What type of teacher clothes are your fav?

Me, I hardly wear suits, dresses, or skirts. I rarely wear heals.

I like to layer sweaters and blouses, I LOVE tunic style tops (the kind you don't tuck in). I usually wear black or brown slacks and Mary Jane style shoes.

A lot of teachers in my building wear blouses with jeans. What is the stated (or unstated) dress code in your school?
 
Last year... jeans and gym shoes on Fridays, or whatever the last day of the kid's week was (spirit day)... and on field trips (no one otld me that the first one!)

The rest of the time... I pretty much did khaki's or dress pants, I was on the floor a LOT and found myself running in the gym or on the playground, so I wore gym shoes a lot, too (even with my dress pants... PreK or K could get away with that!). I don't do skirts too often especially at school, and never wear heels at school.

I wear a lot of the "t-shirts" from Kohl's... the all-cotton solid or striped ones. I tucked them into my dress pants with a belt of wore them out, seemed to be OK at my school. I also like sweaters when it gets colder, and I bought several button-down sleaveless tops for warmer weather. I want to get some short-sleeved or long-sleeved button downs for next year, I really like them and they'd be something different than what I usually wear!

Don't know what it'll be this year, waiting to get hired...
 
We can only wear jeans on Fridays WITH a spirit shirt (school logo). Otherwise, I only wore a dress on the first day of school last year (and after viewing the "first day pics" of me with each student and family, I won't be doing THAT this year!!). I opted instead for khaki-type pants and casual shirts most of the time, occasionally dress slacks and a jacket. I can't wear heels all day (bunion surgery years ago), and I'm short, so some things just make me look short and squat! (OOHHH! I bought a London Fog trench coat today--it is plum purple...goes just above my knees, and was only $27.00, at Sam's Club. I'm so excited...think morning yard duty in the fog!! :-D)
 
I prefer not to wear button down shirts because I am just not very comfortable with them. I do wear basic skirts with shirts. I love capri pants in the warmer weather. In the winter I wear pants and a sweater. I always try to layer b/c during the winter my school is hot in the morning and cold in the afternoon.
 
I am going to student teach this spring. What are must haves for looking professional yet being comfortable? I am very picky about what I wear.

I am also short and not extremely skinny, which makes finding clothes that fit a challenge. Anyone have an ideas for places I could find in IL with cheap nice looking clothes? When I did my practicum I wore nicer khaki colored pants, chocolate brown pants or black slacks with button ups or a sweater (it was spring) and I felt a bit over dressed.

Also any ideas for interview wear? I should get a suit right? Any ideas where they'd have suits between size 12 and 16 that would fit someone rather short? My issue is I am just over 5 foot and nothing fits right. Pants are all to long for me. I hate to pay over 100 dollars on a suit that won't even fit right.

Also, do most elementary schools allow teachers to wear gym shoes on a regular basis or are they strictly dress shoes? My issue is unless I pay a fortune I can't find dress shoes that work for me. I have odd feet and I wear plastic inserts which means unless I want surgery that *might* work I am stuck with gym shoes pretty much. Will employers understand that?

Sorry if this is a bit rambly but I student teach this spring and I am starting to get worried. I also need to buy some more clothes for my next practicum here soon. I need clothes that don't cost an arm and a leg, look good and won't kill me to wear all day.
 
Practically all "nice" department stores have good petites sections: Macy's is one, and then there's Gottschalk's (maybe CA only), J.C. Penney's, Kohl's (my favorite for great sales and prices), and also the "seconds" places: Ross and Marshall's. You sometimes have to just look around a bit. Macy's is known for extremely good sales, and they have an alterations department--some things may be done for free.

I'm sure shoes will not be an issue, especially if you have a doctor's excuse, which some school principals just might require! Many teachers on my campus wore athletic shoes all the time...I have had bunion surgery and cannot wear heels or pointed toes, but there are lots of great, comfortable shoes out there without wearing athletic shoes! Both WalMart and KMart have types of "earth" shoes that feel great...

As to suits, I didn't invest in one, but wore nice slacks with a shirt/blouse, and if weather permitted, a jacket. But my wardrobe is all pretty much mix and match, by design--I get a lot of mileage out of a few nice things. However, if you are in an area where people are much more formal, you might need the "suit." Oh--and I'm not above using masking tape for temporary hems on pants. I don't sew and have no family around here--I won't ask my friends to do hemming, and I can't afford alterations....I'm 5'1" and tape my hems!
 
