On Monday, I posted an image of a teacher who dressed in a VERY skin tight skirt and strapped high heels and a shirt that clung to her body. She is like me and blessed with a very noticeable behind too. When I look at this image I think of the woman off of the show “How To Get Away With Murder” and the outfit they have her wearing. I intentionally didn’t respond to any of the comments left on my Facebook page concerning it. I knew I’d have a lot more to say on the teacher’s outfit than what I could post on a Facebook status.
My Thoughts on Teachers’ Dress Code
Considering I spent the majority of my life studying and doing everything I could become a teacher, this topic is near and dear to my heart. In my opinion, teachers are people who should be leading by example in all that they do when they are teaching in a classroom.
If you agree with me at all, please Pin this image.
What is the first thing everyone sees? That’s right, the way we dress sends everyone a first impression message.
This teacher is wearing a skin tight skirt with a luscious behind that would be practically staring you in the face when you’re sitting at a desk in her classroom. She also has on strapped high heels showing her toes, that men find as an extra piece of lingerie on women. Her blouse although from what we can see of it isn’t overly tight, but it does still hug her body well.
Now I could say that she’s covered up and dressed in professional attire with the exception of the strapped high heels. So what’s the big deal! A part of me does want to say that! I’ve always had with a big behind. So much so, that an employee I fired decided to make a huge announcement in my restaurant for all to see, “look at that white girl having a bigger behind than most black women.” Even then though, I was informed by many adults that it wasn’t appropriate for me to walk around wearing clothes that looked like I had to paint them on me in order to wear them.
Have our society’s viewpoints changed that much since I was a kid?
I look at the way people dress a lot because I’d really love a makeover on my attire too. I know I don’t dress the way that I want the world to see me, but that has to do with having the funds to invest in the type of clothing that I’d feel more comfortable wearing. I see women dressing in clothes that are too tight, show too much skin or are just completely off the wall everywhere I turn. Judging from the amount of comments that are supporting this teacher’s outfit, I believe it’s safe to say that our society’s viewpoints on what is considered appropriate attire has changed drastically in the past 20 years.
Modesty Becoming a Lost Art
There are still a few people like me who are fighting to keep modesty in the way we dress. I wish there were more people fighting for it. I still feel that if a woman shows off too much of her assets like this teacher is clearly doing, then there’s little left to the imagination. It’s funny to me in a sense because I do always wonder why men don’t run around with pants showing off their trunks and what they have. Would you want to see a man’s genitals showing in skin tight pants walking around all the time? Let’s think about that image for a moment. No, on second thought let’s not. Do you get where I’m going? That women’s clothing has become more about showing off what you have versus dressing in a manner in which you leave them an wondering what he’s going to get. The saying an “a man wants a lady in public and a tiger in the bedroom,” seems to have become a thing of the past!
Mothers Concerns
It concerns me a lot because, as a mother of two boys and a little girl, I fear what our society has become and where it’s headed. I’ll grant you if society as a whole is getting use to women dressing in this provocative manner at every corner, then the chances of us viewing it a sexual innuendo is going to diminish completely over time. (Judging by the many comments in favor of this teacher’s attire, that seems to be happening already!) I remember all too well what it’s like to be a teenager itching to see what was underneath the clothes. I also remember what it was like to have the outfits that didn’t reveal a lot of my body and left the guys wondering what they were going to get after the clothes came off. That sense of wonderment and imagination is becoming a lost art.
On top of that, I feel like respect for ourselves, and each other is also getting tossed to the wind too. It’s starting with the attire we are wearing. I am a firm believer of the clothes we wear will quickly determine how we act.
Do we really want to continue to teach our kids it’s acceptable to wear provocative clothes like this? Do we want to continue to allow boys to walk around with their behinds hanging out of their pants? Are we willing to accept teachers dressing like they are ready for a night at the night club teaching our kids? Does the way we dress not matter anymore? If that’s the case, we should become a nudist nation because we really aren’t covering anything up. We could all go get our bodies painted and have just as much “coverage” on ourselves. Don’t believe me on the body painting aspect check out this artwork from the body painting gallery.
