You Don't Have to Be a Frumpy Teacher

I refuse to give into frumpy teacher fashion. I am convinced that I can be comfortable and cute at the same time.

If something snaps inside my brain in about two years (when I enter my forties), and I start donning denim jumpers and gaudy Halloween sweaters, I can rest assured that I have a couple of friends who will take me aside and whisper, "Um, Becky . . . not a good choice." (You know who you are, friends.)

I confess, I own one long denim skirt and one long khaki skirt that I bought because, in a moment of weakness, I thought, "They are classics. They match everything."

I wore the denim skirt last week for the first time in about a year, and I discovered it has a "Mom Jeans" waist. Needless to say, it is going in the give-away pile this season.

I love classic teacher clothing. I'm just more of an Ann Taylor Loft teacher than a Christopher and Banks teacher. As I inch closer to forty, remaining an Ann Taylor Loft teacher is becoming more and more important to me.

It suits my elementary school kids' taste anyway.

"I like your sweater," from a fourth grader.

"I like the way you do your makeup," from a (no joke) kindergartner.

"You're wearing a dress!" from a first grader.

"You look very nice today," from a fourth grader (who may or may not have been trying to butter me up for something later on).

"You match too much," from a sixth grader. "You always match."

"I think that was a compliment and not an insult, so thank you?" I replied.

The girl smiled and nodded. Apparently, it was, indeed, a compliment.

One distressed student told me last year, "My cousins are so mean! They say you dress like a librarian."

I caught sight of these teenage cousins one morning and was pleased that these oversized-sweatshirt-wearing greasy junior high kids disapproved of my fashion sense.

"Awesome. Librarians are cool!" I told the student who immediately looked relieved that I was not dissolving into a puddle of tears.

I wanted to add, "And my good-looking hipster husband is kind of into the sexy librarian look."

Here are some examples of my anti-frumpy teacher look:

 

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