Kohl's has supplied just about all my teacher clothes, and a good portion of the REST of my wardrobe, as well. Can't beat the 15% off the already-on-sale clearance rack!

I bought dress pants there that I LOVE and wore all year, then found a 3/4 length jacket that matches one of the pairs of pants almost exactly... that's my "warmer weather" interview suit (my other came from Penny's and my mom helped me shorten the pants... we just tacked the 4 corners up and it works!).

Many of our elem. teachers wore gym shoes or loafers... that's what I did much of the time. KMart has a brand of shoes called Cobbie Cuddlers that I SWEAR by. They have a black lace-up dress shoe that kinda looks like a nurse's shoe (also have in white) that I would wear every day if I could.

I also wear sandals when it was warm enough, especially with capri's, but usually I opt for the more covered-toe type because my feel are liable to get stepped on.

When I was student teaching, i wore a LOT of khaki's and basic dress slacks... even on Fridays when everyone else wore blue jeans, I still did khaki's (I had a pair that were cut like jeans but didn't look as casual)... often because that was the day I was being observed and I knew better than to wear jeans then even if everybody else did.

Ask around at the school for the "unofficial" dress code, too... I worked at a daycare that didn't allow us to wear blue denim... any other color was OK, but not blue. Go figure that one out! My mom's school does spirit shirts with jeans on Fridays, otherwise it's dress pants, but she gets away with VERY dark black jeans... black jeans weren't seen as appropriate at my building last year although no one really ever said anything.
 
Alaskanteach, do you have TJ MAxx up by you? Filene's Basement? Value City? or Gordman's? Those are also stores that sell name brands at discounts...

what DO you have? ;)
 
These are all awesome advice. My dad is awesome with hemming so I may just have to have him hem everything I'll wear for student teaching over winter break. However the shoe issue I always worry about. I even tried getting black gym shoes to look more professional but I just can't get anything black that is supportive enough and will fit my inserts.

The main issue is I need the support. Otherwise my back, knees and lower legs kill. Also I was told if I didn't take care of this I'd need knee/back surgery before I was 30. I was told not even to go barefoot around the house. Though I have to admit I don't follow that bit of advice. My feet need to breath sometime!

I have spent countless hours shopping for shoes and haven't yet found anything that looks professional that I can actually wear for 8 hours or more. I plan to just throw on dress shoes for interviews and live with them for the hour or so that the interview lasts. I figure I won't be on my feet a ton. Then after I am hired I can speak with the principal about it if they have a policy against it, or even drag in a doctors note.

It's so frustrating though to not be allowed to wear whatever I want. I was told they'd fly me out of state and.. break the bones in my feet if I wanted. And that it might fix the problem. I wasn't willing to do that for a chance at it working. My issue is more than flat feet, my feet just appear to be formed weird. I guess others have bigger issues but it is annoying.

Oh, another thing. Are belts and tucking your shirt in necessary for females? Wearing jeans or slacks most of the time I never do this. Will I be seen as unprofessional if I don't? Does one of those cloth belts count as a belt?
 
I pretty much only wear a belt if my pants are gapping too much in the back (lots of mine do this, I have an ample rear end and stuff just doesn't fit right!) or sagging a lot... I usually don't tuck in my shirt, it depends on how the bottom hem of the shirt looks. Lots of times, tucking it looks tacky.

I wouldn't stress on the belt issue... just make sure you look "neat."
 
Most of my clothes come from Old Navy and New York and Co. Both stores have stylish clothes and are very affordable. NY and Co. is always sending out coupons where you can save even more money.

In the warmer months I usually wear skirts, the plain-colored Old Navy perfect Ts, capris, and sandals. In the cooler months I wear nice shirts, dress pants, khakis, skirts with stockings, and loafers or Mary Janes with a little heel.

