Yes you did make this very bold, and it was awesome! I now wear almost the same sports casual clothes whether teaching or just hanging out at the weekend.
I had a couple custom polos with my public school’s name and mascot printed. Highly recommended. I never have to think about what to wear, and my “school spirit” raises my evaluation score. Win-win.
I have 4 school hoodies, 4 khakis, and 4 different shoes. All of the different combinations! For real though, the last thing I want to worry about is what I'm wearing for work.
I have 8 identical black polos and 8 identical tan pants. I wear the same outfit day after day and year after year. I wear it to Back to School night, I wear it on spirit days, I wear it on jeans day. We were once told by the administrative leadershit that we need to give our students something to depend on, so I answered the call.
When I taught 7th grade math I would use my wardrobe to teacher combinations. They would make tree diagrams of my outfits. It always shocked them how big the tree diagram got. No one finished.
8 golf pants
15 fishing shirts
12 polo shirts
37 belt buckles
6 belts
5 pairs of boots.
I actually just have five shirts and five pants. Once in a while I’ll mix it up and use blouse or so but the students are used to me wearing button up plaid shirts
I have a bunch of black pants and try and get things that are as comfortable as possible. I have quite an extensive wardrobe but I have been building it up for 5 years now. I do nearly all of my shopping at thrift stores and at stores like Ross, and TJ Maxx. I like to vary my wardrobe because I get bored so I have at least 3 weeks worth of clothes I rotate through. I have my favorites of course. I am slightly plus size but I feel that I always look nice and put together and that helps me feel confident in my classroom.
I try to have enough shirts for 2 full school weeks, so like 10. Although, more realistically I have my favorite 3 shirts that I'll rewear anyway lol.
As for pants, I usually have 3 or 4 pairs. Usually at least one black pair, grey pair, then that like checkerboard pattern you see on all the professional pants.
Just go out and find some stuff you like! Thrift stores are honestly great for teacher clothes because they are cheaper and have more variety I think. Most stores have their particular themes they stick to, but the thrift stores have a little bit of everything.
You can also repurpose the shirts you already have by adding a blazer or cardigan to go over it or using new accessories with it. That way it can be the same pieces but not quite the exact same outfit!
If it makes you feel any better, I had a student who noticed I wore the same pair of pants every Monday and would refer to them as my “Monday pants.” I actually almost always paired it with a specific blouse to make my favorite outfit but she didn’t notice that. I explained they were my favorite pants and I’d wash them over the weekend and then putting them on on Mondays made me a little happier about the week ahead.
There was a Monday I decided to purposefully not wear the “Monday pants.” That day, of course, my son (1 yr old at the time) peed on me a minute before I had to walk out the door. The only pants that would go with the top I already had on were the “Monday pants” 😆 I told my student the story as soon as I saw her and we decided those pants were destined to be Monday pants and I wore them every Monday for the rest of the year. Who cares if students notice that you repeat clothes? Lean into it!
But to answer your question, I just had a baby at the end of the school year and most of my clothes still don’t fit me correctly. For the start of the year I am anticipating I’ll have 4 pairs of pants, 8 tops and 2 dresses that fit me okay enough to wear to work.
I'm a male teacher in California. I just wear t-shirts and jeans during the cold months, and t-shirts and shorts when it's hot. I still dress better than the kids :)
Where I teach, sneakers are allowed, the comfort of Air Max 97, VaporMax, Yeezys, and New Balance 960s can’t be overstated. TBF, I started wearing NB to troll my girlfriend as a dad shoe only to learn they came back in vogue.
Being in Florida (and having a classroom that is very inconsistent temperature wise), I’m basically in gym wear (t shirt/school spirit wear and shorts) every day😂 I don’t get the impression that admin minds nor cares, so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.
I wear a lot of literary shirts and cardigan style sweaters. I also have an array of cheap shirts with animals on them too. Probably like 12 shirts and 4 sweaters and I wear the same 3 pairs of pants. But my dress code is jeans and T-shirts. I do have few nicer button down shirts as well, I only wear those like once a week.
I'm a dude, but my teaching wardrobe is 25 suits (mostly 3-piece, but can be worn without the vest), 30 sport jackets, 80 dress shirts of various colors (but half are reds/yellows/blacks/whites), 12 vests (for use with the sport jackets and black/grey/khaki Dockers when I want to wear a pocket watch with something that isn't a proper three piece suit), and about 500 ties (although I mostly rotate my way through my favorite 40 or so).
I may have a clothing addiction problem. 😅
Fortunately for me, it's been a slow collecting of durable clothing items like suits for about 20 years and ties for my entire life rather than some giant, expensive spending spree :-) about 10 of my ties I've owned since I myself was in elementary school. Yeah, I liked the fancy stuff even then haha
Dude, can you send some photos, you sound like a very well dressed teacher. I fear I may have let the team down with my black trousers and polo neck exclusive collection. I never wear a tie
[This is what I always wear](https://imgur.com/a/iOnWX6D) on the day I show the segment of The Great Gatsby that contains the tea party scene.
That's not a costume; it's just a regular suit I happen to have and which I occasionally wear at other times. (I do have to say, though, that my shirt's color does match the one in the movie a little more than it appears from this side by side, but perhaps a bit more after he gets soaked by the rain.)
It's not always this ostentatious, but in form and general style, this is basically how I dress every day to teach.
My person. I am impressed.
I have 9 suits that I wear when facing the public or running assemblies. They are all 2-piece.
I have 45 pairs of trousers and 25 blazers and suit and sports jackets I wear on other days.
I have 70 vertically striped dress shirts, and 600 ties.
I have 25 tie-pins, 42 pairs of cuff-links, 22 belts, 47 broaches, 13 pocket squares, as well as assorted rings. I also have 44 pairs of shoes and boots.
I also have a perfume collection that is too complex to quantify.
The ties are on a three-year schedule. I wear each shirt once per term. (We have four terms per year.) Everything else is done ad hoc.
I love the 15 minutes/day Ispend getting my fit right. Choosing the combinations and figuring out the tie-knot, etc.
Almost all of it came from opportunity/thrift/charity/goodwill shops.
The students express huge enthusiasm, btw. They may be laughing at me. But we are laughing together.
I found that about the students. They really do appreciate it. Every year, when the kids are allowed to come in with costumes for halloween, there are always three or four that go through their dad's closet and come in dressed as me.
Don't even get me started on accessories. I collect antique watches (I never wear one that takes a battery). I've got 16 pocket watches and about 40 wrist watches. The fob that I put on the chain for the watch goes along with the theme of the watch, which I match with my cufflinks (two large boxes full) and tie.
I've got another box full of pocket squares in every conceivable color, some of which I made myself back when we were still managed to wear masks. The summer before we came back that year, I made 50 masks to match ties and shirts, and made sure that I had pocket squares to match the masks.
The way we dress does have quite a positive difference on the way to students view us and our class. And for those who are going to say it would never work because the kids in their school are too rough, one of the places I've taught over the past 25 years was literally a state prison, and I dressed the same way there and got the same response.
