Best Buys for Comfortable All-Day Workwear

WORKWEAR · STYLE ADVICE · BEST BUYS

The most stylish outfit in the world means absolutely nothing if you're tugging at it by 11am, sitting awkwardly in back-to-back meetings, or counting down the minutes until you can change. Comfortable workwear that still looks polished and put-together is not a compromise — it genuinely exists, and once you find your formula, getting dressed for work becomes one of the most effortless parts of your day. I learned this the hard way after a particularly grim winter in a pencil skirt that restricted my stride so much I had to shuffle to the printer. Never again.

Here's exactly what to look for — and where to find it.

The Fabrics That Make or Break Your Day

Before we even get to silhouettes and styling, fabric is everything when it comes to all-day comfort. This is the first thing I look at now before I buy anything for work. The wrong fabric choice and you're hot, itchy, creased and miserable by lunchtime.

Ponte fabric — the holy grail of comfortable workwear. It's a thick, structured knit that holds its shape brilliantly, doesn't crease, and has just enough stretch to feel like you're wearing something soft. Ponte trousers and blazers in particular are a revelation.
Viscose and modal blends — lightweight, breathable and naturally drapes beautifully. Much kinder on the body than stiff cotton or synthetic blends, especially for longer days.
Jersey knit — often underestimated in a work context, but a well-cut jersey dress or top looks sharp and feels like you're wearing nothing at all (in the best way).
Stretch wool and wool-blend suiting — if you need to look properly formal, a suit with even 3–5% elastane changes everything. You can sit, move and breathe. Standard non-stretch suiting should be retired.
Avoid stiff 100% cotton shirts that crease on sight, synthetic fabrics that trap heat, and anything that requires ironing within an inch of its life every single morning.

The Workwear Staples Worth Investing In

Once you nail your fabric choices, it comes down to building a small, brilliant capsule of pieces that work hard every single week. Less is more here — you want items you can mix and reach for without thinking.

The Ponte TrouserHonestly, if I could recommend one single workwear purchase it would be a well-fitting pair of ponte trousers. They look tailored and professional but feel closer to a comfortable legging. Worn with a silk blouse or a fitted knit, they're endlessly polished. I have three pairs in rotation and wear them probably four days a week.

The Stretch-Waist Wide Leg TrouserWide leg trousers have had their moment and they're staying — rightly so. The key is finding ones with an elasticated or stretch waistband hidden inside a tailored exterior. You get the clean, fashion-forward silhouette from the outside and the comfort of your pyjamas on the inside. Nobody needs to know.

The Midi Dress in Jersey or PonteA midi dress is the ultimate one-and-done workwear piece. Get the fabric right (jersey, ponte or a viscose blend) and you've got something that looks intentional and stylish without any effort. A wrap style or V-neck works particularly well — just add a low heel or a clean trainer and you're done.

The Fitted KnitA fine-gauge knit in a neutral — navy, camel, black, oatmeal — is the most versatile thing in a work wardrobe. It works under a blazer, tucked into trousers, or layered under a shirt-jacket. Soft, breathable and professional.

The Stretch BlazerAn unstructured or stretch blazer is a game-changer. Swap out a rigid, padded blazer for one in a jersey, ponte or soft crepe fabric and you'll never look back. Just as polished. Far more wearable.

The Shoe Problem (and How to Solve It)

This might be contentious but I'm going to say it: you do not need to suffer in uncomfortable shoes to look professional. The idea that heels equal authority is genuinely outdated. A clean, pointed-toe loafer or a block-heel mule gives you all the polish of a heel without destroying your feet by the afternoon commute home.

Block heel court shoes — all the elevation, infinitely more stable and comfortable for walking.
Leather or faux-leather loafers — effortlessly smart, completely flat, and they work with everything from tailored trousers to midi skirts.
Mules with a low heel — quick to slip on, comfortable for a full day, and they look brilliant with both trousers and dresses.
Clean white or minimal leather trainers — more and more acceptable in office environments now, especially paired with sharp tailoring. A white trainer under wide leg trousers is genuinely chic.