We can only wear jeans once a month, and we don't have to wear a school shirt with it.
 
i have feet and back problems as well. I developed them my first year becuase i wasn't used to all that walking. My school is huge and I went through several pairs of nice shoes before i figure out that the problem was that i was walking too much. I had to have surgery on one of my feet about mid year. Since i have to wear professional looking shoes, I buy loafers at Target and put on two pairs of socks and walk around in them for a day or two before i wear them to school so that they will stretch out and break in. I wear the loafers around my classroom and i put inserts in them for added support. Or sometimes I wear sneakers. They still look nice, but not as nice as i would like for an admin to catch me in. When i am in the hallways were i might run into an administrator or someone else important, I keep a pair of low heeled dress shoes under my desk that I slip into. A lot of teachers at my school have foot problems becuase the school is so large and requires a lot of walking to get from place to place. The older teachers wear sneakers and get away with it, but since i'm still young i have to keep up appearances a bit more. As far as clothes go, I have a hard time finding pants in the petites section that are not "mom" style pants. I"m still young and I don't feel right wearing that stuff. I actually found that the best pants and I have your same stature are from the Limited (wide leg style) and I have them hemmed up about 3-4 inches. I bought 4 pair last week becuase i found such a great deal on them at Marshalls. For shirts I purchase cotton polo shirts for every day wear. And if i know i'll be meeting with a parent i wear a button up style shirt.
 
Jenni said:
I am going to student teach this spring. What are must haves for looking professional yet being comfortable? I am very picky about what I wear.


Also any ideas for interview wear? I should get a suit right? Any ideas where they'd have suits between size 12 and 16 that would fit someone rather short? My issue is I am just over 5 foot and nothing fits right. Pants are all to long for me. I hate to pay over 100 dollars on a suit that won't even fit right.

I need clothes that don't cost an arm and a leg, look good and won't kill me to wear all day.

I'm returning to teaching HS math after 6 years, 3 kids and a dress size. So I'm starting from scratch in the wardrobe department as well.

I love the suits at JC Penneys. I can always find something on sale! I got 4 suits there this spring/summer, and didn't pay more than $80 for any of them. And I know I'll get years of use from them. I know that most teachers don't wear them as often as I do, but they're wonderful when you have parent meetings, so you'll be surprised at the number of times you really can wear one. Go for something fairly neutral, and dress it up with different colored bouses/ sweaters underneath.

If you go for a skirt suit, the lenght isn't quite as important, or you can try their petite sizes.

When I'm not in a suit, I tend towards long flowered skirts and sweaters. They give you lots of mix and match options and make it easy to walk around a classroom. My building is always cold in the winter, so layering helps a lot. (I keep a neutral colored cardigan in my room for those days when I've overestimated the heat:eek: ) I've bought a bunch at Kohls this year, all on sale.

For shoes, I tend to like lots of different cheap shoes. I've found great ones at Sears-- their "I :love: Comfort" house brand starts at about $20 and the shoes are really comfortable. So far I have taupe and navy, and another pair of black pumps. I'll fill in the other colors as I go along.

I also posted the other day about the "One Hanes Place" website for discounted pantyhose.
 
A note on the shoe issue.... I know it seems like a lot to spend, but investing in a good pair of shoes really does pay off. I buy Born or Clarks (two pair, one in black and one in brown), and wear these all year. Another brand that is known for support of your feet and that I am going to look into this year is Dansko. Since I wear Dockers almost every day, wearing loafers like these works.

As for the gym shoe issue, one of the teachers in my school has rheumatoid arthritis and HAS to wear her New Balance gym shoes that have been fitted with orthotics. No one has ever said anything to her about it. Of course, our school is pretty casual.

Here's another question... Is there a double standard for dress in your school? Can the men be more casual than the women? It seems in my school that the men can wear jeans every day, but it is frowned upon if women do the same, although there is no dress code.

Hmmmm....
 
I experienced that at my first school....the few male teachers wore jeans every day!!! If the females did that, we surely would be written up!
I waited until my second year year there to dare towear jeans on Friday. It was never said we could, but the majority did. I remember the first time I wore jeans, I felt like I was really doing something wrong.
The school I will be at this fall is SOOOOO casual! The principal and asst. principal interviewed me in "weekend clothes" while I had on a pants suit in 90 degree heat!! I felt so stupid but it was an interview!!!
I've been to the school a few times since and have been told by other teachers that everyone dresses very casually.
 
There most definitely is a double standard... against the men.

I'm in a Catholic school, and the dress code is well specified:
Women: skirt to the knee with pantyhose. Pants are fine, but must be worn with a jacket.

