What do you wear in primary teaching?

[Moxiechick]

Hi, I last taught 4 years ago before taking time off to stay at home with dd and I'll be returning in September.
I feel like being at home I've lost all sense of my own style and what suits me. Although I know I mainly need comfy clothes for getting on the floor ect.
Where do you buy your work clothes from? And what do you usually go for?
Thanks

I am in Early Years, tend to wear a lot from H&M as its reasonably priced and durable - so long-sleeved tops with cardigans, when cold and (not blue) jeans. But I feel the cold a lot so need lots of layers. Am outside a lot too so invested in a warm and waterproof hooded coat.

Other teachers wear dresses with tights, smarter trousers with colourful tops or tops and leggings.

Remember- can't see through it, up it or down it!

It depends on what stage I have. Infants I usually buy from Tesco/Sainsbury's/H&M because of the mess, if I am with an older class I normally buy some better-quality things (Joules etc).

I like dresses and tights. We aren't allowed leggings.

PinkIkea - that is exactly my clothing mantra too! Pretty much anything 'smart-casual' goes so long as it meets those rules.

Not allowed leggings?! I would not have a clue what to wear... leggings and long tops/dresses are my staple work wardrobe!

We aren't allowed leggings either and it's a pain as I feel much more confident in a dress with leggings than the same dress and tights

I tend to wear stretchy tube skirts and a blouse or top with a cardigan

We have a no denim and no shorts rule. That's it.

I prefer sports style clothes. It's comfy and easy to move about it but tend to wear black trousers and a smart/casual top on non PE days.

My shoes are flats though. No heels at all. Feet would kill me after 10-11 hours of being in my feet all day.

Never worked in a school that told you what you can or can't wear. I'm with little ones atm so tend to wear black trousers and top or leggings and a long top for PE days, I have about 6 cardigans from M and S and Next that are great as temperature can be variable

I would hate to have a 'no leggings' rule!

I can understand why they might not like you to wear eg leggings and a top, but I wear mine as tights under a knee length dress or skirt usually. They are so much more comfortable (and warm) than tights! I can't imagine my head has even noticed they're not tights!

As long as we don't wear jeans or show the three Ts--'tits, toes or tummies' we're ok!!

Dds Reception teacher wears black trousers with knee boots and a floaty top. Her TA wears cropped trousers and a tshirt style top and canvas shoes. They always look so neat and together and not bedragled im envious!

Black trousers and coloured shirts generally from Next. Cardigan to hand incase it gets chilly but nothing especially fashionable just good quality so it lasts longer.

Rollonthesummer I can understand not showing tits and tummies, but toes......?

Usually a dress with tights but if it's very cold and I'm on duty I can get away with black jeggings and a jumper with a vest top underneath. I usually wear boots or patent heels with a strap across.

On those hot days that I can barely dream of at the moment I wear a floatier dress with cropped leggings and converse.

We have the no leggings rule too, no toes and also no sleeveless tops or shoulder less tops which seem to be all over could see when I went clothes shopping yesterday! I usually wear trousers then a t shirt and cardigan, our classroom is freezing one minute and boiling the next.

We have a smart/casual dress code which is open to a lot of interpretation I think. We wouldn't be allowed leggings as trousers. Bottoms must be covered. No cleavage and no blue denim is allowed.
I mostly wear dresses with leggings or tights. I wear leggings as tights with knee length dresses , I think in this way they cover up a lot more than tights. When I do wear tights they are usually very thick tights.
Some members of staff wear coloured jeans and blouses, some wear chinos.
I just find it much easier with a dress as there isn't much to match together!

My sister's rule of thumb is "if you can see up it, down it, or through it, it's not acceptable". (She's a primary school teacher. I'm currently training to be one.)

I used to buy staple dresses from Hobbs but they went very synthetic a few years ago and it put me off. My favourite work clothes at the moment are from Sainsbury's, or (whispers) M&S.

I try to wear things that can be tumble dried at the start of the week in case something goes wrong and I need an extra outfit. I also keep a thin cardigan, a thicker knitted cardigan, a thin scarf, a thicker scarf, a pair of gloves and a pair of sunglasses in my cupboard at school. Drives my TA mad but it means I always have layers to choose from, so in the morning I just pick one of my work dresses, pull on a pair of tights and I'm good to go. I leave my work shoes at work and commute in trainers or flats.

My primary uniform was:
Black trousers from Tesco.
Long sleeved tees in bright colours from Next & Primark.
Chunky necklaces or floaty scarves for variety.
Cardigans with pockets.
Plain black shoes or ankle boots.

Nothing that you'll be upset about when (not if!) It gets covered in pva / paint / whiteboard marker.

Good warm long coat with a hood for break duty.
Gloves.

We can wear pretty much whatever (colleagues wear shorts and t-shirt for eg).

I wear jeans (from normal denim colour to dark blue), plain black trainers and a niceish t-shirt-style top from M&S. Blouses do NOT suit me, and I don't do accessories.

I really never understand bans on sleeveless tops or leggings under dresses. What on earth is the purpose? Things like that make me SO irrationally angry!

(in smarter schools where I did my PGCE I wore the same M&S tops, but with black work trousers, and soft laceups from Clarks. Look up 'shoes nurses wear')

No dress code here.

I wear dresses a lot but not with leggings. Cardigan or jacket on or off depending on the weather. I've got quite a few skirts, longer length jersey tube type things with a long sleeved top.

Nothing too tight or tailored.

Just out of interest, what do male primary teachers tend to wear?

In my school (which seems lax by a lot of standards), most men wear jeans/other trousers and a button-up shirt. No ties or anything like that. One in shorts and a t-shirt, but even I wish he would smarten up just a tad!