Planning outfits for my new job :-)

I've got a job as a classroom assistant in a school. On all my visits to the school, I've not noticed any sort of dress code, but I prefer to dress 'up' a little, as it makes me feel like I'm working/professional.

I've looked through my old threads and found this http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....-to-friday - this is how I would dress in the winter. I've been volunteering at another school doing a similar job, and found the pants/top/cardigan outfits work well - I don't look too formal, and I can kneel on the floor next to a child, or lean over them, and still feel comfortable.

I'm a bit more concerned about the summer, as I don't feel I dress that well once it's warm - it hasn't mattered up until now, as I've been at home/studying!

I'm going to look for some lighter, summer-weight pants, and I have a couple of knit ... vests, I suppose you'd call them, that could be my third piece. I might well have issues with shoes - I have fussy feet that prefer socks and booties!

I would like to get a sort of work 'capsule' together for winter, transitional (spring and autumn) and summer (if we get one here in the UK), then I can work on my summer off-duty wardrobe - we're off to California in the summer!

Any suggestions for summer equivalents for the outfits in that thread would be very gratefully received.

12 years ago

Molly L-R

Active Member

Love your brown brogue booties in that post! Summer is always a bugbear for me too. Though last year I managed to figure out a "uniform" of sorts, which for me consisted of a solid coloured Primark T-shirt with a patterned skirt. If you're not squeamish about shopping in Primark, I really do recommend their T's. They're 97% cotton so will make you feel less sticky than anything made of polyester.

Actually, that's my number one tip in the heat - don't wear polyester!! On your top half you could go for sleeveless button up shirts, shell tops or embellished vests. If you're not a big fan of skirts, you could go for linen trousers. Marks and Spencers do some great ones and, having worn them to work in Cairo in 30-35 degrees, I can vouch that they really do keep you cool. My feet don't like going sockless so my summer go to shoe is a flat gladiator sandal, or any kind of sandal with a buckle.

Hope this helps!

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Have you considered a cropped/shorter cardi, possibly tucked-in top and knee length (or therebouts) skirts?

Suz

(website)

Congratulations on the job!

I can sympathize with the difficulties of summer dressing. I don't know how warm it gets where you are or how long school is in session. But your basic plan sounds like a good one.

For footwear, what about a variation of what you are wearing in your post? http://www.clarks.co.uk/p/20353815

modgrl

All of your winter outfits are so elegant and lovely. Can you give us some idea of what your summer pieces look like?

I think it is a nice idea to dress well in a classroom setting. The dress style of dress is all over the place at my daughter's preschool. It makes a nice impression on the parents as well as the kids if the teachers are put together.

PS - how is your son doing away at school?

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

Do you like knit dresses? As long as they are not too short, and have some give or a full skirt, I think they could work quite well. You could add an optional cardigan as a second piece.

Kiwichik

I wondered if these articles by Allie at Wardrobe Oxygen might be helpful:

http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/.....r-and.html

http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/.....ttire.html

ButterflyLady

Molly L-R - I'm not squeamish about shopping in Primark (!) although I find H&M t-shirts a better fit for me. I am wondering if a t-shirt would be formal enough for working in a school - I guess I'll have to watch what other staff wear. My only issue with linen trousers is the creasing, as it makes me feel schlumpy if I'm creased.

biscuitsmom - Thank you - I'm just getting back into skirts. The skirt shape that suits me best is a straight or pencil skirt. I just bought a black one in the sales, which I was going to wear with flat boots, thick tights and a fine knit sweater for autumn/winter. I will certainly look for some summer skirts to wear in the way you suggest - because of my weird torso proportions (biggish bust, short waist, long rise) I can *only* tuck into a skirt, it looks weird if I tuck into pants.

Suz - thanks - I don't know how warm it will get either - the vagaries of UK weather are a mystery even to those of us who have lived here our whole lives! It can get very warm at times - up to 80, but it doesn't normally last too long. Equally, the temperature can struggle to get to 70 and can be grey and drizzly, even in the summer. School finishes around the third week of July. I LOVE the shoes you linked to - I will order those to see how my feet like them. I normally like a little bit of a heel, because my legs are short in proportion to my body, so it looks better, but sometimes comfort trumps all of that!

modgrl - thank you for your nice comments. I have virtually nothing for summer that would be suitable for work. I have very few summer clothes as I don't like them, and so I don't buy them! The only thing I can think of is the pants in this thread http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ut-welcome - I don't have much that I can wear on top though, apart from t-shirts Still, I'm looking on it as a great shopping opportunity!

rhubarbgirl - I have a lovely knit dress for autumn/winter that I've already worn to my volunteering job - seen here http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ve-a-dress and I will be looking for some that are suitable for summer. I find this slightly stretchy soft style of dress easy to wear for what can be quite a physical (by which I mean lots of leaning, bending etc) job.

Kiwichik - oh yes, those links were very helpful, thank you.

I am beginning my shopping by ordering the Clarks shoes Suz linked to, these pants http://www.next.co.uk/x5174s5#141140x51 which I think are a bit lighter and 'minkier' in real life and these pants because navy would be a good colour for spring (I like the pants in Next, they tend to fit me really well). Tops are going to be more difficult as we are over run here in the UK with loose flowing shirts (which don't suit me) and lots of sheer fabrics. I don't suit button downs because of my largish bust, and I don't find them comfortable at all.

Ornella

Congratulations on the job BL. I like the outfits in your old thread and think they are definitely great basis for the capsule.

With summer still quite away, I'd probably wait a bit with sorting that capsule. I am sure what you learn right now, from the wardrobe you wear, may have an effect what actually will the best options for you later on. Some unexpected things may turn our to be winners, other may prove to be total misses.

One thing I would definitely bear in mind is modesty. You got me thinking about my son's teachers and TAs when he was at school, and one thing that instantly popped to my mind was one lovely TA (my favorite of 3 in fact), but she sometimes wore tops which either had wide necklines or were a bit baggy - it always made me wonder how she can lean over kids' desks and not feel she may be exposing a bit too much.

Another thing for me would definitely be practicality, but most important comfort. It's a hard job, many hours on the feet, comfy shoes would be a must, followed by the clothes that don't restrict movement in any way.

Ornella, yes you're right about both modesty and comfort. I am not going to buy too much just yet, but I'm aware that shoes particularly sell out quickly in my size, and I find shoes hard to buy anyway. It could take me until June to find some ....

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