Signature School Style: Fashion for Teachers

Teaching Attire Basics: Bag

I have divided my 'bags' post into three. I find that day to day, black and brown bags are the ones you find yourself going to time and time again, that seem to suit every outfit and have something classic about them.

That being said, I love a good fashion statement, and there are some gorgeous bright handbags out there that I couldn't resist adding!

Black Bags:

Zara Leather bucket bag with braided handle

Zara Zip Handle Bucket Bag

Selected Leather Bag in Black

ALDO Sharifi Bag In Black

Brown Bags:

New Look Lola Shopper Bag In Tan

ASOS Vintage-Style Punchout Satchel Bag

Fiorelli Nikki Bag

Cambridge Satchel Company 13" Leather Satchel in Tan

Coloured Bags:

ASOS Double Tab Satchel Bag

ZARA Leather City Bag with Front Pocket

ZARA Leather bag with rigid handle

ZARA Bowling Bag with Quilted Detail

ZARA Gussetted Shopper Bag

ZARA Mini-city Bag

ZARA Mini City Bag with Zip Details

ZARA Mini City Bag

And when all else fails, and you need something reliable and spacious, there's always:

Available in pretty much every colour imaginable: Longchamp Le Pliage

Teaching Attire Basics: Skirt

Similar to the midi-dress, the midi-skirt allows for increased sophistication and comfort. It is more versatile than a midi-dress however, as can match it with an entirely different top and shoes every day and no one will notice you've been wearing the same item of clothing for three weeks in a row. They tend to look great paired with a well-fitting blazer!

ASOS Belted Pencil Skirt in Longer Length

ASOS Check Print Pencil Skirt

ASOS Drape Tulip Skirt in Crepe

ASOS Belted Pencil Skirt

I LOVE this Topshop skirt (Yes- I own it). It's no longer available on the Topshop website, but I'd keep an eye out on Ebay as I've seen quite a few up there.

Teaching Attire Basics: Trousers

I have a big bottom. I know a lot of girls say this and it's not the case- but I promise you, mine is quite significant. For this reason, finding flattering trousers that fit me can be quite tough. Especially since most 'work' style trousers don't have pockets on the bum- which seems to magnify my ass(et) exponentially.

That is the reason a lot of these trousers are a bit looser fitting at the top and tighter nearer the bottom of the leg- on top of them being a better fit on me, I also just find them more flattering!

Boohoo Elsie Tartan Lace Trim Cigarette Trousers

Asos Peg Trousers in Jersey

Oasis Cotton Sateen Tailored Trousers

ASOS Peg Trousers With Pleat Front

ASOS Closet Tapered Trouser With Ankle Zip

ASOS 2 Pack Jersey Peg Trousers in Plain Black and Spot Print Save 25%

ASOS Peg Trouser In Texture

ASOS Peg Trousers with Asymmetric Front

ASOS Masculine Trousers

Teaching Attire Basics: Midi-Dress

The midi-dress ... Where to start... I spent many years at university in mini skirts and mini dresses and towering heels- who wore midi dresses, I asked myself.. Why would someone wear a midi-dress when they could just wear a normal length dress?!

How naive I was. Firstly, the midi-dress looks far more sophisticated than its material-malnourished counterparts. You can stick it on, and even if you're feeling/looking tired, your is a frizzy state (as mine so often is) or you just don't feel very 'teachery'- it helps get into the teacher mindset.

Secondly, mishaps are easily avoided- no awkward getting into cars or strategically crossing your legs so your knickers don't show (or is it only me that struggles with this?). The dress is simply too long for any of these attire-based accidents to happen! This leads on nicely to my third reason to embrace the midi-dress.. It's actually a lot more comfortable! Yes, there is more material, and yes, this can be constricting, but after years of adjusting my skirt worrying whether it was riding up or caught in my knickers (only happened a few times)- walking around wearing something that reaches my knees puts my mind completely at ease.. it's safe and risk-free, and allows you to focus on the task at hand rather than fretting and adjusting constantly! (Pair with blazer = pinnacle of academic sophistication)

New Look Black Sleeveless Sports Ribbed Neck Midi Dress

New Look Closet Navy Bow Back 3/4 Sleeve Drape Midi Dress

ASOS Pencil Dress with Square Neck

ASOS Pencil Dress In Crepe With V Neck

ASOS Pencil Dress In Spot With Waterfall Skirt

New Look Closet Black Check Contrast Midi Wrap Dress

New Look Pink Jacquard Lace Peplum Pencil Dress

New Look Grey Space Dye Sleeveless Midi Dress

Teaching Attire Basics: El Blazer

I never thought I could be much of a blazer girl, they seemed far too sophisticated for me, but what have I learnt from just a few days at my new school is that blazers can make an incredibly simple (and secretly comfy) outfit look more formal and make you look well-presented. Buy a black one and stick it over pretty much anything (midi skirt & shirt/blouse, midi dress, some peg trousers) or purchase a coloured one and you can wear it over black anything and it makes you exquisitely distinguished! They aren't the most comfortable things in the world to wear- but some of the blazers I've shown below aren't your standard structured squeezing-my arms-to-the-point-of-numbness-fabric.. which is a nice change if your blazer experiences thus far have been anything like mine!

Priority: buy a BASIC BLACK BLAZER first!