Do You Think Dress Shorts Are Appropriate?

We have a teacher at our school who really seems to be testing our dress code. She wears these really short dresses (the other day a particularly short one-wouldn't have passed the hands-at-the-side- length-test). An admin mentioned something to her-more as mentorly advice than a reprimand or anything-apparently some of the older kids were very distracted by it. The teacher got all bent out shape "now you're telling me what to wear?". So the next day she wore these tailored khaki shorts. It's sparked this controversy, several other teachers have now begun to wear them-basically "if she can do it...".

So what do you think-appropriate? We are in Texas and it does get hot, but I just don't think it looks professional. Our campus is somewhat casual, but we aren't even allowed to wear jeans.

 

It all depends on your school and admin. We are allowed to wear jeans on Fridays and special fundraiser days...We can also wear nice capris and sandals.

How long were the tailored shorts??

I could wear these to school with nice sandals and blouse..

 

They were shorter than that-came down a few inches above the knee-it was obvious they were shorts and not capris. Our admin stresses dress code in the beginning of the year, but they aren't the type to go around handing out tickets or anything. Someone will wear jeans and a comment will be made like "oh, we have casual Fridays now?" but that's all the admin will say. It seems like teachers' standards are slowly starting to slide as the school year starts to wrap up. It's just funny to me, like the kids, one person does it and it starts a little trend.

 

Honestly, in our school, it's extremely relaxed. For example, I am wearing dark jeans with a light sweater on top. Our school shirt is a t-shirt and many teachers will wear it with jeans. Some will even wear track suits (I guess that's what they are called). I've seen some teachers were shorts here - it gets REALLY hot in the spring/summer/early fall. However, I haven't seen any that are really short or tight. Lots of folks wear capris.

 

I'm not sure I'd wear shorts to work. Maybe. Hmmm... I def. wear a ton of capris. I just picked up a couple pairs of spandex 'shorts' (thigh slimmers) to wear under my skirts and dresses just in case the Kinders climb up my legs or I trip/bend over/etc and my skirt gets fluffed up. I think shorts would be a bit much, because if you're sitting cross-legged on the floor, like I am eighty percent of my time, they creep up really short on your legs and there is usually a kid in my lap. I'm pretty sensative to how much skin I'm showing around the kids.

Now tanks tops are getting worn every day, but with cardigans/blouses over them. It's getting pretty hot outside, so I can take the layers off during recess and then put them back on inside. But all the tank tops are really dressey, so they work.

This all said, we don't have a dress code that I know about. Our director regularly wears ripped shirts and cords to work.

 

I wear cargo shorts whenever it gets over 80 degrees. I could wear jeans, but I don't out of solidarity with the students who are not allowed to wear them.

Our school is very casual, but I think that has a lot to do with the way it's built and the weather. The first and last month of the school year will regularly have days where it gets over 100 degrees. And all of our classrooms open to the outside, so everyone actually has to go out into the heat multiple times a day in order to go to the bathroom, office, or cafeteria. And K-3 teachers also teach PE, so we're out in whatever weather for quite a while.

In the winter, I may dress up a little more. Khakis, and a sport coat, but never a tie. The sport coat is just because I find them far more comfortable than sweaters, which I almost never wear.

 

Shorts in general are not inappropriate or "unprofessional". This is, of course, my opinion...and I know from previous discussions there are as many opinions on this topic as there are members. It's not a matter of brand, style, or fabric to me but the deciding factor is simply length. I don't own a pair of shorts, mind you, thanks to my disgusting red and blue and purple blotchy, veiny legs that I've had since middle school--no exaggeration, though they have continued to worsen over the years, but I still find those similar to the first one pictured below acceptable for work.

I wouldn't even give a moment's thought if a teacher wore these:



These, however, are too short:

 

Dress shorts? Well, I would think they are inappropriate. Shorts are for weekends, not for working.

I don't mind capris as they cover up most leg. Skirts that go to mid calf are fine too. Anything above mid calf is inappropriate to me. I think we need to hold ourselves to higher standards.

 

I knew a teacher last year who wore short short SHORT dresses and skirts. She also wore high heeled animal print boots along with these short skirts/dresses. Throw in low tops that showed all of her wonderful cleavage and she looked VERY HOOCHY. I felt embarrassed that she worked as a teacher. Plus, many of my kinders ended up in her first grade class. I felt annoyed that they would be around her. IN this instance, I would have put her in a pair of shorts at least!

 

I am about as laid-back as you can imagine with regard to my personal attire. And even professionally, comfort is my #1 concern. My normal attire is usually jeans or khakis, and a shirt with a collar (e.g. polo).

That being said, I personally don't feel as professional, when I'm wearing cargos. Even when I sub for PE, I try not to (even though I know all the other PE teachers do, and I wear shorts basically all the time when I'm not at work). Strange, but that's just me.

 

I think that if you wear nice, tailored almost knee length dress shorts with a nice top and shoes it would be fine. I come from a school where people can't wear jeans, but don't wear suits either. We do not have air-conditioning so in those hot days if I could find a pair that looked good I might do it. But I would dress up the rest of the outfit.

 

I have a few pairs of capris that are very short by capri standards (they end just right below the knee) and I wear them all the time without a problem. I also wear jeans a lot to work - we are pretty casual here. Jeans and capris always get paired with a button down, twin set, etc to dress it up. However, I think anything that hits above the knee (shorts or skirt) is inappropriate for a teacher to wear to work.

 

no jeans or shorts or wind suits allowed
we have several older teachers testing it lately. They are wearing capri atheletic outfits. They are really what our Supt. was talking about as a no-no.

