Hi guys! So I'm not claiming to be an expert on the art of teaching but I would like to bring awareness today to the topic of the term "work-appropriate", especially when it comes to teaching. I don't know how it is for guys but I can speak to how it is for women.
Imagine you're a high school teacher. Most of those kids are going through changes that they don't quite understand and are quite frankly very sexually minded. Or even if they do understand, same outcome. Now imagine that you are a female teacher who wants to look their best. You put on that skirt that your friends assured you looked awesome and the blouse to match. You get to school and you start getting looks from other teachers that are not very inviting. And then you notice students staring at you. In class, you can't sit properly or bend because you'll be showing more than those students should see of you. Sexy is not a word that should be coming from your students' mouths. You are in a profession of teaching - which means professional dress. This isn't strictly a teacher thing - this should be applied to everyone and anyone world-wide.
There's nothing wrong with looking good don't get me wrong. I don't leave the house unless I am sure that my wardrobe does indeed look good. But the term "work-appropriate" should be a universal term. When you are going to buy clothes, do the movement test. My teachers and professors told me that when trying different things on, start to bend as if picking something up, move around as if needing to pick something up and put it down. If that skirt ends up showing too high on your leg or, heaven forbid, your buttocks, that is NOT work appropriate. If that shirt ends up showing a lot of cleavage or plunges much to low, you can't wear it without a cami underneath. Invest in camis! They are lifesavers...and job savers!! If you can't comfortable sit or cross your legs, you probably should reconsider buying that pencil skirt. Fit is a very important word that is used when choosing clothes. If a shirt or pants are too tight, consider going up a size and tailoring it a bit. The show, What Not to Wear, has some great pointers as to finding the right fit for you. Size doesn't matter - fit does.
You want to be treated like a professional but you wear slutty clothing (I'd say sorry for the bluntness of that phrase, but I'm not sorry as it is an issue in today's society) or sweats and sandals to work? Common style sense says that you should dress the way you want to be treated.