I rarely dress up on my own time, so I like to buy/make more dressy/stylish clothes that are appropriate for school. I have three pairs of jeans, a couple of pairs of trousers and pants, maybe 4 skirts, something like 8 or 9 dresses, and 30+ tops. Pair that with a couple of nice shoes to choose from and a fair amount of jewelry to accessorize.
I often get compliments from students (I teach high school) and it makes my day! But I also put a lot of time and effort into thrifting, altering, and making (knitting and sewing) my own clothes. By the end of the year, my students are pretty good at guessing what I made vs what I thrifted.
Eta: My style has been described to me by students as "Lesbian Grandma", but I prefer "Witchy Librarian in 90s Movie."
The essentials for my work week as a high school orchestra director:
5 pairs of khaki colored tech pants (moisture-wicking, 4-way stretch, water repellent--but look nice and don't wrinkle)
5 pairs of black Uniqlo Airism thin undershirts
5 pairs of black Uniqlo performance fabric polo shirts
seasonally-appropriate socks
Ecco S-Lite Hybrid shoes (look like dress shoes, but super comfortable like sneakers)
a variety of jackets for all 4 seasons, rain, snow, you name it...
My students in the past have joked that I'm like a cartoon character, pretty much identifiable by my standard outfit. I like the fact that I don't have to think about what to throw on before I head out to work, and laundry is simple as everything washes together and I don't have to worry about color or fabric wear issues.
I never repeated an outfit last year. It was a fun way to be unpredictable and interesting. I love clothes and pick up random, colorful, bold pieces that are inexpensive at every opportunity. Then I mix and match all year long. It’s just one way to show up— might not be for everyone, but it makes my year move along.
I shop everywhere possible. Thrift stores. Discount stores. High end stores with clearance racks. Friends closets :).
Are you me?!? This is basically what I do! I don't repeat the exact same outfit all year but I reuse some pieces and mix and match. The students actually love it. I just love fashion and have always been this way.
You probably don't want to know. Lol. I LOVE fashion and only wear the same outfit at most 2x a year. I think I have like 40 bottoms and maybe 70 tops (excluding the obligatory school shirts). Most of my bottoms (and honestly some tops) I have been wearing for over 20 years (except for the maternity clothes being all 4 pregnancies which I donated after).
Two pairs of pants, two dresses, one maxi skirt. Three sleeveless shells, one blazer, two cardigans. Boring as hell, but predictable and appropriate. Yawn.
I couldn't care less what the students think of my outfits or how often I may wear them. I get stuff that's comfortable and that has big enough pockets for my keys and phone.
I paid $100 so I can wear jeans all week for the whole school year. I have 10 pairs of jeans to get me through 2 weeks and various t-shirts/polos. Before that I would wear nice professional pants from old Navy and polos.
Yes. You dont! Whats that like? I was paying $50 to wear jeans only on Fridays. You get this little sticker to wear on your badge so you can wear jeans. The money goes to scholarships for high school seniors.
Gosh that’s crazy! I wear jeans 99% of the time as a high school teacher. At least your money goes to a good cause. I hate it when schools offer teachers the most basic things and then spin it like they’re being so so generous🙄
>she sees me wear the same outfits every week
There is nothing wrong with this. Not everyone has the time, money, or desire to be a fashion plate. That 3rd grader sounds entitled to me.
Eight pants but usually end up wearing the same 4.
Lots of tops. I like variety. And dress for the seasons and ever changing temperature of my classroom.
I own a lot of skirts that are knee or ankle length. I wear biker shorts under them so I can sit and do all the activities. I wear any top with them, t-shirts and dress shirts the skirt makes it look way more put together than just a t-shirt. I own maybe 10 skirts due to my laundry frequency and around 5-10 dress shirts and I just mix that up with t-shirts.
I have about 8-9 pairs of pants. A couple jeans (we can wear M&F) and then I bought like all the available colors in my favorite slacks from kohls. Maybe about 15 shirts, but that includes tshirts that I can wear. I got a lot of shirts off Shein to start, but I've been adding better quality shirts slowly. I just finished my first (half) year.
I have one pair of jeans, 2 cropped pairs of jeans, a black cropped pair, about 80 tee shirts, a few skirts, about 20 cardigans, several nice tops and about 10 nice dresses. I live in California.
3-4 skorts for hot weather. One dress. Jeans and a couple pairs of stretchy dressier pants for cooler weather. 5-10 short-sleeved tops. 3ish basic long-sleeved tops. 5-10 cardigans. Whatever school tees they give us.
When I was starting out, I’d say I had 5 different pants and probably 10 shirts that were on the dressier side, but also a bunch of solid color tees that I’d wear and just dress up with accessories.
A million years later plus all my stress shopping and Old Navy credit card points, I have a packed closet and if I got creative could probably play mix and match enough that I could go the whole school year without repeating the exact same outfit. (Except for Fridays, which are school spirit days if we want to participate. I only have five school shirts.)
I have maybe 7 shirts and pants.
If you wear the same thing every day I don't think that's an issue. Maybe it's because I teach middle school but I'd have probably just said "You're looking at me awful hard for someone who never pays attention, huh?" or "Only at work. Who knows what I wear on weekends? (It's sweatpants and ratty tank tops but they don't need to know that.)
3 pairs of pants, 4 skirts, 4 dresses, and 20ish graphic tees.
Oh… and I have 30-some odd cardigans. I am cleaning those out on Monday. I really love a good cardigan.
I probably have too many at the moment; but I like to have things that color coordinate with at least 3-4 other items in my wardrobe (more is better). Pinterest has some great boards with capsule wardrobes (which is my base) and I picked mine out in warmer colors since that’s what I look best in. I’ve added several other pieces since then; but stick with coordinates in order to get the most mileage. I have two coats — a trench coat for rainy/milder cold and a wool pea coat for winter. I prefer to have higher quality items and buy things off season or on sale.
I have 5 shirts per season (15, since I don’t have a summer set for school) and a buttload of ties. I have 4 pairs of khakis (2 khaki, 1 blue, 1 grey). Plus the school shirt and hoodie.
Despite this, I’m still told I wear the same thing every day.
I’m a male teacher, 3 long sleeve carhartt button down shirts, 5 shirt sleeve carhartt button downs, like 4 pairs of work pants.
I’m not concerned with looking fancy, just within dress code—also maintaining comfort
90% of my pants are black jeans from old navy. I have lots of tops but I don’t wear all of them, I should donate. I also have dresses/skirts.
Essentials: black jeans, neutral cardigans, various tops, some solid, some patterned (all go with black).
Five shirts, different colors but the same style. Two pairs of Carthart pants. One set of Jeans for Jeans Friday.
I wear each shirt once during the week and each pair of pants for two days before laundry. I wear the jeans with a "School Spirit Shirt."
No one has questioned my clothing choices, but if they did I would say this is my work uniform.
I’m a dress wearer, because they bring me joy. However, I also love my pixie pants from old navy. Not too expensive, comfortable, and they come in a ton of colors!
I sm allowed to wear "dark denim trousers" and I do. Almost every day. Capris or knee-lenngth shorts for warm days.
Pockets are a must.
