Outfits/Clothes Recommendations for a Future Secondary School Teacher in Canada
Hi all!
I am currently completing my Bachelor of Education in Canada and a little bit nervous when it comes to how to dress for my practicum placements.
I was awarded a CAD $2000 Grant over the summer for some volunteer work I did and hoping to spend under $750 of it. Probably also looking at more comfortable shoes like Hokas Bondis or New Balance 574s
My past jobs have all been in the outdoor industry so I mostly am used to just wearing plain t-shirts and chinos or jeans most of my days without much of a regard for looking nice or dressing to impress.
I have most of the clothes that I own in this spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ew9Z-0-4sGYsRgRPOV0uyEXeZ72lHFRZvb2vxDIGPck/edit?usp=sharing
Style-wise and comfort-wise, I prefer baggy and straight-fit clothing.
As far as the shoes go
Google Docs
Owned Clothes
15 Replies
Hi @Stem! For better answers, include:
- Reference pictures
- Budget in numbers
- Specific measurements
- Openness to buying secondhand and/or online
- Location: country/continent is fine
- Timing/urgency
grats on the grant!
nobody is gonna open ur sheet excepting the freakiest spreadsheet freaks here probably.
Fashion is a visual medium. How do you want to dress? If you drop pics in here and a budget of how much you're willing to spend, we can provide suggestions on where to look.
Beyond that, its all you.
i am a freak and i opened the sheet.
you got some good bones there
no collared/buttondowns so theres a hole to pay attention to maybe
going to be hard to give you anything more than that for the reasons carrion gave above.
since you can go many directions with what you have, maybe browse #waywt-highlights or #waywt to see what people have fits you vibe with. if you see a fit you want to try to reach for stylistically, backsearch that users posts or save it in an inspo album. more general inspo can be found #inspiration.
you can then take all this back here and by then you will hopefully have more specific questions like "where can i get this style of shirt" or "what users or brands have more items like this so i can look at more"
pretty sure @bensev is a secondary school teacher in Canada; he might be to give more specific advice on how formal to be or not be
it's been ages since i attempted practicum but iirc your professors/the school will give you some guidance. agree with doubleyouu that you probably will want button downs of some sort but would also encourage looking at what clothes exist, especially if you get a vague answer from them
That is true!
It varies school to school and I’m sure province to province, but like many workplaces it’s generally become more causal post Covid. I’m not sure what subject area you’re going to be teaching, but I’m going to assume it’s a core and not say outdoor ed/phys Ed (where you’d basically be set already).
I agree you need some button down shirts, to go with what you have already, a denim/chambray shirt, a couple decent looking plaid/flannel shirts and another sweater or two would make sense. Maybe a vest or chamois type overshirt for some of the t shirts. A chore jacket would also makes sense as a layering piece. New balances or any other slightly trendy runner would probably work.
Because of your outdoor background and what you already own, I think leaning outdoorsy/girly makes sense. However, a pair of slightly more formal trousers, a more formal button down and maybe a tie for parent teacher interviews/more serious events.
I think in most schools you could get away with outfits of any combination of the following:
Outer: vest, chamois overshirt, chore coat
Next layer: sweater, cardigan, button down, fleece
Bottoms: Your arc or Grammici, jeans (probably), some cords or fatigues
Shoes: your blunds, new balance, vintage hiking boots, keen Jasper etc
You should be able to get away with what you’re already wearing but just slightly elevated, rather than a whole new wardrobe.
However, some inspo pictures or outfits you like always help! Look at outfits you like and see what pieces are common to them that you’re missing.
More cheesy, how do you imagine your teaching persona and what does that person look like? As a new teacher I was self conscious about being young and leaned dressy, wearing a tie a lot etc.
That being said your likely to stand out more in sport coats and ties then what you already have. Just safe to say probably avoid hoodies, ripped jeans, beat up clothes in general and graphic ts and you’re probably safe.
Heres some of my outfits I think make sense from teaching last year!
That’s some inspo I think might make sense!
Yes I'm social sciences/ELA/humanities
Damn bro you got good fashion sense!
I also never realized my style was outdoorsy/girly hahaha
Well I understand the outdoorsy side
Totally agreed with all points you have said, my budget for adding things to my wardrobe is CAD $750. I have no button downs, and probably a fresher less beaten up pair of grammici pants may be in order as well as comfortable footwear. Would you have recommendations?
Thanks man! Yeah button down or two, comfortable go with everything pants, and then some shoes.
A vintage hiker, new balances like you said or another semi trendy sneaker, or something like a timberland three eye lug would make sense!
I like thrifting both for bang for your buck and as a bit of a hobby, or something like marketplace/ebay can be good if you know sizes/measurements.
Uniqlo is good for basics and decent quality for the price point though too!
This is a general casual outfit of mine besides the bad lighting/photo
But baggy/straight fit is what I go for especially with having thick thighs/calves from the sports I do
Do you have a colour recommendation for the button downs?
I’d probably do a flannel, a denim or chambray and an oxford cloth button down? Depends on your preference though!
@bensev Thanks man! And you would recommend checking out uniqlo? Or are there other places you may advise?
Yeah I think Uniqlo or a thrift store, I don’t know if I have a distinct other shop recommendation at the moment! Gap can be alright, J Crew on sale.