Enough of that. Onto some fun-ish stuff. The school year is getting closer and I should be starting to plan my classes, but I've been obsessed all summer with one detail of the coming year: my clothing. Women face certain pressures to dress or not dress a certain way all the time, but especially at work. And, course, men do to, but more on that later. Right now, a note about how one female teacher feels she should look: I should look feminine, but not too feminine. Smart, but not in a way that either attracts from or detracts from my femininity. Polished, but no stuffy. Hip, but in a way that makes me accessible, not like I'm trying to be young. Pile on my worries about ethical fashion paired with my limited budget, and getting dressed for me is often a overwrought affair.
Like I said, men deal with some of these issues, especially young men who are worried about being written of for being, well, young. But for most men I know, they have a uniform of sorts. Most the men in my department wear khakis, loafers, a button up shirt. Some wear jeans and flannels, but again, this is their uniform.
So, inspired by this article, I've decided to try wearing a uniform to work next school year. I haven't decided on the particulars yet, but I've ordered these navy pants from Everlane as my base. And I already have a pair of mens Ferragamo loafers I scored from Value Village a few years ago. From there I can decide on either a white, grey, or black shirt.
Although I'm doing it for many of the same reasons that Kahl states in her article and the ones I listed above, I'm also doing it for a very vain reason. I'm hoping that it means more time for doing things I used to do in the morning like showering, filing my nails once in a while, taking myself for a run or walk, yoga-ing a little, taking off month old polish.
I'm a little worried about getting bored. And, I hate to admit it, what people will think. Btu I'm also very excited. It's already been a big investment in time (I think about it way too much) and is going to be a big investment, but I'm hoping it pays off in not having to shop for work clothes for the rest of the year.
The next post will have pictures, but I'm rusty y'all.