Cute russian teacher Aleksandra outfit

fashion tights skirt dress high heels

 Dressing like a teacher

The Basics

• Take other teachers as your example. Every school (and grade level) is different. Start by erring on the side of overdressing then get more casual if you want, and it's acceptable at your school.
• If you are a young woman, avoid shopping in the juniors section. (If you are not young, and you still shop in juniors, we have more problems to deal with.) You need the more mature cuts and higher quality of women's clothes to look authoritative. It sucks, but studies have shown that male teachers are taken more seriously. Make sure it looks like you take yourself seriously.
• While you should (duh) not be dressing intentionally "sexy," it is not your responsibility to keep teenage boys from ogling you. You do not have to be a frump to be a good teacher.
• Part of looking like a teacher is styling and self-presentation beyond clothes. You should be well-pressed and neat. Even if your clothes are fine, the effortless, just-rolled-out-of-bed look does not convey a teacherly air.
• Before you get started on style, you need to start at square one-- make sure all your clothes fit and look good on you. Check out these other FFA resources: Guide to Fit, Guide to Proportion, and other sidebar guides. Get to know your local tailor.

I have included a lot of inspo that work as complete teacher outfits. That said, the shoes in many of these images are either not appropriate or not comfortable for teaching. Look to the shoe section for advice on the ankles down.

Tops

• Not too tight
• Not too low cut
• Profit
• Cardigans have become something of a teacher uniform. There is nothing wrong with cardigans-- they can look great with the right outfit-- but why not try a blazer?
• Almost any kind of shirt is fine. Button ups, button downs, tee shirts, shells, sweaters. Check out the other sections for more shirt inspo.

 Skirts

• Make sure the length is comfortable and appropriate for the amount of movement you do-- this is dependent on your grade level.
• The cut of skirts, too, affects the way they move when you bend over and move around. Fuller skirts have more leeway here.
• Pencil skirts are good, too, but make sure they are not too tight. This can get into sexy teacher fantasy territory pretty quickly.
• Here is a bunch of teacher-appropriate skirt inspo

Dresses

• Think: structured and well fitting but not tight.
• Shirt dresses, sheath dresses, and [faux] wrap dresses are good options.
• As with skirts, consider the length in relation to the kind of movement your job requires.
• More dresses

 Chinos (a.k.a. khakis)

• Choose pants that are not too tight or low rise. (Avoiding juniors/teen stores will help.)
• Brightly colored chinos are having a moment-- have at it, as long as you style them maturely and not with other loud pieces.
• Neutrals are nice, too.
• Cropped and full-length are both a-okay.

 Trousers/dress pants

• Be aware: wide-leg and boot cut trousers look frumptastic with flat shoes 99.9% of the time, so stick to slim or straight cuts if you usually wear flat shoes.
• The rules for chinos apply here, too (not too tight, not too low rise).
• The difference between chinos and dress pants is in the details: fabric content (cotton chinos vs. more formal fabric), pockets, and fastenings. If you do not know which is which, your workplace is probably fine with either.
• Some 'spo
  
  

 Jeans

• Many schools allow teachers to wear jeans. If you cannot, disregard this section.
• And again I say, not too tight, not too low rise.
• Dark wash, unembellished, undistressed jeans will keep you from looking like a high school student, and they look more professional. Straight leg or skinny (not thin, skin-tight jeggings) are both appropriate.
• This not that or that.
• Jeanspiration

 Shoes

• You know your own ability to stand all day in specific shoes, but Danskos are not the only comfortable shoes. Gel inserts are your friend.
• Oxfords, ankle boots, and loafers are all good choices, if you can't/don't want to do a heel.
• Low heels and wedges are also good. (Many people who find heels hard to tolerate all day are comfortable in wedges thanks to the additional support.)
• Avoid soaring stiletto heels or other sexy shoes. If you are comfortable in heels, then knock yourself out, but anything higher than 3" is probably too much.
• Open-toed shoes may or may not fly in your school. I think this is largely regional-- in some places, they are a no go; in others they're fine.
• Toms and other espadrilles are just too young-looking and casual. They are basically meant to be worn outdoors in the summer, and they look it.
• Teachers can wear sneakers in many schools, especially primary schools. They are comfortable and sensible, if you are chasing grubby kids all day. BUT they can veer into messy, juvenile, or just plain unfashionable territory fast. It is best to steer clear of sneakers with visible branding. A plain, comfortable sneaker (probably canvas) that matches what you're wearing is probably your best option. (If you are a total sneakerhead, then you are probably 2nxtlvl4 this guide anyway.)
• If the rest of your outfit says "sensible teacher" you can have some fun with your shoes, but as with everything else, avoid styles that are too young looking like mary janes, scrunchy ballet flats, Ugg boots, or really embellished shoes.
• Comfort shoe brands (e.g. Born, Ecco) are really hit or miss on the fashion front, so use your discretion. (We're here to help, so just ask us!)
• Some sensible shoe-spo

 On looking young

Many new teachers come to FFA worried that they look like they are still in high school. If you follow the guidelines so far, you should be fine, but here are a few more things to consider.

• Make sure your clothes fit you well. I have already said it, but it bears emphasizing. Read the sidebar links, stop buying clothes in the juniors section, and go to a tailor. Nothing makes you look less authoritative than ill-fitting clothes.
• Avoid extremely trendy items. Hi-lo skirts, loud printed maxis, heavily embellished items, brightly colored tights, etc. Some of these can be done tastefully (e.g. hi-lo, patterned maxi), but tread lightly.
• Some clothes, like denim skirts, look young no matter what.
• Twee, vintage-inspired, and other cute-leaning styles can read as young. Check out this guide to Modcloth and tweeby /u/thenshesays for some tasteful twee inspo. Even though she plays a teacher on TV, Zooey Deschanel is not the best style icon for teachers.

 On Ms. Frizzle

• Some teachers have an urge to dress for their subject a la Magic Schoolbus's Ms. Frizzle. In general you should avoid this impulse.
• It can be fun, however, to wear your favorite subject occasionally, so err on the side of taste, rather than dressing like your students' bedsheets.
• How about a dino brooch instead?
• Please just don't.

 Pre-K/Early elementary special

Most of the fits I have posted are fine for working with all ages, but I've put together a few guidelines for those of you hanging out with the ankle-biters.

• Wash and wear. If it is dry clean or hand wash only, you do not want it. Non-iron is also a plus.
• If you wear skirts/dresses, consider wearing bike shorts underneath, so when the kids crawl under your legs, they cannot announce the color of your underwear.
• Avoid white or other very stain-showing colors.