I have a conference coming up so I went in search of a business shift style dress and it did not go well.

I graduated from college in the early 2010s. I worked a traditional engineering desk job with a business casual dress code and my wardrobe was full of pencil skirts and shift dresses. Mostly I shopped at The Limited, but also Banana Republic, White House Black Market, and Express. I left that job in 2014 and worked field jobs until this past summer.

While I'm enjoying being back in the office and dressing up a bit more, jeans are still the norm. So when I bought new clothes for the new job they were mostly just blouses. I was asked to go to a conference and figured I'd pick up a few extra pieces of business casual clothes that skewed more business than casual. Specifically I wanted a dress.

I just spent 3 hours at Bellevue Mall, arguably the best shopping area in Seattle. Nothing. Nothing at J crew. Nothing at Aritzia. Nothing at BR. Nothing at Norstrom. Nothing at Kate Spade or Ted Baker. There were a few at WHBM but they were super stretchy material and my 35 year old is not flattered by that material.

Am I missing something? Are there online stores? I know Ann Taylor still exists (but I don't have time to order something online at this point), but is this just not a thing anymore? Lawyers, where do you buy clothes? It can't be true that every single industry has moved more casual. Is this style just completely out?

Where do you all buy your business style dresses?? I'm willing to pay like $400 at this point for a dress that fits well, flatters me, and will last. And I still couldn't find it.