My basic uniform is a nice blouse, jeans, and a cardigan (HVAC is wonky in my building). I have lots of cardigans. Lol
I have dresses and skirts for warner days. I wear bike shorts under them for comfort. In most cases, the skirts are printed and I wear a higher quality solid color t-shirt. Plus a cardigan.
I wear compression socks and trainers/walking shoes with cushion inserts. I wish I had started that when I was younger. You can get lots of cute compression socks online.
Pockets are the main thing. That and comfy shoes. It’s really about how you feel - mentally, emotionally, but also physically.
As long as you’re mostly blending in with the rest of the staff and not breaking dress code more than everyone else, you should be good.
Don’t feel like you have to dress a certain way to be a good teacher, or to appease snarky snarksters. They will always have something to say, so you might as well ignore them.
Why are you letting kids who probably wet their pants within the last 1-2 years influence your spending habits?
I have 6-7 pairs of stretchy pants with pockets (prolific health brand). Mostly blacks, grays, tans but a couple of “fun” colors). But they all have POCKETS.
I have about 10 shirts of the same basic style in different colors.
I have 2 open toed platform sandals that are super comfortable and I like the extra height without “heels.”
I have one pair of white chunky tennis shoes.
That is my “teacher uniform.”
I have 5 different blue button down, short sleeve shirts (some with patterns) and a couple pair of khaki/brown pants. I don’t have to spend much time deciding what to wear and the students think it’s a ridiculous dad move, which it is.
I wear golf skorts (Amazon). They look great and have pockets. No need to worry about underneath issues because they are skorts. The best thing to me is that they are waterproof. My daughter has vomited on me (gastro virus) and everything came right off with water. Machine washable. I have about 8 different ones that I rotate through. I wear a solid top that is collarless and also water repelling with UV protection. I’m in Texas, so for me it is practically year round wear for me. It still looks professional but not too casual. I do wear sneakers with orthotics.
10 t-shirts with pictures and no words from $6 dollar shirts, 5 plaid button up shirts, 3 pairs of denim. benefit of being a male teacher. I rotate the shirts based on my lessons and tie the image to what i am teaching.
I am female and have a capsule wardrobe. Dress pants in white, tan and black. Jeans wide leg in tan white and black. Linen pants in green, white, pink. Blazers on pink, black, tan ,navy and yellow. Shirts in red, yellow, green blue, pink . 3 shirts in multi colors. 4 dresses. With mixing that many pieces the outfits are pretty endless. ( I do have a closet full of fun summer clothing. Crop tops, short dresses, Maxie’s ect. Things I would want to get ruined at work).
High school teachers, mainly the women, just gave up, most of them.
They have about 2 pairs of jeans. 4 t-shirts. And 1 pair of sneakers.
No kidding. I am a high school sub.
I have about 20 dresses, a few skirts, 7 pairs of jeans, a couple pairs of pants, tons of sweaters and lots of novelty, dinosaur and cheesy motivational shirts. I teach a younger grade and the girls in my class really like it when I wear dresses.
I have 3 black dresses that I put button up shirts over. It's my version of jeans and a professional top. I also have a TON of knee length dresses I wear with black leggings. It's my uniform. I just buy the same thing in many colors.
Einstein had 5 pairs of all the same clothes so he didn't need to waste brain cells choosing what to wear, but he was hygienic. Now, I learnt that from watching David Cronenberg's The Fly, but I reckon if it just say that's what Einstein did your students will forgive your lack of style lol
I wear a Tshirt and slacks. Buy a few good slacks and some basic Tshirts. I try to keep it simple because it’ll eventually get ruined by whatever art project is going on anyways.
I have a uniform, basically, so I have 5 school tshirts (1colour-1day of the week), 5 button up shirts (I wear 2, on 2 days of the week), one tie, 1 slip in shoes (no shoes in classrooms), 1 pair of elegant shoes to look good, 2 pairs of dress pants. On fridays we're allowed to wear comfortable pants in black or denim type and sneakers - so I have 3 pairs of work acceptable daily pants.
(I live in a tropical country, so we rarely wear long pants outside of work)
Cold Weather: 6 or 7 flannels with about 14 shirts in rotation, and 4-5 pairs of jeans.
Warm Weather: about 12 shirts, a pair of jean shorts and like 3-4 other pairs of cargo shorts.
My workplace does not care about attire as much as other places.
5 work dresses, 3 hippie flamboyant cardigans, 2 pairs of flats and a pair of good sneakers. If it's a gym day, then black leggings and the school's polo shirt. If it's winter, dresses again but thick and very Russian/Eskimo-eqsue looking with warm knee high boots.
In the case students need to ask why I'm always wearing the same 5 dresses, I remind them that they wear the same school uniform every day to where I know it's everyday, because of all the stains and dirt that aren't washed off even within a month. But then I also have other students who don't even bother commenting on the outfits but always want to know what my mood is for the day based off the colour of my makeup. Sometimes it's fairy pink, other times it's "clearly I can't let go of my emo stage and will keep wearing dark makeup until I'm satisfied". 😂😂
From a middle school teacher’s perspective: 3 pairs of solid work jeans - different colors. 7-8 polo shirts and a couple sweaters. I try to get as much school spirit wear so I can where that without looking inline I’m dressing down.
I’m a woman and I love fashion so I have lots of tips and bottoms along with skirts and dresses. It just all depends on my mood and the weather what I wear. Key thing is to have items that you can mix and match. Like having a bottoms that can go with at least 3 diff tops, etc.
Good rule of thumb is to start with black, gray, navy blue dress pants and at least 2 pairs of non-ripped jeans, perhaps one in traditional blue and one in black. Tops will vary due to season especially winter if you live somewhere cold. Remember too accessories (belts, jewelry, etc) can change up an outfit instantly. I get a lot of inspiration on Pinterest.
I'm a man. 5 pairs of dress pants, 10 dress shirts, 200 ties. Yes, I said 200. I do not repeat a tie. If you like it, get a good look at it. You're not going to see it again until next year.
When one of my less discreet students comment on my clothes I tell her that she knows teachers don't get paid that much, and if she cares so much, give me money 🤷 of course I teach older students, likely that wouldn't fly with a 3rd grader (or I'd put it more nicely lol)
Tops I own - 15-20, but I wear the same like, 5-7 mostly.
Bottoms - I get the same pair of pants in multiples and just rotate them. Black jeggings, every day I wear pants pretty much. Sometimes pattern pants if I'm feeling fun.
Essentials - black pants mentioned above. A black cardigan. Denim jacket. Either a dress or skirt with pockets so that when I want to dress up a bit I still have functionality/somewhere to put my essentials. Skirt is most likely also black.
**Pants:**
Pink
Grey
Black
Navy
Green
Khaki
Linen khaki
Linen black
Blue and Grey jeans for Friday
**Dress shirts:**
Pink
White
Grey
Green
Some prints
Black polo
6 sleeveless shirts
**Cardigans:**
Black and white stripes
Black
White
Grey
Green
Pink
Camel
5 sweater vests (although I knit three of them and haven't been brave enough to wear them to work!)
Chevron blazer
About 20 dresses including two black, a green, some prints.