Men: Jacket and tie at all times.

So if I'm teaching summer school, I can wear a cotton skirt and a Tshirt (along with pantyhose.) My husband's school (same religious order, same dress code) must wear a jacket and tie. I promise you: I'm the more comfortable of the two of us!
 
And, FYI, the religious order that runs both schools is group of brothers. So they adhere to the tougher dress code as well. They feel it's all part of acting and looking like a professional.

I just think that, when the temps hit the 90's, the guys would look pretty professional if they took off their jackets. Aside from that, I have no qualms about the dress code.
 
I buy a lot of my clothes from the gap and banana republic. Both stores usually have pretty good sales as well. I will go to Old Navy as well. New York and Co is a good place to go to.
I never wear a belt but I do ith one pair of pants b/c they are kinda loose on me.
I buy basic things so I can mix and match things.
We are allowed to allowed to jeans on Friday's and field trips but I always try to look nice and never sloopy.
 
We don't have any men, so there's no double standard!

I teach PreK. I'm on the floor alot, we paint, we go outside with the kids daily, and still, we must dress professionally. I'm ok with that, because on the spirit days where we're allowed to dress more casually, I just "feel" unprofessional, and I feel lazy. Don't know why.

We are not allowed to wear gym shoes, ever. Not even with jeans on Fridays, when we wear our staff shirts. If there is a medical condition, you have to provide a note from your dr. stating that you have to wear gym shoes. And, to the poster who has foot issues, it seems like getting your dr. to write a note wouldn't be a problem, but I'd just go ahead and ask about the policy.

Our dress code is unwritten, but here are the rules in my school: no denim, period. no flip flops. no gym shoes, no jeans. Shirts must cover whole area from shoulders to pants, even when arms are raised. Skirts must be fingertip length or longer, and shorts are not allowed. No spaghetti strap shirts. No visible underwear.
Kim
 
Oh, and I wanted to say that I agreed about buying good shoes. I have a pair of Clarks and a pair of Danskos, both are now about 4 years old or even older. They cost me a ton (about $100 each), but the comfort is worth it to me, and they hold up so much better. If there is a Nordstrom near you, that's the place to look, because they have a GREAT return policy. You can return anything at anytime (even years later) for any reason. I returned my original Danskos about 7 years ago, when I bought the ones I currently own, because the buckle broke, and they took them back, even though I'd worn them for 2 years. Exchanged them without a blink.
Kim
 
Ann2006 said:
The school I will be at this fall is SOOOOO casual! The principal and asst. principal interviewed me in "weekend clothes" while I had on a pants suit in 90 degree heat!! I felt so stupid but it was an interview!!!
.


Yeah, but you got the job:D :D Sometimes it's all about playing the game, and it sounds like you did!!
 
Apparently the school I am going to be teaching at has No teacher dress code. Our team though has decided to follow the student dress code as respect for the students. Yes, I could wear sleeveless shirts, but because the students can't, I won't. As far as shoes go, I plan to buy a nice new pair of gym shoes and wear them regardless of if they match my outfit or not. I prefer to be comfortable and as a new teacher I can't buy the more expensive pairs of shoes. I do wear a few skirts, but I prefer grey or black pants with some type of top. I need to go through my closet and supplement for this year adding some new tops.
 
WOW!!! i feel pretty lucky with our dress code compared to some of you on here.
We get to dress casual every friday, with any shirt (as long as there aren't any sayings or any bad words) and gym shoes if you want. You can wear colored jeans but no blue jeans on the other days, with any shoes you wish. I wear capris in the hotter months and I do just any kind of pant for the cooler months. I ABSOLUTELY do not wear skirts, so that is out of the question. I have never been a skirt kinda gal. I will do heels sometimes but at the end of the day I always tell myself no more heels, but end up wearing them again. I think the shoe really makes the outfit. Just my opinion. I don't do belts never had to, everything is too tight anyway.
 
I dress between casual and business-casual. I love capris and sandals, which I'll probably wear until fall break (October). We can wear jeans, but I don't really like jeans. I have arthritis in my feet, so comfy shoes are a must . . . and I have wide feet so finding them that fit well is a challenge.

Tomorrow is the first day of school, and I'm wearing black gaucho pants, black sandals, and a sleeveless black tunic with a multi-color print.
 
