If you´re a female teacher, check out these twenty work dresses stylish teachers clothes that are work-appropriate and edgy.
In between lesson planning and producing teaching materials, teachers are faced with yet another challenge—how to dress stylishly for the classroom.
As she stands in front of the class teaching and demonstrating, she is assessed a thousand times from different angles. I know for I used to be a teacher. I taught high school students for eight years.
Aside from how well she knows how to teach, the teacher´s clothes contribute to her ability to demand respect from her students.
But a female teacher has to stand, run, and strut back and forth the entire day. How should she dress so that she´s able to keep up with the fast-paced work environment while maintaining style?
Here are twenty stylish clothes for female teachers, all dress outfit ideas that are work-appropriate and edgy. Most outfits here feature high heels but feel free to choose the right heel height that works for you.
Table of Contents
1. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: Rich Monochromatic Look
Similar Dress: Beige Bodycon Pencil Dress
This monochromatic outfit is rich yet understated. There ´s an element of elegance and fashion. The dress is belted and pleated, hits just a little above the knee which embodies youthfulness. A small silk scarf in nude and brown prints is great to accent this dress. Wear it in a french tie.
An oversized animal print handbag is both sophisticated and functional. You can easily stash all those paperwork that you brought home, and yet its print still screams fashion.
2. Try a Smart Vibrant Look
Similar Dress: Ruffle Business Dress
Teachers are somehow labeled as fashionably dull. Here´s an outfit to disprove that stereotype.
A vibrant purple dress polished by a tailored suit is something that is powerful and stylish. Black or white blazer will complement this dress well. In this outfit, I opted for a black jacket and matched it with a pair of gorgeous black pointed heels. And of course, a great bag.
3. Dresses stylish teachers clothes: Accented Black and White Look
Similar Dress: Cowl Neck Wear to Work Dress
Black and white are always powerful and smart. Here, I opted for a black dress to be worn with a white blazer. Since black and white combo is a little heavy, I added some fun pieces to the look that are also fashionable—python heels and a crocodile-skin bag in red.
Remember, you don´t have to worry about wearing animal print to work. If they´re accessories, you´re always safe. I intentionally chose a red bag to inject some color to this look.
4. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: Animal print crossover dress
Animal print is now considered neutral. As a teacher, it´s perfectly fine to wear a leopard print dress to work as long as you pick a shade that´s not too loud. Take this crossover dress as an example. It´s much darker than the popular and more trendy beige leopard print.
Slip into some nude pumps and accent the look with a green handbag. But of course, you´ll most probably prefer a black or a brown handbag for a more professional look.
5. Brave a Leopard Print cocktail dresses / work outfit
From left to right: VELJEI Dress / Kirundo A-line Dress / Eytino Shift Dress
Most likely than not, you already have cocktail dresses than can also dabble as work dresses. Take a look at these three leopard print cocktail dresses; they too can be worn as work dresses for teachers. If the swing shift dress is quite short on you, layer it with a pair of black opaque tights and complete the look with some black pumps or kitten heels.
6. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: Bright Mustard Dress for Teachers
Similar Dress: Vintage Slim Style Pencil Dress
Go vibrant to work by wearing this rich yellow pleated and belted dress. Let your color shine out. Team it with black pumps and an edgy black bag. This dress has a casual touch to it, thanks to those sleeves. However, you can easily dress it up by adding a structured bag and clean black heels.
7. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: A sheath dress for teachers
Similar Sheath Dresses: Calvin Klein / VFSHOW
The sheath dress is a very popular style of dress for work. It´s classic, elegant, and totally chic. You can break the monotony of a solid colored dress by choosing something with a mock neck and a tie accent. This knee-length dress will always look super stylish with clean, smart high heels, but often will look unflattering with flat shoes.
8. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: Three quarter sleeves.
Similar Dress Three-Quarter Dresses: Calvin Klein / Adrianna Papell / Karen Kane
When shopping for a stylish, work-appropriate dress, always pay attention to the cut, the hemline, and the sleeves. Three quarter sleeves are always elegant, so as the knee-length hemline. Sheath and A-line silhouette are always smart and flattering too. If you´re into darker colors but want to avoid looking dull, opt for dark prints such as this blue print dress.
9. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: Go Houndstooth
Similar Dresses: oxiuly / Peter Pan / Calvin Klein
This mini dogstooth working dress is sophisticated in every inch. But you want to make things more interesting by slipping into striking deep blue pumps. Complete your look with a clean white bag. If that is too stylish for the classroom, opt instead for a pair of black pumps and a black leather bag.
10. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: A Midi Dress for Teachers
Get the Dress: Floerns High Neck Fit & Flare / Similar Dress: Black and white plaid dress
If you prefer to be comfortable throughout the day, your best choice is a midi dress with a swilry skirt. Topped with long sleeves and a mock neck, you´ll have a modest look that is appropriate on any teacher. Keep things interesting by choosing your midi dress in a gorgeous print such as this plaid dress, and add a pair of beige/nude heels to elongate your legs.
11. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: The Bell Sleeve
Get the Dress: Jessica Howard / Tommy Hilfiger / Adrianna Papell
There´s no question that sheath dresses are always a smart outfit for women to wear to work. Yet when it comes to sleeves, the bell shape sleeves are the most on-trend and stylish. So if you want to inject style and glamor to your teacher clothes, choose a sheath dress with fabulous bell shape sleeves.
12. work dresses stylish teachers clothes: Soft Floral Dress for Teachers
Similar: Vintage Floral Dress
Soft floral prints can be worn to work too. It gives an ambiance of freshness, as of summer, and injects happy mood. Keep the rest of your outfit neutral—black pumps and white bag.
13. A Graphic-Print Midi Shirt Dress for teachers
Similar Shirt Dresses: The Drop / LYANER
Wear it as a dress or as a throw-over layer to a casual black shirt and trousers combo for a quick touch of color and print. Really, wearing something bright and bold has a huge impact on your students. They have to look at you the entire period. And looking at that vivid print will surely improve their mood.
Have Your Say
So tell me, what do you think of these looks? Are they fashionably appropriate for teachers? Would you wear any of these work dresses stylish teachers clothes to work?
These are fab, I’d wear these any day of the week!! xx
I like the pop of purple to any outfit. I don’t know why many teachers don’t wear professional looking clothing. I keep hearing that it’s due to comfort but I think it’s just an excuse.
Helen—are you a teacher? Please don’t say it’s an excuse unless you know what you are talking about…. I teach first graders. That’s 6 and 7 year olds. Do you know that I sit and kneel on the floor, up and down, no less than 50 times a day? Do you know that I’m on my feet the entire rest of the day? Do you know that I work with glue, markers, crayons, paint, etc? If “professional” clothing were less expensive, maybe I would be more likely to purchase them to wear to work, but honestly, it IS for comfort! It is also for COST (don’t get me started on teacher salaries!!) and also for DURABILITY!
Thanks.
Hi Becky, I definitely understand the plight. While I was a high school teacher, I`ve a friend who´s teaching K2 and another friend teaching Year 6. Dressing up professionally if you´re handling small kids is much more challenging. My friend who´s teaching kindergarden have found a way to manage it, she ops for elegant but flexible dresses and skirts, as well as trousers, which make sitting on the floor possible. (Price is not much a challenge in Bangkok because you can find a lot of affordable and durable work outfits in the city, which is sadly not possible here in Europe.) Definitely no fitting pencil skirts. She wears high heels to work, to morning assembly, and to meetings, but she swaps those shoes for flat slippers once she´s in the classroom. In fact all kindergartern teachers wear slippers inside the classroom.
How about you? What outfits do you wear to work?
All great dresses. I want them all!
Male teachers don’t have this problem. Slap on a suit and bam, good to go.
Lovely looks! I think these would work wonderfully!
Great post. I have often wondered what it must be like for teachers choosing outfits based on the circumstances of their work. I have seen many teachers get it wrong. The outfits here are perfect, love them so much. My favourite is the beautiful purple dress.
These are all adorable looks! The purple dress is a little too purple for me, but I am in love with the first dress.