What clothes should a 16yo museum volunteer wear?

[skyeisthelimit]

DD has been accepted as a volunteer guide at the museum in our nearest city. The dress code is "smart casual".

DD's wardrobe consists of mainly leggings and t-shirts. She thinks that black leggings are smart, I have said that I don't think they count as smart casual.

DD has sensory issues, she can't wear anything that is

denim
tight
itchy/scratchy
anything that "feels funny"

She doesn't like trousers , skirts don't always suit her (although the days of having to tuck shirt into skirt will be left behind with school)!.

What can she wear that is acceptable to a museum?? .

Lands End Starfish trousers come in a tapered leg. They are leggings fabric. The grey , black or navy are smart. That and a cotton polo shirt would fit the bill.

white shirt
black trousers
black shoes

Does she have a presentable dress that’s she comfortable in?

or

black smart dress
black tights
black shoes

Leggings with a longer tunic type top or a short dress? To be honest, I think as long as she isn't in tiny shorts or ripped denim and t-shirts are fairly plain (i.e. not big obvious branding or anything offensive) they won't mind too much. Even trainers are probably ok if they are clean and not garish colours.

Leggings and a short top probably not, but leggings under tunic or dress fine

Comfy shoes!
She could go to the museum and see what other volunteers wear?

Knee length or midi length shirt dress and smartish trainers or other flat shoes.
A tunic length shirt (mid thigh) over leggings would be fine.
Or buy a pair of black/grey/navy office trousers in a style she can cope with (some stretch, maybe high waisted with pleats, could be tapered or wide leg). Wear with a polo or shirt or blouse (avoid T shirts). Boring but safe and she can wear them again for all those random occasions when 6th formers are asked to look smart.

I don't thing leggings would pass for smart causal. They are firmly casual I think.

There are loads of black trousers that are very comfy with elasticated waists etc.

I would think them using the word smart would be to stop people wearing leggings and a tshirt to be honest or else it would say casual.

I agree with this!

She can certainly wear leggings if that's what she finds comfortable. It's how you wear them that makes the difference between lounging on the sofa and being presentable for work.

Leggings under something will be fine just not worn as 'trousers'.

M&S do a large range of jersey trousers in a variety of styles which are very comfortable and soft.

A shirt or perhaps a polo neck, steering clear of anything with words, phrases or large images. I'd probably buy a few cheap Fruit of the Loom ones in a variety of colours until she gets a sense of what the others wear.

Clean trainers or school style shoe ensuring they are comfortable to wear most of the day and being stood up in, my go-to shoe is a Clarks Hamble Oak brogues they cover most situations and go down as low as £17 on Amazon sometimes.

The best thing to do those is visit and get a feeling for what everyone else does.

What does she wear to school - could she not wear her school trousers or skirt with trainers and a t shirt (and maybe cardi)?

Used to work for a museum. Our museum group had a colour dress code - one site was purple and black another site was red and black, another was just black. Generally the rule was, nothing strappy, nothing cropped, nothing see through, no sports logos, skirts and dresses knee length and longer, tights (either skin colour, black or navy depending on site), flat or low heal black/navy/ brown closed toe shoes, some sites are strict on trainers, no leggings / jeggings/ jeans. Hair tied back.

So I would say, trousers and smart top with shoes or knee length smart dress with tights.

They often cover clothing at inductions if she's having a volunteer induction.

They’re employing 16yr old volunteers. ‘Smart casual’ = please no holes, clean, no offensive or divisive slogans, no cleavage, super thin straps, midriff or super short skirts/shorts or leggings as trousers.

She may also need a sensible coat if she is working at a drafty or outside site. One of our sites had to be very strict on coats as we had quite a few placement and work experience students from various schools and colleges who fully embraced the "road man" look and it was very off-putting for visitors. See also, leggings that go up the bum crack. It was easier to ban all leggings in the induction pack rather than trying to explain to lots of teenagers on work experience that leggings up your bum crack is not a suitable look for work experience. We've also had to speak to work experience students about cropped t-shirts, crop tops and slogans on tops.

We did feedback to the schools about coaching their work experience students on what is appropriate and inappropriate to wear to a work experience setting before they attended work experience. I attended an outreach event with a secondary school for work experience and I was not the only workplace setting there who brought up appropriate attire been worn to work experience placements. It seems many teens see the cropped tops, bum crack leggings, roadman coats, sports joggers, certain trainer brands, baseball hats as suitable for work environments.

Is there scope for you both to just go and look? Is it for a short spell or longer term regular slots?

Some great ideas there, thanks everyone. I work from home in the most casual comfortable stuff I can find, so have no sense of style at all .

DD is quite a prude and firmly against crop tops or anything that shows any flesh so is definitely not your average teen .

I will have a look for some long line tops and polo shirts and a decent pair of shoes.

Her induction is next week and is a trial period of 3 weeks so I won't go crazy with the clothes buying yet just in case. But she is intending to carry on after college starts if she can as they ask for a minimum of 2.5 hours a week and she can do more if she has time so is hoping to do 5 hours a week until September and then probably back down to 2.5.

I hope she enjoys it 😀

M&S (and I’m sure others) have lots of jersey trousers in. Legging comfort but smarter cut. Some of them might well work for her.

I can't find a link to them but I recently bought some really comfy trousers from Tesco. They're black, elasticated waist and really soft but look smart enough to wear to work. A plain coloured t-shirt or polo shirt would be fine.

How about a pinafore? They are loose and can be worn with any top underneath and, indeed, leggings if necessary.They have the air of a uniform to me .

M&S wide leg jersey trousers - think they're £17.50 with a plain tshirt and a blazer chucked over it.

My DD volunteered in a museum. She just wore her normal clothes. Jeans/leggings, t shirt sweatshirt/cardi type clothes plus trainers. She needed to be comfortable and warm. Has she looked at what the other volunteers are wearing?

Something like this over a pair of leggings with some plain trainers would probably work for her first day? https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/product/tuc143737763

I hope she has a great time - I started volunteering at a museum at that age and did it all through 6th form. It was incredibly rewarding and gave me lots to talk about at university interviews.