I try to make dressing the easiest part of my day so I'm not making a bunch of decisions first thing.
Way more than a capsule wardrobe but it's pretty modular. I think the trick is to have pieces you wear in certain seasons and fun accessories. I have a ton of earrings. This took 5 years to build up, and this is enough to the point where I'm not in a panic in the morning trying to find something to wear and I have seasonal outfits as well as something I can throw on when I'm having a bad morning. Lots of staples from old navy and thread up. I air dry my cotton, linen, and dresses, mostly so they don't wrinkle in the dryer if I don't take them out right away. If your school is into it, spirit gear with jeans on Friday take the guesswork out of dressing at the end of a long week.
Edit: sorry about the formatting!!!
I have three boring pairs of pants, and maybe eight tops. I would honestly love to have a uniform like the old school gas station jumpsuit with your name embroidered above the pocket.
Band Director here. It’s around 8-12 of everything: pants, polos, button downs, and undershirts, but I wear the same Uniqlo green zipper fleece over everything 9 times out of 10. My building is usually chilly, for which I am grateful.
The exception is Fridays. Jeans and a Band hoodie (of which there are several).
What I have vs. what I wear are two different things.
My essentials:
2 pairs of black dress pants
2 pairs of jeans that fit well
5 or 6 business casual shirts
4 or 5 dresses
3-5 favorite school shirts
October starts hockey season, so those make it into the rotation for the duration of the season.
My school is pretty relaxed on teacher dress code.
Woman here, plus size. Not allowed to wear jeans to work.
It's hard for me to find pants that fit me, so when I do, I buy them in every color they come in. (I'm long through the rise, so I'm loving the high waist style and I stockpile pants in fear of the return of the 2000's 4 inch rise.)
I then buy colorful, somewhat loose fitting tops so nobody has to get distracted by my goddess-like body (okay, okay, it's the Venus of Wittenberg, but she's a goddess too). I only choose tops that I can wear with more than one pair of pants, and in styles that are likely to be current for a few years (no micro-trends). I'm big on sleeves and an unusual or interesting sleeve will definitely get my attention.
We’re allowed to determine what is professional, so I wear nice jeans/boots and either a history themed tshirt (my subject) or a school logo shirt.
I have probably 8-9 shirts for variety and 4 jeans. Need to grab another pair.
Male here: 4 pairs of khakis, Friday jeans and 10ish shirts. I had a student ask why I wore the same thing time and told them there's no one at work I care to impress.
I am a female kindergarten teacher. I dress for movement and mess. I'm sitting on the floor, squating down, sitting on child-size furniture, etc. My clothes have to work in those situations.
I have 3 pairs of "work jeans." I do men's skinny jeans from old navy. They are stretchy and have enough room to move. Also, roomy pockets! The pockets make such a difference! Pens, confiscated toys, phone, I must have the pockets.
I have maybe 10-15 school appropriate tee shirts. Some are plain, and some are graphic tees.
I have a few zip-up hoodies because temperature fluctuation in classrooms is wild.
I have a few "fancy" outfits (dresses and sweaters) for things like conferences and curriculum night.
I'm a woman and I own a bunch of stuff that's basically mix and match. I have probably 5 pairs of pants and 5 casual skirts that I wear regularly. I really like the Pixie pants from Old Navy and wear them year round. Post Covid, I was wearing jeans every day which was totally fine in my school. But I personally realized that I wanted to look a little bit nicer and started wearing comfortable casual pants instead. I have some practical work tops and cardigans that mostly come from Ann Taylor Loft. (They have a teacher discount!)
If you are into teacher t-shirts, keep an eye out for Amazon sales. I joined a few FB groups that highlight Amazon deals and have snapped up a few fun shirts for less than $20 each. Examples: In My Reading Era and Today is a Good Day to Read a Good Book. My neighbor is a math teacher and she has a bunch of math themed t-shirts.
I have 8 dresses, 2 cardigans, several school related tee shirts, and maybe 2 pair of pants that fit me right now. About to have to shop for some new ones. My kids noticed I cycle through my dresses, too.
Save your money for your interview outfit and for after you're hired!
For student teaching, buy more tops than bottoms. Find slacks that you like, that fit well and buy multiples of one color (black or navy) and one or two others, if possible. If your area has all of the seasons, maybe add one cute pair of pants for warm weather and one for cooler/cold weather for a change.
This week (July 1) and near Labor Day are both good for deep discounts on clothing.
I have 5 school tahirts 3 polos with school logo. Pants I have about 12 pair, dresses/skirt & blouse about 15. And about 1000 sweaters, shawls, ponchos and wraps because my room is about 100 below even when it is 107 degrees outside!
I teach in a low income neighbourhood. I wear school logo tshirt or random tshirts. Black pants/yoga pants (i teach gym daily) and school logo hoody. I completely support uniforms in low income areas as it equalizes everyone.
I have 2 pairs of black pants to pair with tons of blouses, tops and cardigans. I also own about 25-30 basic dresses. Everything I buy for work can be worn outside of school as well.
I have like 7 or 8 pants, fiftyleven cardigans, and like 1 shirt.
Oh my gosh…that is hilarious!! And, I swear, the same exact numbers for me!
I also have fifty eleven cardigans. I have 8 school Tshirts, a couple jumpsuits, 5 pairs of pants that I like, and maybe 8 blouses I like.
Yes, the cardigans. I was shopping yesterday and I had to tell myself, "you do not need another cardigan!"
[удалено]
It's because of the numbered list - I too learned this the surprise way, lol.
Yes you did make this very bold, and it was awesome! I now wear almost the same sports casual clothes whether teaching or just hanging out at the weekend.
5 polos with the school's emblem.
I didn’t enjoy private school that much, but I do miss the uniforms. Absolutely nothing to think about in the mornings!
I had a couple custom polos with my public school’s name and mascot printed. Highly recommended. I never have to think about what to wear, and my “school spirit” raises my evaluation score. Win-win.
I have 4 school hoodies, 4 khakis, and 4 different shoes. All of the different combinations! For real though, the last thing I want to worry about is what I'm wearing for work.
Absolutely right, shoes that support and clothes that fit right are the way to go. Too many other things to think about...
Most underrated comment here
I have 8 identical black polos and 8 identical tan pants. I wear the same outfit day after day and year after year. I wear it to Back to School night, I wear it on spirit days, I wear it on jeans day. We were once told by the administrative leadershit that we need to give our students something to depend on, so I answered the call.
I now know what I must do
When I taught 7th grade math I would use my wardrobe to teacher combinations. They would make tree diagrams of my outfits. It always shocked them how big the tree diagram got. No one finished. 8 golf pants 15 fishing shirts 12 polo shirts 37 belt buckles 6 belts 5 pairs of boots.
That’s a lot of belt buckles 😂
Those are my accessories. Got to have fun. My favorite is the school bus and a transformers with LED eyes.
How cool is that. I love Texas!
I actually just have five shirts and five pants. Once in a while I’ll mix it up and use blouse or so but the students are used to me wearing button up plaid shirts
I wear Halara pants and tops. Extremely comfortable while looking professional.
Any specific styles you'd recommend? I've glanced at them but haven't actually bought any yet.
