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Original poster

Do you dress up for parents evening?

101 replies

PolkaDotMankini · 15/12/2022 10:30

It's DS's parents evening today. I'm trying to decide whether to dress up smart or just go in comfy clothes. My parents used to dress up: it was the only time of the year I ever saw my mum wear makeup! What do you do?

OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 15/12/2022 11:29

Lots of the mums make an effort and the dads are in standard half zip jumpers and gilets.

GrinGrinGrin

Pascha · 15/12/2022 11:30

I mean, I brush my hair and make sure I look clean and tidy but honestly, sometimes if I'm on shift or dh is stuck at work, they get us in whatever uniform/site gear we currently have on. It's all online now anyway. No one cares as long as you're decent.

Pascha · 15/12/2022 11:35

Dogsgottabone · 15/12/2022 11:20

Yes I do. It's respectful to look smart for professional people who teach my children.

Also my parents evening has wine so it's kind of a social occasion too, we always see people we haven't caught up with for a while. Lots of the mums make an effort and the dads are in standard half zip jumpers and gilets.

Wine? Social occasion? Totally different worlds...

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RedToothBrush · 15/12/2022 11:35

Instead of the really slobby casual jumper, I opt for the slightly less slobby one. And make sure I brush my hair.

I don't think I fool the teacher given she sees me picking up DS every other day anyway.

Dogsgottabone · 15/12/2022 11:36

Pascha · 15/12/2022 11:35

Wine? Social occasion? Totally different worlds...

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Well it's senior school. You are there for nearly 2 hrs seeing all the teachers. Refreshments are provided.

gogohmm · 15/12/2022 11:39

Whatever I was wearing. Office clothes generally in my case

santasbushybeard · 15/12/2022 11:42

Dogsgottabone · 15/12/2022 11:36

Well it's senior school. You are there for nearly 2 hrs seeing all the teachers. Refreshments are provided.

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I have blocked the horrors of secondary school parent evening out I think.

My eldest is 20 now, but at his school they often took over 3 hours. Most of it just hanging around like sardines being squished though corridors trying to find where the right teacher had been put.

Next youngest is year 4, so I’ve got it all to come again in a few years!

gogohmm · 15/12/2022 11:42

But top tip - a onesie isn't appropriate, yes I saw a mum at parent's evening in one (also had form for going to the supermarket in it) I'll be generous and say perhaps she had mental health issues.

Pascha · 15/12/2022 11:43

@Dogsgottabone DS1s secondary school parents evening is completely online, some teachers are at school, some obviously in their sitting room or home office. No parents on school site, it's all remote.

In-person consultations were ditched after overwhelming preference for the practicality of online calls following covid. No waiting, no queues, no traffic issues.

Might introduce wine though, if I'm at home next time.

Dogsgottabone · 15/12/2022 11:48

Pascha · 15/12/2022 11:43

@Dogsgottabone DS1s secondary school parents evening is completely online, some teachers are at school, some obviously in their sitting room or home office. No parents on school site, it's all remote.

In-person consultations were ditched after overwhelming preference for the practicality of online calls following covid. No waiting, no queues, no traffic issues.

Might introduce wine though, if I'm at home next time.

Oh you should. It makes tricky conversations much easier!

converseandjeans · 15/12/2022 11:59

@Dogsgottabone surely that's a private school? Is there a dress code for men to wear half zip tops and gilets? I'm amazed a parents evening can be a social occasion 😂

Dogsgottabone · 15/12/2022 12:19

converseandjeans · 15/12/2022 11:59

@Dogsgottabone surely that's a private school? Is there a dress code for men to wear half zip tops and gilets? I'm amazed a parents evening can be a social occasion 😂

Pretty much compulsory. All the dads dress like Tom from Succession 😁

user1487194234 · 15/12/2022 12:21

I always went straight from work so wore my office clothes which I preferred
Less easy to be patronised

PortiasBiscuit · 15/12/2022 12:23

Smartish casual, I want to be a credit to my children.

Cwcwbird · 15/12/2022 12:27

Wow, our secondary school provides instant coffee. I thought that was generous. I change out of my joggers and put on a bra (I wfh) but that's as dressed up as I get. Dh doesn't even own a gilet!

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 15/12/2022 12:27

I usually go straight from work. I risk on a construction site. Sometimes I take off my hi viz if DS asks me nicely.

karencarpenter · 15/12/2022 12:28

I was a teacher for 20 years and always appreciated the fathers who wore suits. It was a mark of respect to convey that they took education very seriously. Their children were often high achievers.

It wouldn't cross my mind to judge anyone for not dressing up though, I was just pleased and grateful that they'd made the time to come along.

NerrSnerr · 15/12/2022 12:39

karencarpenter · 15/12/2022 12:28

I was a teacher for 20 years and always appreciated the fathers who wore suits. It was a mark of respect to convey that they took education very seriously. Their children were often high achievers.

It wouldn't cross my mind to judge anyone for not dressing up though, I was just pleased and grateful that they'd made the time to come along.

I don't think my husband owns a suit. Actually he might have his wedding suit somewhere but I haven't seen it for years.

Bugger.

I wear whatever I'm wearing that day, usually jeans and T-shirt/ jumper. I suspect may parents evening attire may be the downfall of my children's educational attire.

NerrSnerr · 15/12/2022 12:40

*career not attire.

It might be my inability to write a simple sentence that fucks my children up instead!

Cwcwbird · 15/12/2022 12:52

Same NerrSnerr. I might make him wear his 20 year old wedding suit with a gilet over the top next time and see what impact it has on my kids grades.

Mydogatemypurse · 15/12/2022 12:53

No i go straight from work usually. Looking tired and frazzled

NKFell · 15/12/2022 12:53

Dogsgottabone · 15/12/2022 12:19

Pretty much compulsory. All the dads dress like Tom from Succession 😁

Show quote history

To be fair, same at my DS's school 😂I always think it's like a uniform. Those driving shoe type things as well! The women are often in cream 😂

@PolkaDotMankini I wear normal clothes- jeans and jumper, I wear makeup every day but freshen up before going.

spiderlight · 15/12/2022 12:56

No. I try to be reasonably clean and tidy and not too much of an embarrassment, but I had to go to DS's Y6 parents' evening directly from wading through ankle-deep mud to feed a friend's very friendly goats and chickens when she had a family emergency. I'm probably still 'Goat-smell mum' to that teacher!

WhiteFire · 15/12/2022 12:59

karencarpenter · 15/12/2022 12:28

I was a teacher for 20 years and always appreciated the fathers who wore suits. It was a mark of respect to convey that they took education very seriously. Their children were often high achievers.

It wouldn't cross my mind to judge anyone for not dressing up though, I was just pleased and grateful that they'd made the time to come along.

Is that not a bit chicken and egg though? The suit wearers are more likely to be in corporate jobs. My Dad always wore a shirt and tie, but he didn't own a suit. You don't need one of those to work in a printing press.

NOACF · 15/12/2022 13:07

I honestly can't imagine why the teachers would care in the slightest what anyone wore! I've literally never given it any thought.
DC's are now online and I did the last one sitting in bed in a hoodie and pyjama bottoms (I was ill in my defence, and they couldn't see my bottom half!)