Barrister on a budget with a dress

This is the final instalment of our "Barrister on a budget series".

This post is about creating a great look with a dress, for less!  Dress's are the most versatile item of clothing to have in our work wardrobes. They can be so easily re-styled using accessories (necklaces, belts and cuffs) and alternative jackets and coats.

The Dress: Dorothy Perkins black textured dress £50
This dress flatters most figures and will work on any body shape. With its  ability to be dressed up to take you from day to dinner, it really is worth every penny.  You can also layer blouses underneath to give the look a little more excitement.

The jacket: H and M's Figure Fit Black Jacket £29.99

As a jacket is non negotiable in court, here we have found a longer length shape that will create a waist as well as a lean and professional silhouette. 

The belt: Dorothy Perkins gold cut out belt £7

This fab belt will add interest, sparkle and shaping to the waist, lifting the all black ensemble perfectly. Remember you can also add a belt with a pop of colour for an alternative look.

The coat: George at Asda Cobalt Formal Coat £28

You have told us many times you find all the greys, black and blues you have to wear dull and somewhat limiting, so make sure you inject some much needed colour into your outfit by investing in a bold, colourful coat.  This one is stunning and will really bring the black simplicity of the dress and jacket to life. At £28 the quality, cut and colour are unbeatable, it is also roomy enough to layer your suit jacket underneath! 

The necklace for evening: River Island Fluro short statement necklace £15

Now we know this won't fly during the day, but at night, when you're being called to a bar that serves cocktails rather than cases, a girl's got to style things up. Take the belt off (too much bling is never a good thing) and use this as a great trend piece that will make your whole look far more exciting. 

The shoes: George at Asda pointed toe courts £12

Style and price don't come much better than this. An elegant, chic court shoe with a perfect point to elongate those legs.

The Handbag: H and M Black Handbag £14.99

A fab bag to complete an elegant, ladylike day time look. Large enough to do the business, as well as having a flat bottom (not desirable for us but great for a bag) so it will sit happily on top of your trolley full of files!

Cost of outfit (minus the coat and statement necklace): £113.98

Cost of all items including investment coat: £156.98

We hope you've enjoyed the Barristers on a budget blogs. 

Give us a shout if you need any more advice on budget wardrobe pieces on twitter @waceystyle

Building a capsule workwear wardrobe.

Click here to see the George at ASDA Capsule workwear wardrobe video.

Ingredients to build a basic capsule wardrobe:

1 dress
1 skirt
1 trouser
1 jacket
3/4 tops with interest
2 pairs of shoes
1 coat
1 bag
1 statement necklace

Mix with a pinch of fashion flair and you can have 9-10 outfit options at your finger tips!
In the capsule wardrobe I created for George at ASDA, I had 11 items and was able to create 7 different looks at a complete cost of £167.50.

But when building a capsule wardrobe you want to play to your strengths!  You may not enjoy wearing trousers and decide to opt for a 2nd dress or skirt option instead, either way ensure that your choice ties in with the rest of the items.

For example, add in a shift dress which allows you to layer underneath and ensure the blouse you chose to layer underneath will work with your separates as well!

Like these also from the George website:

Shirt £14

Dress £16

Another top tip is to pick a colour pallet as the base of the capsule..  as this makes it easier to mix and match.  For the style video we picked citrus shades of orange and yellow to add vibrancy to the outfits then had 1 clash colour (Blue) to pull the looks together!