Roller Rink

The Teacher’s Closet #1

As I go forward into my second year of teaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I might be wearing during the school year. I don’t know yet if my new school will have a dress code or requirements for teachers, but since I teach Pre-K, I am assuming that even if they do it will be lax on my end. Last year I wore a lot of jeans and t-shirts, and while I definitely intend to continue in that vein, I want to mix it up a lot. There’s nothing saying that teachers have to dress poorly or boringly, and so I bring you The Teacher’s Closet, where I will showcase my various fashion friendly teaching appropriate outfits.

I figure, under all circumstances, at the beginning of the school year I will want to be wearing lighter weight clothing, skirts, dresses, and shorts (if allowable). The issue with wearing skirts and dresses for Pre-K is that I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor and maneuvering in ways that are not really possible in anything shorter than knee-length. To deal with this, I’ve been buying clothes that I enjoy wearing but that I think are still appropriate for school (I always like to have the option to go out after work).

Exhibit A:

I bought this last weekend at a vintage pop-up-shop in my neighborhood (I will find the name and post it here, since the shop is also on Etsy.com and very affordable). On me, it falls about 4.5” above my ankles. Given my short stature, this can be a difficult length to work with, but I’ve been pairing it with light-colored tops (white, grey, pale blue) that are a little more body conscious to offset the fullness and length of the skirt. For school I would pair it with a pair of ballet flats or oxfords, but for now I’ve been wearing it with platform sandals and espadrilles. I have also worn it as a dress, by unbuttoning the top two buttons and tucking the edges into a strapless bra. With a wide belt, it makes for a great summer day dress that happens to have a hi-low effect.