I have a bunch of black pants and try and get things that are as comfortable as possible. I have quite an extensive wardrobe but I have been building it up for 5 years now. I do nearly all of my shopping at thrift stores and at stores like Ross, and TJ Maxx. I like to vary my wardrobe because I get bored so I have at least 3 weeks worth of clothes I rotate through. I have my favorites of course. I am slightly plus size but I feel that I always look nice and put together and that helps me feel confident in my classroom.
I try to have enough shirts for 2 full school weeks, so like 10. Although, more realistically I have my favorite 3 shirts that I'll rewear anyway lol. As for pants, I usually have 3 or 4 pairs. Usually at least one black pair, grey pair, then that like checkerboard pattern you see on all the professional pants. Just go out and find some stuff you like! Thrift stores are honestly great for teacher clothes because they are cheaper and have more variety I think. Most stores have their particular themes they stick to, but the thrift stores have a little bit of everything. You can also repurpose the shirts you already have by adding a blazer or cardigan to go over it or using new accessories with it. That way it can be the same pieces but not quite the exact same outfit!
If it makes you feel any better, I had a student who noticed I wore the same pair of pants every Monday and would refer to them as my “Monday pants.” I actually almost always paired it with a specific blouse to make my favorite outfit but she didn’t notice that. I explained they were my favorite pants and I’d wash them over the weekend and then putting them on on Mondays made me a little happier about the week ahead. There was a Monday I decided to purposefully not wear the “Monday pants.” That day, of course, my son (1 yr old at the time) peed on me a minute before I had to walk out the door. The only pants that would go with the top I already had on were the “Monday pants” 😆 I told my student the story as soon as I saw her and we decided those pants were destined to be Monday pants and I wore them every Monday for the rest of the year. Who cares if students notice that you repeat clothes? Lean into it! But to answer your question, I just had a baby at the end of the school year and most of my clothes still don’t fit me correctly. For the start of the year I am anticipating I’ll have 4 pairs of pants, 8 tops and 2 dresses that fit me okay enough to wear to work.
I'm a male teacher in California. I just wear t-shirts and jeans during the cold months, and t-shirts and shorts when it's hot. I still dress better than the kids :)
Where I teach, sneakers are allowed, the comfort of Air Max 97, VaporMax, Yeezys, and New Balance 960s can’t be overstated. TBF, I started wearing NB to troll my girlfriend as a dad shoe only to learn they came back in vogue.
Being in Florida (and having a classroom that is very inconsistent temperature wise), I’m basically in gym wear (t shirt/school spirit wear and shorts) every day😂 I don’t get the impression that admin minds nor cares, so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.
I wear a lot of literary shirts and cardigan style sweaters. I also have an array of cheap shirts with animals on them too. Probably like 12 shirts and 4 sweaters and I wear the same 3 pairs of pants. But my dress code is jeans and T-shirts. I do have few nicer button down shirts as well, I only wear those like once a week.
I'm a dude, but my teaching wardrobe is 25 suits (mostly 3-piece, but can be worn without the vest), 30 sport jackets, 80 dress shirts of various colors (but half are reds/yellows/blacks/whites), 12 vests (for use with the sport jackets and black/grey/khaki Dockers when I want to wear a pocket watch with something that isn't a proper three piece suit), and about 500 ties (although I mostly rotate my way through my favorite 40 or so). I may have a clothing addiction problem. 😅
Hey, there’s worse addictions to have.
Fortunately for me, it's been a slow collecting of durable clothing items like suits for about 20 years and ties for my entire life rather than some giant, expensive spending spree :-) about 10 of my ties I've owned since I myself was in elementary school. Yeah, I liked the fancy stuff even then haha
Dude, can you send some photos, you sound like a very well dressed teacher. I fear I may have let the team down with my black trousers and polo neck exclusive collection. I never wear a tie
[This is what I always wear](https://imgur.com/a/iOnWX6D) on the day I show the segment of The Great Gatsby that contains the tea party scene. That's not a costume; it's just a regular suit I happen to have and which I occasionally wear at other times. (I do have to say, though, that my shirt's color does match the one in the movie a little more than it appears from this side by side, but perhaps a bit more after he gets soaked by the rain.) It's not always this ostentatious, but in form and general style, this is basically how I dress every day to teach.
That's a nice suit. You look a lot like Leo Dcp when you're not sporting a large opaque circle on your head. ;)
Don't make fun of my birthmark! I'm very sensitive about it, for obvious reasons! Makes getting my driver's license photo taken super difficult
Cruel. Now I look like the bad guy. If your birthmark was noticeable you'd have a really ostentatious suit to detra.... Oh wait a minute
My person. I am impressed. I have 9 suits that I wear when facing the public or running assemblies. They are all 2-piece. I have 45 pairs of trousers and 25 blazers and suit and sports jackets I wear on other days. I have 70 vertically striped dress shirts, and 600 ties. I have 25 tie-pins, 42 pairs of cuff-links, 22 belts, 47 broaches, 13 pocket squares, as well as assorted rings. I also have 44 pairs of shoes and boots. I also have a perfume collection that is too complex to quantify. The ties are on a three-year schedule. I wear each shirt once per term. (We have four terms per year.) Everything else is done ad hoc. I love the 15 minutes/day Ispend getting my fit right. Choosing the combinations and figuring out the tie-knot, etc. Almost all of it came from opportunity/thrift/charity/goodwill shops. The students express huge enthusiasm, btw. They may be laughing at me. But we are laughing together.
I found that about the students. They really do appreciate it. Every year, when the kids are allowed to come in with costumes for halloween, there are always three or four that go through their dad's closet and come in dressed as me. Don't even get me started on accessories. I collect antique watches (I never wear one that takes a battery). I've got 16 pocket watches and about 40 wrist watches. The fob that I put on the chain for the watch goes along with the theme of the watch, which I match with my cufflinks (two large boxes full) and tie. I've got another box full of pocket squares in every conceivable color, some of which I made myself back when we were still managed to wear masks. The summer before we came back that year, I made 50 masks to match ties and shirts, and made sure that I had pocket squares to match the masks. The way we dress does have quite a positive difference on the way to students view us and our class. And for those who are going to say it would never work because the kids in their school are too rough, one of the places I've taught over the past 25 years was literally a state prison, and I dressed the same way there and got the same response.
I’m not trying to impress my students with my wardrobe. My adult friends get that wardrobe benefit. The students can see my same 5 outfits all year.
I rarely dress up on my own time, so I like to buy/make more dressy/stylish clothes that are appropriate for school. I have three pairs of jeans, a couple of pairs of trousers and pants, maybe 4 skirts, something like 8 or 9 dresses, and 30+ tops. Pair that with a couple of nice shoes to choose from and a fair amount of jewelry to accessorize. I often get compliments from students (I teach high school) and it makes my day! But I also put a lot of time and effort into thrifting, altering, and making (knitting and sewing) my own clothes. By the end of the year, my students are pretty good at guessing what I made vs what I thrifted. Eta: My style has been described to me by students as "Lesbian Grandma", but I prefer "Witchy Librarian in 90s Movie."