In my opinion a teacher who dresses in a professional manner commands respect. Most of the teachers in my school wear dress slacks, blouses under jackets, dresses, skirts. Very rarely do you see anyone in jeans, even though we are permitted to dress down on Fridays. The men in our school ( lst grade and principal) always wear a dress shirt and a tie (we do have a male gym teacher but he dresses in jog suits. We are a 1st - 4th grade school. I am proud of the way everyone dresses. Our kindergarten teachers were part of our school for many years and they, too, dressed as stated above.
 
We can not wear blue denim at our school. Anything other color is okay, though. I wear black or khaki jeans every day, with nice turtlenecks, sweaters, and sneakers, so that I can run after the preschoolers who won't clean up! Ha!:D
 
Jenni: If we had to tuck in our shirts, I'd quit teaching!!! LOL Five years ago, that would have been okay, but boy, not now!! I tend to wear shirts that look nice and tailored when they hang OUTSIDE my pants! I haven't fastened a belt for about five years either! Thank goodness that's also the current style--although I can't wear those body-hugging things that look good on 20-somethings! :-D
 
I taught alternative ed for four years. I had one student that was ALWAYS off task. So, one day, I asked him what was distracting him so much that he never got his work done..

yep, my butt. (apparently I have a J-Lo booty)


Quit tucking my shirts in after that.
 
I've worked in retail for the past 5 years...and am obviously quite used to being on my feet and running around for 8 hours a day.
I like to get dressed, and since I'm short, I wear heals all the time.
When I was student teaching, my cooperating teacher (whose style was more casual then mine) made a comment about how I wouldn't be wearing heals for much longer.
I have to tell you, I wore heals everyday - unless we had a school spirit day (then i wore the school t-shirt, jeans and sneakers) and never once wished I didnt. I liked that anytime anyone who came into the room saw me looking very professional.
I did my student teaching in a preschool disabled class and ran after the kids plenty of times...even on the playground (and i had to climb the jungle gym/slide combo more then once!) and still never had a problem...although after a rainy night i did sink into the icky turf crap they had around that slide!

BUT, there are a ton of shoes that LOOK professional and are super comfortable. Bass makes flat slides with support that look and feel great. I would steer away from sneakers as much as possible...remember black leather is much easier to get clean then a new balance sneaker!

As for clothing...I love knee length skirts because i feel they are professional looking and comfortable...but i must have 20 pairs of plain black pants in my closet! slacks are a teachers best friend!
 
I could never teach all day in heels.
But it's good that you feel comfortable in heels. I always figured that women who could wear heels all day have probably been wearing heels most of their lives. They even have those cute little girl princess play slippers with heels.
I envy you!
 
Coldwater Creek

If you keep an eye out for sales, I have found Coldwater Creek to be a great place to find clothes that are both comfortable and professional-looking. If you sign up for the online newsletter, you can sometimes get half off a sale price. It's a site that I enjoy shopping. Maybe that could be an option?
 
"I have to tell you, I wore heals everyday - unless we had a school spirit day (then i wore the school t-shirt, jeans and sneakers) and never once wished I didnt. I liked that anytime anyone who came into the room saw me looking very professional."

Are you worried about damage to your feet? I once had to go to a podiatrist, and he lectured me for about a half hour about shoes with heels.. not sure what it causes later in life, though.. arthritis maybe?

"BUT, there are a ton of shoes that LOOK professional and are super comfortable."

Totally agree with you there. I buy leather shoes with a strap across them. I prefer the straps that fasten with velcro (it is on the underside and hidden) because they are faster than buckles, but I like Ecco leather shoes and Dr. Martens. I had to buy them when I was on a trip or off the internet, though. Shopping here, is obviously limited. So if I know that I wear a particular size in a particular brand, then that is what I will feel comfortable ordering. I hate ordering something, then when it gets here, it doesn't fit! I have found those types of shoes are pricey (usually about $80 on up) but a quality shoe will last, and the podiatrist made an impression on me! Oh yeah, and I just toss my new balances in the washer..
 
I completely lost my train of thought when i read your last sentence! you put your sneakers in the washing machine? what about the leather? what do you put in the washer with it? anything? do you put them in the dryer? alone?

