How To Improve Item Level

[GeminiReed]

Also as youre 50+, you can get ironworks gear at mor dhona, from Auriana at x22:y6,7.... though i guess you wont have poetics yet?

Quite so. They won't have good sources of Poetics yet. Castrum Meridianum and the following story instance gate access to alliance raids, 8-man trials, dungeons that drop poetics, and the related roulettes. While beast tribes are unlocked prior they yield a pittance.

OP, like others have mentioned you'll want to do your job quest and crack open the coffer given to you when you finish the level 50 quest. That'll be more than enough but you'll probably want to buy an ilvl 70+ lance off the marketboard.