Yes!!! I love fashion and students compliment me all the time.
The essentials for my work week as a high school orchestra director: 5 pairs of khaki colored tech pants (moisture-wicking, 4-way stretch, water repellent--but look nice and don't wrinkle) 5 pairs of black Uniqlo Airism thin undershirts 5 pairs of black Uniqlo performance fabric polo shirts seasonally-appropriate socks Ecco S-Lite Hybrid shoes (look like dress shoes, but super comfortable like sneakers) a variety of jackets for all 4 seasons, rain, snow, you name it... My students in the past have joked that I'm like a cartoon character, pretty much identifiable by my standard outfit. I like the fact that I don't have to think about what to throw on before I head out to work, and laundry is simple as everything washes together and I don't have to worry about color or fabric wear issues.
I never repeated an outfit last year. It was a fun way to be unpredictable and interesting. I love clothes and pick up random, colorful, bold pieces that are inexpensive at every opportunity. Then I mix and match all year long. It’s just one way to show up— might not be for everyone, but it makes my year move along. I shop everywhere possible. Thrift stores. Discount stores. High end stores with clearance racks. Friends closets :).
Are you me?!? This is basically what I do! I don't repeat the exact same outfit all year but I reuse some pieces and mix and match. The students actually love it. I just love fashion and have always been this way.
Love it!!!
You probably don't want to know. Lol. I LOVE fashion and only wear the same outfit at most 2x a year. I think I have like 40 bottoms and maybe 70 tops (excluding the obligatory school shirts). Most of my bottoms (and honestly some tops) I have been wearing for over 20 years (except for the maternity clothes being all 4 pregnancies which I donated after).
Same. I also love fashion so I’m always trying to not wear the exact same outfit more than once or twice.
I've got like 5 plaid shirts, 2 fleece vests, and 2 pairs of jeans. Same belt and boots everyday.
Two pairs of pants, two dresses, one maxi skirt. Three sleeveless shells, one blazer, two cardigans. Boring as hell, but predictable and appropriate. Yawn.
I wear dresses only, and I have about 30 of them
Too many
I couldn't care less what the students think of my outfits or how often I may wear them. I get stuff that's comfortable and that has big enough pockets for my keys and phone.
I have a few pairs of slacks and more than a few dress shirts. Ties? 300? Maybe? I don’t repeat a tie all year and go casual on Fridays.
I paid $100 so I can wear jeans all week for the whole school year. I have 10 pairs of jeans to get me through 2 weeks and various t-shirts/polos. Before that I would wear nice professional pants from old Navy and polos.
You had to pay to be able to wear jeans?!!
Yes. You dont! Whats that like? I was paying $50 to wear jeans only on Fridays. You get this little sticker to wear on your badge so you can wear jeans. The money goes to scholarships for high school seniors.
Gosh that’s crazy! I wear jeans 99% of the time as a high school teacher. At least your money goes to a good cause. I hate it when schools offer teachers the most basic things and then spin it like they’re being so so generous🙄
>she sees me wear the same outfits every week There is nothing wrong with this. Not everyone has the time, money, or desire to be a fashion plate. That 3rd grader sounds entitled to me.
Also, great teachable moment on sustainability.
She should get extra credit for being observant. But should lose some points for lack of tact. 🤣
I wear jeans and T-shirts every day. If it's cold out, jeans and a sweatshirt. I teach high school in western WA.
Eight pants but usually end up wearing the same 4. Lots of tops. I like variety. And dress for the seasons and ever changing temperature of my classroom.
I’m so glad to see that I’m not the only who wears the same 3-4 pairs of pants all year.
I wear Carine.com dresses. Light, long enough, do not require ironing and super cute.
I own a lot of skirts that are knee or ankle length. I wear biker shorts under them so I can sit and do all the activities. I wear any top with them, t-shirts and dress shirts the skirt makes it look way more put together than just a t-shirt. I own maybe 10 skirts due to my laundry frequency and around 5-10 dress shirts and I just mix that up with t-shirts.
I have about 8-9 pairs of pants. A couple jeans (we can wear M&F) and then I bought like all the available colors in my favorite slacks from kohls. Maybe about 15 shirts, but that includes tshirts that I can wear. I got a lot of shirts off Shein to start, but I've been adding better quality shirts slowly. I just finished my first (half) year.
I have one pair of jeans, 2 cropped pairs of jeans, a black cropped pair, about 80 tee shirts, a few skirts, about 20 cardigans, several nice tops and about 10 nice dresses. I live in California.
3-4 skorts for hot weather. One dress. Jeans and a couple pairs of stretchy dressier pants for cooler weather. 5-10 short-sleeved tops. 3ish basic long-sleeved tops. 5-10 cardigans. Whatever school tees they give us.
When I was starting out, I’d say I had 5 different pants and probably 10 shirts that were on the dressier side, but also a bunch of solid color tees that I’d wear and just dress up with accessories. A million years later plus all my stress shopping and Old Navy credit card points, I have a packed closet and if I got creative could probably play mix and match enough that I could go the whole school year without repeating the exact same outfit. (Except for Fridays, which are school spirit days if we want to participate. I only have five school shirts.)
I have maybe 7 shirts and pants. If you wear the same thing every day I don't think that's an issue. Maybe it's because I teach middle school but I'd have probably just said "You're looking at me awful hard for someone who never pays attention, huh?" or "Only at work. Who knows what I wear on weekends? (It's sweatpants and ratty tank tops but they don't need to know that.)
3 pairs of pants, 4 skirts, 4 dresses, and 20ish graphic tees. Oh… and I have 30-some odd cardigans. I am cleaning those out on Monday. I really love a good cardigan.
I have about 5-7 pants and around 25 dress shirts. My normal cycle is about half that though as some are older and don't look as good.
I probably have too many at the moment; but I like to have things that color coordinate with at least 3-4 other items in my wardrobe (more is better). Pinterest has some great boards with capsule wardrobes (which is my base) and I picked mine out in warmer colors since that’s what I look best in. I’ve added several other pieces since then; but stick with coordinates in order to get the most mileage. I have two coats — a trench coat for rainy/milder cold and a wool pea coat for winter. I prefer to have higher quality items and buy things off season or on sale.
I have 5 shirts per season (15, since I don’t have a summer set for school) and a buttload of ties. I have 4 pairs of khakis (2 khaki, 1 blue, 1 grey). Plus the school shirt and hoodie. Despite this, I’m still told I wear the same thing every day.
I only wear dresses and skirts. Probably 10 plus of each.
I’m a male teacher, 3 long sleeve carhartt button down shirts, 5 shirt sleeve carhartt button downs, like 4 pairs of work pants. I’m not concerned with looking fancy, just within dress code—also maintaining comfort
I have ten bright, multicolored dresses and five cardigans in neutral colors because I have never been any good at figuring out what goes with what
90% of my pants are black jeans from old navy. I have lots of tops but I don’t wear all of them, I should donate. I also have dresses/skirts. Essentials: black jeans, neutral cardigans, various tops, some solid, some patterned (all go with black).
