighten the horses with a bit more colour. 

Lisa wears jacket by Crew and navy trousers by Hobbs

Colourful dangly necklace from a village fete

Alison wears shirt from Dorothy Perkins, jacket from Mint Velvet, and skirt from M&S

Ahh, this is more like it, a bit of colour to jolly up a dull day! According to Jane and Beryl, a lovely jacket of a flattering hue can make all the difference. Lisa and Alison's strategy towards their working wardrobe is smart, versatile pieces with clean lines and no fuss. They throw in a bit of colour when they want to appear particularly confident. 

Lisa wears dog's tooth jacket from Hobbs and dress from Laura Ashley

Lisa is right on the fashion button with her hound's tooth check jacket of at least 10 years ago.

Beryl was pleasantly surprised to see a floral dress/cardi combo in Alison's working repertoire. Florals with a dollop of personality can  clearly make it to the office. What did Jane and Beryl learn from this foray? Well... that clothes do not have to be new or the height of fashion to look great, just well chosen, well fitting and fit for purpose. Next week Jane and Beryl go in search of some autumnal colour.