Teachers Should Wear
I wrote this long rant to make a point. I feel that although this teacher’s outfit is technically “professional” attire, the mere fact is it doesn’t fit her well. It’s way too tight and revealing. She needs to change to closed toe heels at the very least. She should get a skirt on that fits her. She has a gorgeous body, and quite frankly she’s doing herself a miss justice wearing an outfit like this one. She needs to wear a more modest outfit that leaves a bit of imagination.
If she changes her outfit in those manners, then she will be setting an example for other women and teenagers that it’s good to be modest even when you “have the body to show it off.” It is better to have the world see you for who you are first versus what you have to offer. I think that message is also getting lost in our society today too.
I’d love to get more of your opinions and thoughts on this. (Please note, I’m perfectly willing to read a difference of opinion because we are all entitled to our opinions, but there will be no bashing each other on my site.)
My friend and I were just discussing the a couple weeks ago. She was telling me about her sons teacher wearing a low cut top and kept leaning over and lacked modesty. Most teachers are hands-on an active and you have to sit back and ask what were they thinking. I agree modesty for much of the world is a lost art sadly. It’s a shame.
I can understand a teacher wearing an outfit that is comfortable for them such as jeans and t-shirt. That makes life a lot easier for them. I just can’t understand how this teacher is wearing a skirt that looks painted on is a benefit for kids. It’s telling girls in order to look good they need to wear skin tight clothes. I’ve seen all kinds of lack of care in clothing in the schools all around me from both the teachers and the students. When these same kids go for interviews, they have no clue how to dress.
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I’d like to say people have the freedom to express themselves and wear whatever they see fit. But for a female high school teacher – especially – revealing and tight clothes around teenage boys is a bit much.
I agree with you completely that they should have the freedom to wear what makes them comfortable and happy. I wouldn’t go to work dressed like this (I have in the past, but that was before I saw the damage behind doing it.) Now, I feel that people in general should take more pride in how they dress.
I think that in a school setting, everyone should be conscious of what they’re wearing and what type of response their outfit may elicit. Two of my dear friends are twentysomething art teachers at a local high school. They are allowed more liberties with the dress code because they work with different art mediums that can ruin clothes. Because of where they work and who’s around them, they always take extra care to choose clothing items with coverage.
I’m glad they are allowed liberties to wear comfortable clothes, but I’m sure they try to be considerate of what they wear. At least I hope they are.
It’s sad that adult teachers can’t dress themselves appropriately for work. I just can’t figure out why they want to show it all when they are around a bunch of kids!
Neither can I! I think modesty needs to be brought back into our educators wardrobes.
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Teachers sign up to be an example for the students they teach. The fact that this is an issue worries me in so many ways.
I know exactly what you mean. I can remember when it never would have been a topic at all.
I’ve been teaching 15 years. In that time, I can honestly say work attire has become more casual. My first year we could only wear jeans once a month with our school shirt. Most districts have dress codes for teachers (some really strict). At my school now we can wear jeans and a special school shirt 2x a week. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. I’m around kids that cough, sneeze, all over me and I think we should be comfortable! By the way, why does it seem like everyone rags on teachers??? I agree that we should dress modestly and not show skin (cleavage). I think I can be just as cute/professional in nice jeans and a blouse then someone in a skirt with a high slit and high heels 🙂 Just my opinion !
I agree that you can look good in jeans and a shirt. I just think, in this case, the teacher is not dressed appropriately for teaching kids. I’m sorry if you feel like I’m picking on teachers. This subject is just the debate that came up, and I felt compelled to jump in on the debate wagon concerning it. I did it because this is part of the reason I don’t want to allow my kids to go to our local public/private schools.
As a teacher, the only thing I find wrong with what she is wearing is her skirt — and then only because it does not fit.
I believe if her skirt fit better then it wouldn’t have bothered me as much.
You are so right! Teachers are supposed to lead by example. You would think there are guidelines for how teachers are supposed to dress. Are there? You bring up a great topic here. I see a lot of teachers that dress professionally but then you always find that one that doesn’t!
