5 things to consider when dressing for school - clothing considerations for music teachers and anyone else who teaches

Sometimes balancing the professional look of a teacher with the physical demmands of the job itself is tricky.

In my music class we run, hop, skip, jump, spin, roll and crawl, bend and reach.  Before and after school, I am painting, gluing, glittering, hauling, dusting and de-gunking. 
Hardly a day goes by when my clothes are free from the little gifts my students leave for me as they share their sneezy germs and lunch smeared hugs.

And yet, because I am a teacher I am supposed to look nice..... Sometimes I do a better job than other when I'm dressing for school.  Personally my taste runs toward fancy, but when faced with the reality of what I do, I'm always at risk of dressing lazily.  Somewhere in the middle of fancy and lazy is my goal; what I would term, "realistic professional"....  Everyday I want to wear clothes that will facilitate my ability to do my job.  I'm not going to wear a suit, and even though I might wish the powers that be would allow the music teachers to dress like the gym teachers,  I'm going to quit trying to find clothes in the athletic department and see if I can find things in my closet that will fit my desire to look my best while allowing me to move as easily as if I were wearing gym clothes.  I'm pretty sure this is on my mind because I'm right in the middle of going through my closet, so I am more familiar now with the contents of my closet than I will be until next summer!

One thing I know is that you can't dress appropriately for being a teacher if you don't have the right sort of clothes.  You also can't do your job as a teacher if you are always having to think about how to move in your constraining, too tight, too short, too low, too uncomfortable clothes.  So here are few things I'm considering as I clean out my closet and re-assess my clothing situation.  For this post at least, I'll consentate on the things that should be AVOIDED!

5 things to consider when dressing for school

(clothing considerations for music teachers and anyone else who teaches)

 

1.  Consider your shirts, tops and blouses and how they move when you move

• No midriff - If you put your hands in the air and your midriff shows your shirt may not be long enough.
• No cleavage - If you bend forward and expose ANY cleavage at all  you neckline may be too deep.
• No bra straps - If your bra stap shows  your shoulders may be cut too large, or your neck line may be cut too wide..
• No underarms - If when you put your arms in the air your neighbor can see your underarm, bra band, and/or side - your sleeves may be cut too large, or the bodice may be too big.
• No tugging - If when you move, your shirt rides up - your shirt may be too tight.

ALL of these "shirt" issues can be solved with appropriate undergarments. Sometimes these issues can be solved with proper tailoring or even the right type of camisole.  Before you give up on a shirt, make sure that you are wearing a bra that is properly fitted and the correct construction for the shirt.

 

 

 

2. Consider your pants and how they move when you move

 

• No underwear hints - If when you bend or twist you are advertising for your favorite style of underwear by exposing your lower back- your wasitline is too low for work. 
• No hem tripping - If when you walk, hop, skip or run you have to pick up your pant leg, - your hems are too long
• No puffy pants - If when your pants are buttoned and zipped, you spill over the top, - your pants are too small.  A pair of pants that fit, in a size chosen not because of the number on the label but because of how amazing they make you look is a much better choice.  Imagine having to ask a student to pick something up off the floor because you are afraid your pants will split.... (horrifying!) Buy a larger size please.
• No droopy drawers - If you are constantly having to pull your pants up, good for you!  You are either loosing weight, OR you just need a belt. 

All of these "pants" issues can be solved by purchasing pants that fit, or getting them tailored.  You can eaisly learn how to hem pants.  Also, if you regularly have a problem of inadvertantly showing your underwear, then you should consider shopping at a different store, or covering up the waist band of your pants with either a camisole or those new knit waist bands designed especially to cover your lower back.

 

 

3. Consider your skirts, dresses and shorts and how they move when you move

• No backs of knees - If when you stand straght, the backs of your knees are showing - your skirt or dress will expose your upper thighs when you bend or reach - Can you go an entire day without bending or reaching? at work?  really?
• No upper thighs - If when you raise your hands your neckline dips to expose cleavage OR your hem line exposes your upper thighs - you have a length problem.
• No transparency. - If you shine a light behind this skirt or dress, can you see the outline of the body? - you have a transparency problem

All of these issues can be solved either by lengthening your choice of skirts and dresses OR by adding some leggings or tights to your wardrobe.  Opaque leggings or tights add to the modestly of any dress or skirt.   Hosery is not as common as it once was, but I'll admit that I'm a fan of hose because I've noticed that they even make the legs of beautiful people more attractive! Also - ANY dress worn ESPECIALLY ON STAGE, or outside in the sunshine, or in a room where light shines behind you no matter how opaque it may seem MUST MUST MUST MUST be worn with a slip! 

 

4. Consider your footwear and outerwear and accessories

• footwear should be comfortable and supportive so that you can reach the end of the day full of energy..... Ask yourself these questions

 

                       1. Does my footwear allow me to run, skip, hop and jump without impediment?

 

                       2. Am I likely to walk out of these shoes in an emergency?

 

                       3. Can you stand in these shoes for an entire performance?

 

• jewelery - I bet you wouldn't be at all surprised to find out that I love dangly earrings.  I loved wearing them too until a student accidentally got their finger caught in my long loopy earring during a game..... When I know that I'm going to be engaging in movement activities with my students I get VERY conservative in my use of jewlery.  I love wearing the flashy stuff, just not while I'm teaching.

 

5. Consider your venue

Stages have backlighting.  Skirts and dresses that are worn without slips are transparent - EVEN ones that don't look transparent from home.

Stages or audiences are often elevated - Your audience will either be looking down on you or up at you.  If the audience is looking down, your neckline needs to be more modest. If the audience is looking up, your hemline needs to be more modest.

Dressing immodestly or unthoughtfully for a student performance is highly distracting to the participants and the audience. 

 

 

6. For the men among us.

 

Although this list is written primarily for women, some of the best music teachers I know are men.  Men have less issues with this because they have fewer clothing options. Nevertheless, here are some guidelines.

• No midriff - If you put your hands in the air and your midriff shows your shirt may not be long enough.
• No underarms - If when you put your arms in the air your neighbor can see your underarm, bra band, and/or side - your sleeves may be cut too large, or the bodice may be too big.
• No tugging - If when you move, your shirt rides up - your shirt may be too tight.
• No underwear hints - If when you bend or twist you are advertising for your favorite style of underwear by exposing your lower back- your wasitline is too low for work. 

Guys, so much can be solved by trying clothes on and a good pair of suspenders is always helpful when you are trying to keep your brand of underwear a secret.