The Colour and Print Formula for Easy Dressing

Comfortable dressing isn't just about physical ease — it's about the mental ease of getting dressed too. A work wardrobe built around a clear colour palette means everything mixes and layers without thinking. My personal formula is a neutral base (black, navy, grey, camel) with one or two accent colours that I know work on me. Everything earns its place because everything goes together.

Prints can absolutely work in workwear — just keep them in the same colour family as your neutrals. A navy stripe, a subtle check, a tonal floral on a midi dress — all brilliant. Avoid anything so bold it becomes the only thing anyone comments on.

Where to Shop: Our Brand Edit

Not all high street workwear is created equal. Here's where I'd head first for pieces that genuinely deliver on both style and comfort.

High Street Picks:

Hush — consistently one of the best on the high street for comfortable, considered workwear. Their ponte trousers and jersey dresses are brilliant quality and genuinely last. A quiet hero of the work wardrobe.
Hobbs — the go-to for women who want proper workwear that isn't boring. Their stretch-wool suiting and ponte pieces are designed to be worn all day. Sizing is consistent and reliable.
Phase Eight — brilliant for occasion and smart workwear in fabrics that actually move. Their jersey wrap dresses and soft blazers are perennial bestsellers for good reason.
Mint Velvet — beautifully relaxed yet polished. Everything here feels slightly luxurious and effortless. Their wide-leg trousers with stretch waistbands are outstanding value.
COS — minimal, architectural and brilliantly made. Their tailoring uses quality fabrics with stretch built in. Excellent for building a clean, modern work capsule.
Boden — underrated for workwear. Their ponte pieces in particular are excellent — great colours, hold their shape brilliantly and wash well. Genuinely practical.
M&S — don't overlook M&S for everyday work staples. Their Flexifit and stretch suiting ranges are exactly what they promise, and the price-to-quality ratio is hard to argue with.

Premium Options:

Me&Em — one of the best premium brands in the UK for intelligent, wearable workwear. Every piece is designed with real women in mind. Their stretch tailoring and jersey pieces are worth every penny.
Reiss — sharp, modern tailoring with a contemporary edge. Their crepe and stretch-fabric pieces particularly are a step up from the high street in both look and longevity.

Independent Brands Worth Knowing:

Noémie — a brilliant British independent brand focused entirely on workwear that's designed to be worn all day. Their pieces are made in considered fabrics with clever construction — stretch waistbands hidden inside tailored silhouettes, wrinkle-resistant fabrics, and timeless cuts. A genuinely refreshing find for the modern working woman.
Folk Clothing — understated, beautifully made British brand that sits perfectly in a smart-casual work context. Their relaxed linen and cotton-blend trousers and shirts have a quiet authority that feels very current. Not obvious, which is exactly the point.

Luxury/Designer:

Max Mara — if you're investing at the top end, Max Mara's tailoring is the gold standard for comfortable luxury workwear. The fabrics are exceptional and the cuts are designed to flatter and move with you.
Theory — a cult favourite among women who take workwear seriously. The stretch-wool suiting and jersey pieces are designed for real life — polished, minimal and endlessly wearable.

Get Your Size Right Across Every Brand — Try Tellar

One of the most frustrating things about building a workwear wardrobe is that sizing varies wildly between brands. You might be a 12 in Hobbs and a 10 in COS, and ordering online without knowing is genuinely stressful when you need something for Monday morning. This is exactly the problem that Tellar.co.uk was built to solve.

Tellar is the UK's leading independent sizing tool — it matches your exact measurements to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you know your precise size before you buy. It's completely free, completely unbiased (no brand pays to be on the platform), and it works in-browser with no downloads needed. It's genuinely one of the most useful tools for anyone who shops online regularly.

Here's how to use it:

Measure once — enter your bust, waist and hip measurements, or start from a brand size you already know fits well.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool — get your exact size across any brand, from M&S and Hobbs to COS, Reiss, Me&Em and 1,500+ more.
Always free — no account needed, no catch. Just accurate sizing, instantly.

And while you're there, explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of free style guides written by real stylists. Honest, unbiased, and packed with practical advice on everything from sizing to seasonal trends. Here are a few reads to go alongside this one:

Stop guessing your size and start shopping with confidence. Try it at tellar.co.uk.