I’m glad that you agree with me that educators should be held accountable for how they present themselves to our kids.
Thank you for much for stopping by and commenting. I hope to see you again soon.
Absolutely, anyone in a professional setting must dress in a professional way. This is especially true for role models like teachers. That means wearing clothing that fits loosely and modestly so as not to be a distraction (and an embarrassment). Great post!
Thank you. I appreciate the words of encouragement.
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Oh our poor boys, is it no wonder we homeschool!!! Thank you for sharing at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
I know. I can just picture them thinking things that they shouldn’t be instead of doing their work.
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Great post! My boys go to a Christian school so teachers’ attire never seems to be a problem. But my niece attends a government school and the female vice principal wears very inappropriate clothing. My sister says most of the time she looks like she is on her way home from a nightclub. Not at all suitable for being around impressionable young girls. They cannot address the issue though, as her clothing has nothing to do with her work performance and it is her right to choose what she wears. I guess you just have to hope that teachers would have enough sense to realise they are setting an example whether they want to or not.
Thank you for the encouraging words. It really bothers me that our society has become so complacent about so many of the big topics and issues. Our kids are our future, and it concerns me the things they are being taught is okay.
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I’m a teacher, and because I’m so active, and move around a lot, I generally opt for short-sleeved cotton dresses that fall below my knee (we live in a tropic environment, and there’s no aircon in the classrooms, so I tend to avoid business suits or dress slacks because they’re just too hot!). I don’t wear heels often at all, though most women here too, there is a standard that closed-toe shoes are most appropriate for professional wear. I do think that teachers should dress professionally and keep in mind how active of a job we have–clothing that might be okay for sitting behind a desk in is not necessarily okay for jumping around the room illustrating a point in. 🙂
This sounds like a wonderful attire for an active teacher. I’m glad that you’re in agreement with me.
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It’s a tough one isn’t it, while I’d never want to tell someone what to wear, there does seem to need to be a code for people like teachers who are a huge influence on our kids.
I bet this post made you pay attention to your kid’s teacher’s attire when you took them to school this morning. I must say that only a handful of the teachers around here were not dressed well. I’m glad it’s a rarity around here.
I hope the same is true for your local schools.
I happen to agree with you on this Crystal. It’s not easy dressing our young girls in this society.
No, it’s not. The stores don’t provide clothing worth buying them. Right now, my MIL is literally making Zeva most of her summer clothes because finding clothes that don’t show her private areas even in the 2T-3T size range is next to impossible. I could order offline from better stores, but with the way Zeva is shaped it’s hard to fit her because she’s tall and skinny (and probably will be until she has kids because I remained skinny for most of my life until I had kids.) Del didn’t gain weight AT ALL until he got this sickness.
I hear that a lot too – “If she has the body to wear something like that, more power to her!” It’s not about what kind of body you have. I think dressing modestly is a sign of respect for others (because it makes true gentlemen uncomfortable) and for self (because who wants inappropriate attention from strangers because of your bod?)
Also, I think being a teacher you need to realize that you’re setting an example for your students, both male and female!
Jenny,
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your opinion on this topic too. I’m glad to know that I’m not alone with this opinion.
I hope to see you again soon.
I think that times are changing. As a teacher myself, I usually wear a polo shirt, jeans and Dr.Martens or tennis shoes (I work in a alternative school and I am on my feet all day on a hard floor). Some days, I am not feeling it and the hoodie comes out or a long sleeve T-Shirt but those they are rare. I do agree that educators should not wear anything that is suggestive, offensive or obscene.
I see others (males) wearing sandals and shorts when it is hot. I will not do that. Also, I see a lot of females wearing stuff that I find not right. Also, I don’t like seeing peoples tattoos. We had a para that wore blouses that everytime she bent over you could see her “tramp stamp”.
I teach in the most progressive and permissive school district in America and I guess I am a outlier. Also, as a parent I have tried to instill into my two that you need to look half decent.
I’m glad that you are trying to instill that into your two kids too. I’m glad that you are in agreement that people need to take into account how they dress matters.
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and comment. I hope to see you again soon.