Please dress me

[Geographytrainee]

I am due to start as a trainee geography teacher in September.
My training provider say that we need to be 'suited and booted'.
I am currently very fat (losing weight as we speak).
I am 5'1 and a size 20/22 around my waist and probably a 18/20 on top. Legs OK though.
I tried on two suits in M&S and managed to look terrible, the suits seemed both too big AND too small on me at the same time. I looked terrible and felt like crying.
I have a large tattoo on my leg so thought that I wanted to wear trousers but I am open to wearing dresses (although I then have a worry about what flat shoes I can wear!!).
Oh, I am 43 by the way and haven't had to dress smartly for work for years so have no idea what would suit me.
Please help me! 😀

Firstly, I don't think that you need suits, just trousers with a blouse/smart top is fine.
What about wide leg/slouchy trousers?
www.next.co.uk/xo112038s6#705298

I have a few tops similar to this, they hide a multitude
www.next.co.uk/g2186s2#113712

I trained in History at the age of 41, don't fret! Comfortable, smartish clothes are what you need.

It depends on the school what suited and booted means.

Some near me insist that all staff wear blazers/office jackets and are very corporate.

Personally, I'd get a nice soft blazer in black that can be thrown over dresses, tunics, trousers etc easily in case you do get a placement with a jacket rule.

Otherwise, a comfy pair of trousers and nice chiffon blouses work well. Keep dark on the bottom and then put something colourful on top. Scarves are my go to for making the same few items look different.

My working wardrobe consists of:

Trousers - Navy/Black/Maroon
Tops/Blouses - Black, white, cream, patterned
Dresses- Black mainly, wrap/shift type - mainly in Autumn/Winter as I always wear opaques
A few different coloured cardigans
Low heel boots/shoes - black and navy

I add to this every year or so and also relegate "own clothes" down to work. Next sale is brilliant for building up a wardrobe quickly.

Dresses are easier because you then don't have to worry about matching. Sainsburys often do nice work wear and I'm sure smart pumps would be fine.

Aaah, we were just told to be smart, could be worth getting some plain jersey type blazers then.

I know a school where the staff were paid a bonus for wearing a suit to work . Most though are not so stringent and just smart and tidy is fine.

Do you mean you are training and going on placements?

Firstly, I don't think that you need suits, just trousers with a blouse/smart top is fine.

I've worked in schools that insist on blazers for staff.

Op it just sounds like you haven't found the right cut yet. Try a load more different shops and I'm sure you'll find something that suits. When you do, but three in different colours.

I wouldn't worry too much about the tattoo-opaque black tights should cover it so you could consider skirts. Lots of designer outlet places have great suit shops.

Do you mean you are training and going on placements?

There's a new (ish) route into teaching where you're employed by a school and you're effectively training on the job.

You can wear loafers too. Agree that a soft blazer is the way forward.

I know it sounds 'old' but bon marche are actually really good for smart trousers etc they have a good range of sizes and shorter lengths etc so easy to choose what you need.x

There's a new (ish) route into teaching where you're employed by a school and you're effectively training on the job

Yes, I was a SCITT trainee. Luckily somewhere without a suit policy

How about tights / leggings to cover the tattoo with boots (knee or ankle and flat) or ballet flats / loafers with either a wrap style dress or longer line tunic style? I always reckon dresses are easier and quicker because you're not trying to match anything? Can add necklaces / scarves etc depending on what you like.
As long as you look smart (no denim, well fitted) and appropriate (not too much cleavage, bum covered and no visible tattoos) I can't imagine you would need to wear an actual suit? I worked in a school and no one but the head and deputy head wore suits.

Wow, loads of replies. Thank you all. To clarify, I am starting my PGCE and I will be on a variety of placements throughout the year. My training provider said that the city I am going to be working in stipulates 'suited and booted'.
I'm also worrying about shoes but I think that I need to dress myself first then worry about shoes! 😀

In that case, wait and see what your individual schools are like. I very much doubt every school will insist on a blazer. I've only worked in one that did.

For shoes, you can't beat clarks.

I'd get a versatile soft blazer then and then it can be thrown over most outfits.

Aim for a small capsule wardrobe and then you can add a couple of things if your schools require it.

In my experience the schools that tend to insist on staff in business dress are the ones trying to turn around more challenging schools or they're just big into corporate stuff. Most aren't like that.

Wear suits or very smart separates. Half the job is about giving the impression you are in charge, you know what you're doing. A few years in, you can dress down a bit.

And NO cleavage, front or back. When a teenager drops something and you pick up, it's not an accident, he's checking out your breasts. I've seen so many trainees fall foul of that one. And when you squat to chat eye to eye, you don't want the other 30+ pupils in the class looking down your arse-crack.

Suited and booted is very unhelpul for you IMO! Sorry you haven't been given better Information by your course leader. It irrites me hugely when teachers are expected to wear suits. Our school insists men are in suits so most of them turn up in old, cheap and ill fitting suits whereas if they were allowed just smart trousers/chinos, tie and jacket or blazer they would look miles better!

It's so impractical to be wearing suits when you are stapling displays on walls, dealing with nose bleeds, on lunch duty, in the drizzle at break time, carrying huge piles of books and kneeling down at child height!!

Anyway, I always go for a dress, opaque tights and a blazer. Next is great for blazers. I have thick ankles so try to wear a bit of a heel (clarks do padded sole wide fit heels) but I like pumps/loafers too. I have bought a few dresses on the recommendation of the 'doesmybumlook40inthis' blog.

Good luck with your PGCE - how exciting!!

Oops - missed that you are secondary not primary. Probably not so much kneeling at the desks of 7 year olds and helping them to spell 'people' for the 345rd time or nose bleeds then!!

It doesn't have to be trouser suits, skirts would probably be more flattering. Next have a lot of choice and usually have some nice more fitted blouses. Or smart dresses. Can wear with thick wooly tights in winter to hide tattoo and with boots with a small heel on them, try rieker, there are lots reduced on amazon.
I'd go for a nice smart fitted blazer for on top, not neccessarily matching, then you can take it off when you want.

NEXT on line is so much better than in store by the way. Lots of different fits - short, long etc.

Fantastic, thanks.
When you say soft blazer..... Do you mean something like this?

That looks miles smarter than what a lot of teaching staff wear - go for it!

Brilliant thanks.

What about a dress like this?

That blazer and dress looks how people at my school dress. It's not full business wear but it's smart and comfy.