 

I guess it depends on the school. At my school, we are very casual, and it is hot here (low 90s these days) and it is very normal to see teachers wearing long shorts (Jean shorts, etc.). Now, as long as she dresses it up and looks professional, and as long as admin is fine with her doing so, then I don't see the problem. The very short dresses though, hmmm, not so much. Short anything is not good when you are teaching.

 

We are not even allowed to really wear capris, they do allow "cropped pants" which they define as being withing 2 inches of the ankle and covering the calf muscle. I don't think there is anything wrong with capris, but above the knee is not ok at school.

 

I wear skirts every day and the absolute shortest I will go is at the knee and that is pushing it for me. Most skirts are below the knee. I do not feel shorts or professional but I have seen some teachers look fine in them. I love capri's but do not wear them, just skirts. Now I have made some skirts out of capri's before! LOL

My school is not too strict, jeans on Friday. Open toed sandals and flipflops allowed...most of the aids wear those warm up suits...

Anyway, I don't care for shorts or short skirts...but thats me!

 

I think short skirts are inappropriate, especially as you have a length that is acceptable to kids. It's unfair to them that a teacher can do what she wants when she should be setting an example for the children. Shorts are made for after work, not during work, no matter the length. There is just something about them that screams unprofessional to me. That's just my opinion, though.

 

My school is pretty relaxed about dress code, as long as it's decent and looks nice (no high skirts or really low cleavage). I don't think I've ever seen anyone in shorts more than 2 inches above the knee (maybe on field day?). We can wear jeans any day as long as they're decent.

My personal style is nothing anywhere near showing cleavage, no cropped sleeves, and everything (pants, skirts, capris) mid calf-about 4 inches below the knee. That's only because I'm very self-conscious about my body.

 

I have a pair of wool, dark navy shorts that I wear to school with tights, a blazer, and a chunky heel. They are knee length.

Bare legs and shorts that show the knee...no way!

Bare legs and capri pants I wear in fall to school but not spring. We don't have AC.

 

I don't see anything wrong w/ knee-length shorts/pants or even a little above the knee & neither does my district's dress code. But, being the nice dresser that I personally am, I'd accompany them w/ nice, tailored shoes, a nice top, & good jewelry.

Overall, I think the teachers in my district dress pretty tacky.

 

We are allowed to wear knee-length dress shorts when it is above 90 degrees or the humidity is above 90%. (This happens fairly regular during August/September.) Like others have said, I will "dress them up" with a nice blouse and some jewelry.

 

I think shorts are ok, but just not really short shorts.

 

I think it all falls back on the major discussion we have had about certain people and clothes. At my school we can't wear jeans, but I guarantee that if I did I would look better than one of the guys who wears khakis with a hole in the butt (patched) and an oversized sports t-shirt. But he is in dress code because it is not jeans. It all depends on how someone wears clothes.

 

I wear shorts when it's hot... I teach K... I'm ON the floor with the kids... running around all day, jumping, dancing, you name it. Comfort and ease are the name of the game. So far nobody has said anything to me about my shorts... maybe they just like the view?

 

This is a true story I promise. Our principal wrote up our 75 year old reading teacher for inappropriate dress when she had a rash and wore a loose fitting blouse and if you wanted to,why would you, you could see some cleavage. Yet some of our cute young female teachers wear loose fitting,revealing blouses at times and no one else has ever been written up for it. (As a male teacher, I do not complain.) However, I feel the bottom line is no teacher should wear anything too revealing,or anything that the children are not allowed to wear.

 

I am in southern Florida where it is hot most of the time. If its really hot, I'd wear a skirt. Shorts are unnecessary.

 

I have never understood the rationale for preferring skirts over shorts. Shorts are more appropriate, to me, than skirts.

 

"Dress shorts" is an oxymoron.

 

I am in Florida as well so it really does get hot during the school year. I also teach preschoolers with autism, so to me skirts are inconvenient. I am running around, bending down, sitting on the floor, picking up kids, you name it! If I could find a nice pair of shorts that I though looked appropriate I would love it.

 

Just this year we were told no shorts. In years past, I had seen teachers wear shorts. It didn't bother me if they were not to short. We don't have ac so June can get really hot. I wear skirts that are knee length.

 

I was just about to post the exact same sentence. What in the world are "dress shorts?" I mean, I can imagine what they are, but I've never heard that term used.

I do wear capris, but I'm short, so they would meet the definition of "crop pants" someone posted earlier!

 

I respectfully disagree that there are no such things as dress shorts.

 

I think "long shorts" may actually be the oxymoron.

It's as hot here in August as it is in May. We are not allowed to wear jeans-I guess I just see shorts (even tailored shorts) as being in that same league. It's just funny to me as the school year goes on people try to get away with more and more. I'm sure our admin sees is as why say anything now and since one person does it, others see it and do that too.

Peachy-you described her to "T"-except there's usually no cleavage but she will wear fishnet stockings!

 

The on-going Decline of Western Civilization. Apparently 'dress' means something different than it did not so long ago. All I can say is, these would never do for the Queen.

 

r

 

Funny...I see it as progress.

 

Progress, sure- like wearing a baseball cap to a funeral.

 

Or anywhere inside, for that matter.

 

The school I worked in last year was pretty relaxed, a lot of teachers wore shorts. My personal rule though is nothing above the knee. I taught in a middle school and the boys were distracted enough when I wore clothes that covered everything lol, no need to draw more attention than necessary haha.

 

I think that long shorts with a nice shirt are ok, and I mean long like to the knee. I wear capris - but not shorts.