I never thought of doing that...I don't really wear sneakers all that often (for exercise I do pilates and that is done with bare feet) so when they get dirty I just dont wear them anymore. Although, since I would rarely wear them anyway, I could get away with payless sneakers!

I actually keep a pair of uggs in my car so that if it was snowing (i keep my car in the garage) when I got to school, I could throw them on and walk into school...and if i got cold i would just keep them on!

I'm not so worried about wearing pumps all the time. Actually, when I wear flats (like the uggs or ballet slippers) i find my feet ache. Something about the support of a pump is comfortable to me.
But I appreciate the concern! I also have a j-lo booty (i say its a butt an irish girl shouldnt have! but i guess it comes from also being half italian) and I find that knee length skirts that flow (but not super frilly) with a button up shirt tucked in give that nice sleek look, but without ALL that emphasis!

Did i mention i worked in retail for years? lol
 
I went to Mervyns today I got 2 pairs of capris, 2 pairs of pants, 2 tank tops, and 7 shirts for $102. They are having a store wide clearance. You should go check it out.
 
sneakers are in the wash all the time at this house. :angel: Then they get tossed in the dryer. It makes a racket, but it's no big deal:D
 
Jenni said:
I am going to student teach this spring. What are must haves for looking professional yet being comfortable? I am very picky about what I wear.

I am also short and not extremely skinny, which makes finding clothes that fit a challenge. Anyone have an ideas for places I could find in IL with cheap nice looking clothes? When I did my practicum I wore nicer khaki colored pants, chocolate brown pants or black slacks with button ups or a sweater (it was spring) and I felt a bit over dressed.

Also any ideas for interview wear? I should get a suit right? Any ideas where they'd have suits between size 12 and 16 that would fit someone rather short? My issue is I am just over 5 foot and nothing fits right. Pants are all to long for me. I hate to pay over 100 dollars on a suit that won't even fit right.

Also, do most elementary schools allow teachers to wear gym shoes on a regular basis or are they strictly dress shoes? My issue is unless I pay a fortune I can't find dress shoes that work for me. I have odd feet and I wear plastic inserts which means unless I want surgery that *might* work I am stuck with gym shoes pretty much. Will employers understand that?

Sorry if this is a bit rambly but I student teach this spring and I am starting to get worried. I also need to buy some more clothes for my next practicum here soon. I need clothes that don't cost an arm and a leg, look good and won't kill me to wear all day.


I am sorta in your boat--- Short (shorter than you) and I recently lost my battle with healthy eating and have expanded my waistline--- :eek:! Anyway I bought a lot of my school stuff at Old Navy, Target. When I interviewed I was much smaller :confused: and I got my suit at Marhshall Field's. I don't remember the price it was over 2 years ago. I believe they hem/fix things if you buy them FULL PRICE. Course our beloved Field's is turning into a GASP Macy's :(. As for shoes (I have lots of problems here too!) I usually buy KIDS DR. Martens. We're only supposed to wear sneakers on Friday but sometimes I violate that rule (Don't tell)! Anyway our principal hasn't complained, yet, Knock wood, about Crocs. I wear them with long skirts and pants. I usually wear black pants and colored plain shirts with a sweater over them.... I have orthotics (whcih I am suspecting are the plastic inserts you are talking about.) When I had an issue with my foot, I just talked to my principal and explained why I was violating hte rules. I'm kinda a rule follower though. I get nervous when I don't follow the rules. Anyway, he was fine with it. I don't think he even noticed. Oh yeah as for shoes. It is pricey but Nordstroms does order many odd sizes and will work with you. Hopefully the shoes will last you a long time. Also try natrualizer(sp). Easy Spirt. Oh there is another one but I can't think about it. But, I think they have a store on Diversey/Broadway/Clark.
 
MissFrizzle said:
sneakers are in the wash all the time at this house. :angel: Then they get tossed in the dryer. It makes a racket, but it's no big deal:D

Yeah, they go in the wash all the time here too. I have 5 sons. Sometimes they smell. In the tub they go- in the wash their shoes go.:love:

I think when I washed leather sneakers (like keds) in the washer the leather didn't last as long.. but my new balances don't have leather.. they are mostly some type of fabric upper.. the rubber (or whatever the soles are made of) bottoms have a strange smell right when they come out of the dryer, but once they cool down, they don't smell anymore.
 
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