work dress code

[AWJDZ]

ok..here is the deal. I teach middle school. My principal has alway been very laid back and easy going. Well, today he made an announcement over the intercome during our workday that there will be a new teacher, staff, student dresscode. "All shirts and tops must be tucked in, regardless". I know it is due to the surge of long baggy shirts and pants, but still. He never talked about this to any of the faculty or leadership team, he did it all on his own. This is not even a county rule. Our school is very rual and we have never had a problem or any huge sort before. Kids are very compliant when asked to pull up there pants or anything. I personal think this is a little overboard. Most womens tops are not made to be tucked in. I tried to explain that to him, but his response is "that if it is too short to be tucked in, it must be too short to wear to school" I have always dressed professionally and I wear nice, stylish clothes to school. The linen pants and top from Anne Taylor I want to wear on Wed. (the first day) are not ment to be tucked in!!! What do yall think? Isn't this a little too much?

I stand a better chance carrying a gun or whatever in my Kate Spade!

[piphimaggie]

how do the other women feel about the new dress code? I wouldnt get too bent out of shape if it's going to cost you your job, but if everyone else is equally peeved, perhaps that warrants some investigation into why he decided upon the rule in the first place. Maybe approach this guy through an informal meeting on the subject? It sounds like you wear tasteful unoffensive clothing to me....last time I checked, Ann Taylor wasnt specializing in midriff shirts!

[astroAPhi]

Wear a blazer and tuck it into your pants or skirt. See what he thinks of that.

[AWJDZ]

oh yeah, everyone is pretty bent out of shape over it...faculty and parents. A lot of the teachers are really upset. Where I work, there is a large age difference between myself and the others. It is hard enough for me to dress "appropriate" according to them. Most of these women are older, overweight, have had several children and have flat out refused to tuck because of the attention it would draw to their shapes. I really feel sorry for them. You are talking about teachers who mostly have 20+ years experience and are now be told how to dress. I can wear a sundress everyday until it turns cooler and not think twice about it, but they can't. This is what I hate about the educational system...its not all about education anymore. Does anyone else's schools have dresscodes like this? Even if we were forced to wear polos and khakis, my Lacostee ones can't even be tucked! (you wouldn't believe some of the slogans we came up with today! ) Since he is the next youngest person other than me, I have been appointed to talk to him tomorrow about the situation and clue him in on women's fashion...haha

[seraphimsprite]

When you go talk to him, you may want to actually wear an example of a professional outfit that cannot be tucked in so he can actually see what you're talking about. Maybe like a nice twinset or something. Remember, men are visual people.

[Lil' Hannah]

Bring him pictures from catalogs, magazines, etc. that you feel are appropriate even though they are not tucked in. Work with him on making the dress code even more specific to state which kinds of shirts may and may not be left untucked.

[33girl]

Originally posted by astroAPhi
Wear a blazer and tuck it into your pants or skirt. See what he thinks of that.

Bwah. Or better yet get some of the guys to wear the Fred Mertz pants where the waist is around your nipples.

He's totally thinking in "guy mode" - or else just being too lazy to specify particular things that need tucked in, like long polos and oxfords.

[GeekyPenguin]

Borrow a shirt from your dad or husband/boyfriend that's absolutely huge on you, and wear it with a shorter skirt. Leave the tails of the shirt hanging out of the skirt and say "There, I'm following the dress code."

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by Lil' Hannah
Bring him pictures from catalogs, magazines, etc. that you feel are appropriate even though they are not tucked in. Work with him on making the dress code even more specific to state which kinds of shirts may and may not be left untucked.

Agreed. Like others have said, wear something that can't be tucked in but appropriate for work and show him what it looks like. Also, like Lil' Hannah said, bring in some magazines to show him.

If all else fails, do what GeekyPenguin suggested.

[winneythepooh7]

I would still continue to wear what you normally wear because it sounds appropriate to me. I think he just needs to be educated in professional fashion sense. I work in the social services field and let me tell you, the inappropriate things I've seen peers wear at times would knock your socks off. There is one woman who works in the house I work in on the weekends. She dresses like she is going to a club or to the beach with absolutely everything hanging out. I think the only reason she does this is because the Director is not there on Saturday's to see her.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

cosign. He's not going to write you up for wearing professional attire, because he can't back it up.

[PennyCarter]

I hope your meeting is going well today. I have never heard of teachers having that strict of a dress code. I think you are doing the right thing by talking to him about finding a compromise before school starts. But for students...oh goodness.

I went to a public middle/high school with a super strict dress code. We all had to wear khaki/navy pants/shorts/skirts. Of course shorts and skirts had to be a certain length. We wore polos and button downs (orange white and navy only). Between Thanksgiving and spring break...no shorts, guys wore ties (witht he button downs, no polos), no tennis shoes. There were restrictions on socks, rings, earrings, etc. Of course everything had to be tucked in, no baggy khakis, no khakis with pockets sewn on (the pockets that look like jeans).

It was way excessive. My brother is in high school now and its not quite as bad...but still very strict. I don't think it is a horrible thing for students (not sure that I'm a supporter either though). But I just dealt with it and LOVED it when I was in college and could wear pj's to class!

[cuaphi]

Originally posted by seraphimsprite
When you go talk to him, you may want to actually wear an example of a professional outfit that cannot be tucked in so he can actually see what you're talking about. Maybe like a nice twinset or something. Remember, men are visual people.

Co-sign.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest. I would put on my loveliest silk blouse from Ann Taylor that shouldn't be tucked in, show up at his office and nicely explain that an outfit such as this should be considered appropriate.

[CASIGKAP]

I too work in a school but I work in the Special Education department of an elementary school. Our school doesn't have a strict dress code. We are merely to wear what is appropriate for the activity that is going on. On some days, a teacher can wear a suit, on another, the same teacher will be in jeans.
Being in special ed however, we must literally always be in comfortable clothes that do not hinder our movements which means a lot of jeans, pants, and tennis shoes. Due to the fact that we are working with children with disabilities, being in a three piece suit or a sundress would be inappropriate for me.

[aephi alum]

That does seem rather extreme, especially as there are many tasteful professional outfits that should not be tucked in (and conversely, many outfits unsuitable for the office that can be tucked in).

Hey, what if you're pregnant? Most maternity tops that I've seen don't get tucked in...

Now that I think about it, I suspect that the Catholic school I attended had a strict dress code for teachers and staff. Obviously, we students had to wear uniforms , but I can't recall seeing a teacher wearing anything other than a suit or dress (or a habit for the nuns), except for P.E.

The same wasn't true of the public schools; teachers often showed up in jeans! There was a dress code, but it was almost never enforced.