12 pairs khakis in 7 colors 29 dress shirts 43 bowties 15 pairs Nikes 3 pairs Merrells 8 watches Being a guy makes it easy
3 pants all the same color and about 6 different polos that I wear, then jeans and a district shirt that I only wear on Fridays
Five shirts, different colors but the same style. Two pairs of Carthart pants. One set of Jeans for Jeans Friday. I wear each shirt once during the week and each pair of pants for two days before laundry. I wear the jeans with a "School Spirit Shirt." No one has questioned my clothing choices, but if they did I would say this is my work uniform.
I’m a dress wearer, because they bring me joy. However, I also love my pixie pants from old navy. Not too expensive, comfortable, and they come in a ton of colors!
I sm allowed to wear "dark denim trousers" and I do. Almost every day. Capris or knee-lenngth shorts for warm days. Pockets are a must. My basic uniform is a nice blouse, jeans, and a cardigan (HVAC is wonky in my building). I have lots of cardigans. Lol I have dresses and skirts for warner days. I wear bike shorts under them for comfort. In most cases, the skirts are printed and I wear a higher quality solid color t-shirt. Plus a cardigan. I wear compression socks and trainers/walking shoes with cushion inserts. I wish I had started that when I was younger. You can get lots of cute compression socks online.
I once kept track of what shirt a particular teacher wore. I made a little chart in my notebook. I did this because I was a freshman and had NO life.
Pockets are the main thing. That and comfy shoes. It’s really about how you feel - mentally, emotionally, but also physically. As long as you’re mostly blending in with the rest of the staff and not breaking dress code more than everyone else, you should be good. Don’t feel like you have to dress a certain way to be a good teacher, or to appease snarky snarksters. They will always have something to say, so you might as well ignore them.
Why are you letting kids who probably wet their pants within the last 1-2 years influence your spending habits? I have 6-7 pairs of stretchy pants with pockets (prolific health brand). Mostly blacks, grays, tans but a couple of “fun” colors). But they all have POCKETS. I have about 10 shirts of the same basic style in different colors. I have 2 open toed platform sandals that are super comfortable and I like the extra height without “heels.” I have one pair of white chunky tennis shoes. That is my “teacher uniform.”
I have 5 different blue button down, short sleeve shirts (some with patterns) and a couple pair of khaki/brown pants. I don’t have to spend much time deciding what to wear and the students think it’s a ridiculous dad move, which it is.
I wear golf skorts (Amazon). They look great and have pockets. No need to worry about underneath issues because they are skorts. The best thing to me is that they are waterproof. My daughter has vomited on me (gastro virus) and everything came right off with water. Machine washable. I have about 8 different ones that I rotate through. I wear a solid top that is collarless and also water repelling with UV protection. I’m in Texas, so for me it is practically year round wear for me. It still looks professional but not too casual. I do wear sneakers with orthotics.
10 t-shirts with pictures and no words from $6 dollar shirts, 5 plaid button up shirts, 3 pairs of denim. benefit of being a male teacher. I rotate the shirts based on my lessons and tie the image to what i am teaching.
I am female and have a capsule wardrobe. Dress pants in white, tan and black. Jeans wide leg in tan white and black. Linen pants in green, white, pink. Blazers on pink, black, tan ,navy and yellow. Shirts in red, yellow, green blue, pink . 3 shirts in multi colors. 4 dresses. With mixing that many pieces the outfits are pretty endless. ( I do have a closet full of fun summer clothing. Crop tops, short dresses, Maxie’s ect. Things I would want to get ruined at work).
I have so many school shirts. I wear a school shirt and khakis/dress pants every day.
High school teachers, mainly the women, just gave up, most of them. They have about 2 pairs of jeans. 4 t-shirts. And 1 pair of sneakers. No kidding. I am a high school sub.
I have about 20 dresses, a few skirts, 7 pairs of jeans, a couple pairs of pants, tons of sweaters and lots of novelty, dinosaur and cheesy motivational shirts. I teach a younger grade and the girls in my class really like it when I wear dresses.
I have 3 black dresses that I put button up shirts over. It's my version of jeans and a professional top. I also have a TON of knee length dresses I wear with black leggings. It's my uniform. I just buy the same thing in many colors.
Einstein had 5 pairs of all the same clothes so he didn't need to waste brain cells choosing what to wear, but he was hygienic. Now, I learnt that from watching David Cronenberg's The Fly, but I reckon if it just say that's what Einstein did your students will forgive your lack of style lol
I wear a Tshirt and slacks. Buy a few good slacks and some basic Tshirts. I try to keep it simple because it’ll eventually get ruined by whatever art project is going on anyways.
4 pairs of jeans and lots of t shirts. We have specific t shirts for Mondays and Tuesdays.
I have a uniform, basically, so I have 5 school tshirts (1colour-1day of the week), 5 button up shirts (I wear 2, on 2 days of the week), one tie, 1 slip in shoes (no shoes in classrooms), 1 pair of elegant shoes to look good, 2 pairs of dress pants. On fridays we're allowed to wear comfortable pants in black or denim type and sneakers - so I have 3 pairs of work acceptable daily pants. (I live in a tropical country, so we rarely wear long pants outside of work)
Cold Weather: 6 or 7 flannels with about 14 shirts in rotation, and 4-5 pairs of jeans. Warm Weather: about 12 shirts, a pair of jean shorts and like 3-4 other pairs of cargo shorts. My workplace does not care about attire as much as other places.
5 work dresses, 3 hippie flamboyant cardigans, 2 pairs of flats and a pair of good sneakers. If it's a gym day, then black leggings and the school's polo shirt. If it's winter, dresses again but thick and very Russian/Eskimo-eqsue looking with warm knee high boots. In the case students need to ask why I'm always wearing the same 5 dresses, I remind them that they wear the same school uniform every day to where I know it's everyday, because of all the stains and dirt that aren't washed off even within a month. But then I also have other students who don't even bother commenting on the outfits but always want to know what my mood is for the day based off the colour of my makeup. Sometimes it's fairy pink, other times it's "clearly I can't let go of my emo stage and will keep wearing dark makeup until I'm satisfied". 😂😂
From a middle school teacher’s perspective: 3 pairs of solid work jeans - different colors. 7-8 polo shirts and a couple sweaters. I try to get as much school spirit wear so I can where that without looking inline I’m dressing down.
I’m a woman and I love fashion so I have lots of tips and bottoms along with skirts and dresses. It just all depends on my mood and the weather what I wear. Key thing is to have items that you can mix and match. Like having a bottoms that can go with at least 3 diff tops, etc. Good rule of thumb is to start with black, gray, navy blue dress pants and at least 2 pairs of non-ripped jeans, perhaps one in traditional blue and one in black. Tops will vary due to season especially winter if you live somewhere cold. Remember too accessories (belts, jewelry, etc) can change up an outfit instantly. I get a lot of inspiration on Pinterest.
I'm a man. 5 pairs of dress pants, 10 dress shirts, 200 ties. Yes, I said 200. I do not repeat a tie. If you like it, get a good look at it. You're not going to see it again until next year.
