What to wear as a teaching assistant

[Rainbowmum32]

I’m a TA in primary, my work wardrobe needs updating any suggestions?
we aren’t allowed to wear trainers

Stretchy black trousers and an assortment of black and white tops in the winter.
Linen trousers and shirts in the summer.
Cardigans to go with both.

Children in primary are under 5' by a long way. If you are wearing anything with a V neck and bend over a table to talk to a Reception age child they will get a full view of your bra/ right down your top. If you are wearing a tee shirt that just touches your waistband then when you lift your arms to pin something to the wall/ reach something from a shelf they'll get a full view of your bare belly. If you wear a short dress then when you bend down your upper thighs, pants and backside will be visible to the table of children behind. I had a TA who wore all these things and favoured balconette style bras. If you wear a scoop neck top and a bra like that your breasts will fall out of the bra wgen you bend over. Absolutely none of this is professional.

Saint & Sofia apartment pants are comfy.

Oh yes, £79 trousers and a £100 jumper for staff who earn barely above minimum wage and spend much of their time kneeling and sitting on the floor, getting covered in paint, glitter, snot and god knows what else. Perfect.

£79 might be a bit expensive?

I'm a TA and updated my wardrobe with wide leg high waist trousers: black or checked with a long sleeve top, cardigan or a fitted jumper. I've also got some corduroy wide leg trousers in blue and green. In summer I wear dresses, jumpsuits or wide leg linen trousers with various tops.

M&S in the sale especially are good for the trousers as you can sort by width plus waist height. They wash and dry well and aren't expensive.

We are allowed to wear whatever we like, but I have "smart" trainers or boots. In the summer I wear sandals (if I'm brave!) trainers or canvas shoes.

Keep it simple and easy to wash.
chinos in black, navy, or green.
t shirts & cotton crew neck jumpers - navy, grey, black

The trendy TAs at our school wear barrel trousers and oversize mannish shirts with ballet flats - the ones with high front so they stay on. Or midi skirt and baggy jumper with ankle socks and trainer style shoes. They look great. I would highly recommend Tu at Sainsbury’s this season and I am a fashion person (who would never wear leggings…) so I do not say that lightly.

Tu trousers

these look good but there’s loads

It’s whatever is practical first, fashion second

for my work I wear leggings under wide leg trousers, a thermal top, a t shirt, a long sleeve top, a jumper and a gilet. Plus fingerless gloves and a scarf
do I like wearing a gilet? No. But it’s fucking freezing and warmth over fashion!

You dint want children to see a woman in leggings and a dress, which looks pretty much like tights and a dress, is perfectly modest, comfortable and practical for running around after small kids??

What sort of figure does one require for a dress??

I never wore smart black 'office wear' trousers when I worked in an office, and most certainly wouldn't be wearing them as a TA. Surely leggings would be far more comfortable for the various things TAs do as part of their job.

Honestly, some of these replies are just ridiculous. They are not there to demonstrate fashion or professionalism, they are doing an active job and need to wear comfortable and appropriate clothing.

To me people dressed in clothes from Community Clothing would come across as having given up on life! Their clothes are beyond dull, not to mention ugly.

So dull, and very expensive.

I’d go with @CountFucula’s suggestions if I were the op. Also I now want those Tu trousers.

I’m still 🤨 at the no trainers rule…I work in a global corporate role and we can wear trainers. Why are schools so unnecessarily strict! Bloody ridiculous!

Oh don't get me started. We're not even allowed to wear smart ones. The HT once spent a good 5 minutes staring at my shoes, trying to determine whether they were trainers or not 🙄

That made me laugh. DD teaches secondary. The first thing she does when she gets in is shower to get rid of the stench of adolescent boy.

Her school requires tidy, if not smart. She has several.pairs of the pull on M&S trousers for £29.95 (wash, hang wear) and a penchant for a pretty blouse and colourful cotton cardi. Boots in winter, loafers in summer. Hair up, always.

Practical but smart.
Make sure you don’t wear anything short, low cut, or remotely see-through.
Smart trousers and a blouse. Take a cardigan in case it gets cold. Comfortable but smart shoes such as loafers or Mary Jane type shoes.
Look in Next for clothes.
Take a warm, water proof coat, gloves and a scarf as you will probably have to go outside.

Yes to hair up if not short- nits always on the prowl!

Also depends on the school. I worked at an academy for a while and the rules were exceptionally strict about staff clothing.
No coloured hair for example, no visible tattoos, no bare shoulders under any circumstances no matter how hot it became. No sandals even it you were sat melting in 30 degrees heat. Totally ridiculous.

I get so annoyed with see through clothes. It's a massive pain in the summer, and I don't want to wear an extra layer. You don't see men with see through shirts and trousers.
Sorry, pet hate.

When you say no coloured hair I assume you mean no pink or purple not that all staff have to go grey whether they like it or not.

We weren't allowed to wear sandals on H&S grounds which I thought was ridiculous. My feet suffered for it.

DD is a student teacher. Her work uniform is simple, she has three pairs of wide leg jersey trousers in black/charcoal/lighter grey and wears them with a fitted top and a cardigan/jumper. Dresses in summer. Loafers on her feet, or trainers (she is allowed those in her school).