Teachers! What do you wear?!

[SkyUnicorn]

I'm starting a new teaching job (secondary) next week after being out of the game for a number of years (gulp). I've fallen into a rut - usually summer dresses in summer and jeans/ Breton tops in winter.

The school I'm joining won't expect suits but definitely quite smart dress - and I need some inspiration. I prefer skirts to trousers as I've also put on a lot of weight in the last few years which I'm slowly working to lose

I'm 5'5 and a size 14.

Thanks in advance for telling me what you wear! Pictures very welcome too!

I like to wear dresses, midi length, with tights and boots in winter and sandals in summer. I prefer dresses as it's an outfit in one - no worrying about what top to wear with trousers etc.

Good luck in the new job btw!

Congratulations on the job!

I love Gap bi-stretch cropped trousers. They go with shirts and blouses.

I also love dresses with chunky cardis and knitted tights in winter.

H&M do lovely cropped trousers, too, and their shirts wash and wear well.

Pinterest is great for sourcing ideas and outfit suggestions. It will depend on what age you're teaching; I'm in reception so spend a lot of time outdoors and on the floor, so everything has to be crouch-able-in!

Our school tends to be warmer than most houses so I wear layers, but never wear scarves because they'll inevitably fall into paint or glue or get tangled.

I buy lots of cami vests from Next to wear under blouses as I'm conscious of anything being too see-through. And for shoes I love Clarks Hamble Oak brogues with trousers or dresses.

Thanks for the replies! I love dresses, too - and agree totally that they are less 'complicated' than separates.
I usually get dresses from Seasalt - how about you?

PS I always find it easier to look smart in the autumn/ winter - knee length skirt and a fitted jumper, for example - summer is so hot here (it'll still be warm here through till October) and I look like this

I mostly wear those flowery-sort of short dresses from Oasis, Warehouse and New Look.

I love how cropped and fitted trousers look on other people but I'm too fat at the moment 😐
Dresses are more forgiving!

Nothing you can see up, down or through.

I'm a TA in primary and after years of work i've given in and realised the 'uniform' of dresses and tight / leggings is popular for a reason

Nice leggings (not see through!) and a dress are great because you can bend / stretch etc and not worry about you arse crack / stomach / boobs being on show.

It depends on your school though. Ours is reasonably casual and black skinny jeans are allowed as long as they are really black. Leggings allowed as long as they aren't see through.

I got some nice ankle grazer trousers in black from dorothy perkins last year. I like them with oversized shirts and my loafers. I do tend to wear dresses at least 3 days out of 5 though.

whatever it is made sure you do the tit test. And the bending over test.

Definitely easier in Autumn and Winter, as our school is as hot as Hell.

In A/W I wear:
black cigarette trousers, with a Boden Ravello top or a cotton shirt
opaque tights, tube, mini (not too mini!) or pencil skirt and top as above
full printed skirt with plain black good quality t-shirt
blazers with all of the above, usually just plain black
Shoes are usually either ballet shoes, DM shoes or Chelsea boots, but I do sometimes wear knee high boots with a shorter skirt.

And always high necklines - the lowest I'd go is a slight scoop neck. I have a lot of thin camisoles from H&M to wear under shirts.

Dresses with either boots or sandals here.

I tend to get them from White Stuff, Fat Face, H+M, Sea Salt, Joules, Monsoon-often via Ebay!

I don't want to go back to school

This is all great!
Rollonsummer what sort of sandals do you wear?
I already have a new, smart handbag on its way (birthday present) as I didn't think my 'summer' Kipling would go with the polished, chic look I'm trying to harness

Normally:

Gap bi-stretch trousers in grey, black or blue.

Silk, cotton or linen loose shirt, partially unbuttoned in white, blue, black or pink.

Primark black, grey or pink vest top.
M&S leather court shoes.

Too much jewellery.

Smart jacket hanging about the place in case needed.

(I should add - I'm small but very curvy, so the loose and partially unbuttoned shirts are because I can't get them to fit properly otherwise. They look fairly smart.)

Practically all of my work clothes are from Oasis - I love their dresses and they have great sales.

I tend to wear Birkenstocks-they are so comfortable. I have a couple of pairs of Fly sandals though and almost all of my boots are Fly!

Right - just ordered two dresses from Seasalt (expensive ) and a few cotton elbow-length tshirts (black, navy and pale blue) from m&s to go with skirts I already have. That's a start.
Now for shoes...

Ooh-clicky link to the dresses, please!

Might be worth checking if your school has an appearance policy. Mine definitely does (secondary academy). It is very prescriptive, particularly about shoes. No birkenstocks, open toes, flip flops, mules. Sadly.

I wear brogues with a block heel. Like a witch would wear.

Block heels for me too. Noisy enough for a bit of presence in the room. Comfy enough to pace around all day.

I wear either dresses (long sleeves in winter) with tights and brogues (clarks!), or black/navy slim fit trousers (usually next) and a nice top. Sometimes just wear long sleeves Breton or similar! Slip on shoes (not sure what to call them! More substantial than ballet pumps) - definitely no sandals or open toes allowed here! I don't wear heels as too much running about.