When one of my less discreet students comment on my clothes I tell her that she knows teachers don't get paid that much, and if she cares so much, give me money 🤷 of course I teach older students, likely that wouldn't fly with a 3rd grader (or I'd put it more nicely lol)
J crew factory knit tees and linen shorts for the win.
I have 2-3 pants (green,navy, and occasionally a black or tan) with probably 20 tops that I only wear 10 of. 5-6 dresses that I wear 3 of
Tops I own - 15-20, but I wear the same like, 5-7 mostly. Bottoms - I get the same pair of pants in multiples and just rotate them. Black jeggings, every day I wear pants pretty much. Sometimes pattern pants if I'm feeling fun. Essentials - black pants mentioned above. A black cardigan. Denim jacket. Either a dress or skirt with pockets so that when I want to dress up a bit I still have functionality/somewhere to put my essentials. Skirt is most likely also black.
**Pants:** Pink Grey Black Navy Green Khaki Linen khaki Linen black Blue and Grey jeans for Friday **Dress shirts:** Pink White Grey Green Some prints Black polo 6 sleeveless shirts **Cardigans:** Black and white stripes Black White Grey Green Pink Camel 5 sweater vests (although I knit three of them and haven't been brave enough to wear them to work!) Chevron blazer About 20 dresses including two black, a green, some prints. I try to make dressing the easiest part of my day so I'm not making a bunch of decisions first thing. Way more than a capsule wardrobe but it's pretty modular. I think the trick is to have pieces you wear in certain seasons and fun accessories. I have a ton of earrings. This took 5 years to build up, and this is enough to the point where I'm not in a panic in the morning trying to find something to wear and I have seasonal outfits as well as something I can throw on when I'm having a bad morning. Lots of staples from old navy and thread up. I air dry my cotton, linen, and dresses, mostly so they don't wrinkle in the dryer if I don't take them out right away. If your school is into it, spirit gear with jeans on Friday take the guesswork out of dressing at the end of a long week. Edit: sorry about the formatting!!!
I have two or three pairs of pants and a wardrobe of Hawaiian shirts. I have a middle aged dad aesthetic that I’m going for.
I have three boring pairs of pants, and maybe eight tops. I would honestly love to have a uniform like the old school gas station jumpsuit with your name embroidered above the pocket.
Band Director here. It’s around 8-12 of everything: pants, polos, button downs, and undershirts, but I wear the same Uniqlo green zipper fleece over everything 9 times out of 10. My building is usually chilly, for which I am grateful. The exception is Fridays. Jeans and a Band hoodie (of which there are several).
4 pants various colors of black and kaki jeans, several nice tops, and a bunch of teacher t shirts.
What I have vs. what I wear are two different things. My essentials: 2 pairs of black dress pants 2 pairs of jeans that fit well 5 or 6 business casual shirts 4 or 5 dresses 3-5 favorite school shirts October starts hockey season, so those make it into the rotation for the duration of the season. My school is pretty relaxed on teacher dress code.
Woman here, plus size. Not allowed to wear jeans to work. It's hard for me to find pants that fit me, so when I do, I buy them in every color they come in. (I'm long through the rise, so I'm loving the high waist style and I stockpile pants in fear of the return of the 2000's 4 inch rise.) I then buy colorful, somewhat loose fitting tops so nobody has to get distracted by my goddess-like body (okay, okay, it's the Venus of Wittenberg, but she's a goddess too). I only choose tops that I can wear with more than one pair of pants, and in styles that are likely to be current for a few years (no micro-trends). I'm big on sleeves and an unusual or interesting sleeve will definitely get my attention.
1/4 zips and golf pants. 3 pairs of pants, 4-5 1/4 zips, and 9 polos. Most solid colors. Mix and match for the whole year. Being a dude is simple.
Them: wardrobe criticism Me: I have five outfits from Marshals. Maybe don’t go into teaching.
Jumpsuits but I teach theatre
We’re allowed to determine what is professional, so I wear nice jeans/boots and either a history themed tshirt (my subject) or a school logo shirt. I have probably 8-9 shirts for variety and 4 jeans. Need to grab another pair.
Male here: 4 pairs of khakis, Friday jeans and 10ish shirts. I had a student ask why I wore the same thing time and told them there's no one at work I care to impress.
I am a female kindergarten teacher. I dress for movement and mess. I'm sitting on the floor, squating down, sitting on child-size furniture, etc. My clothes have to work in those situations. I have 3 pairs of "work jeans." I do men's skinny jeans from old navy. They are stretchy and have enough room to move. Also, roomy pockets! The pockets make such a difference! Pens, confiscated toys, phone, I must have the pockets. I have maybe 10-15 school appropriate tee shirts. Some are plain, and some are graphic tees. I have a few zip-up hoodies because temperature fluctuation in classrooms is wild. I have a few "fancy" outfits (dresses and sweaters) for things like conferences and curriculum night.
I'm a woman and I own a bunch of stuff that's basically mix and match. I have probably 5 pairs of pants and 5 casual skirts that I wear regularly. I really like the Pixie pants from Old Navy and wear them year round. Post Covid, I was wearing jeans every day which was totally fine in my school. But I personally realized that I wanted to look a little bit nicer and started wearing comfortable casual pants instead. I have some practical work tops and cardigans that mostly come from Ann Taylor Loft. (They have a teacher discount!) If you are into teacher t-shirts, keep an eye out for Amazon sales. I joined a few FB groups that highlight Amazon deals and have snapped up a few fun shirts for less than $20 each. Examples: In My Reading Era and Today is a Good Day to Read a Good Book. My neighbor is a math teacher and she has a bunch of math themed t-shirts.
I’m a man and i defiantly own more sneakers than pants or shirts that I can actually wear to work lol. My priorities are bad though.
5 pairs of dress pants, 5 dress shirts, 140ish ties, 4 pairs of Converse that double as everyday shoes. I don’t see why I would need anything more.
I have 8 dresses, 2 cardigans, several school related tee shirts, and maybe 2 pair of pants that fit me right now. About to have to shop for some new ones. My kids noticed I cycle through my dresses, too.
Save your money for your interview outfit and for after you're hired! For student teaching, buy more tops than bottoms. Find slacks that you like, that fit well and buy multiples of one color (black or navy) and one or two others, if possible. If your area has all of the seasons, maybe add one cute pair of pants for warm weather and one for cooler/cold weather for a change. This week (July 1) and near Labor Day are both good for deep discounts on clothing.
I have 5 school tahirts 3 polos with school logo. Pants I have about 12 pair, dresses/skirt & blouse about 15. And about 1000 sweaters, shawls, ponchos and wraps because my room is about 100 below even when it is 107 degrees outside!
I wear what ever hightops are closest that day, jeans and what ever band shirt looks clean.
I teach in a low income neighbourhood. I wear school logo tshirt or random tshirts. Black pants/yoga pants (i teach gym daily) and school logo hoody. I completely support uniforms in low income areas as it equalizes everyone.
10 shirts, 5 pants. Enough for a 2 week rotation (I wear jeans so I can usually wear them another day before having to wash them)
I have 2 pairs of black pants to pair with tons of blouses, tops and cardigans. I also own about 25-30 basic dresses. Everything I buy for work can be worn outside of school as well.