I am a preschool teacher, at a Christian school, and we have a very strict dress code. We must dress professional, business casual, but I'm running around with kids all day, so I need comfort and wash-ability when it comes to clothes. We must wear closed toed shoes, or sandals with straps (no heels). We can wear pants, capris, and the occasional dark denim jean, skirts and dresses, but they must come down to at least our knee. Shirts must have sleeves, must not be too tight, can't be revealing (at all), and need to be cool, as it is about to be summer time in Texas, and we spend a lot of time outside. I usually wear a pair of khakis, a fitted t-shirt made of a nicer material than a regular tee, a cardigan, and loafers. Boring. If I'm feeling exciting, I'll wear a skirt, sandals, and a blouse... with a cardigan. I have a huge walk-in closet full of clothes- mostly basics, but for some reason, I can't put together an outfit that is stylish for work. I'm starting to look like my kindergarten teachers- I'm afraid holiday vests and ankle length denim skirts are around the corner. :(
To read the rest of "Help Desk: Can a Preschool Teacher Be Stylish AND Realistic?", head over to Lindsay Ferrier's new column at The Stir by CafeMom.