Until now, the Diary thought teachers’ reputation for bad dress sense was undeserved. The following, from a 24-year-old London teacher who understandably wishes to remain anonymous, forced us to think again.
“I am a big fan of the cord jacket. I long for the day that the elbows wear through so that I can patch them with leather. The other bonus of the jacket is that all your tank-tops look good under it.”
Responses on The TES website’s staffroom seem to confirm the reputation is justified, at least for some teachers. Lowlights included a “white sailor-suit” worn by a young male teacher. (“It was looking very unsavoury after the third day!”), and a teacher whose “rather jolly red socks” and shirt a “vigorous maroon shade” prompted a delegation of sixth form girls to ask: “Please, Mr S, either put your shoes back on or take your shirt off, the clash is giving us a headache.”
NB: The Diary writer was wearing a lurid tie covered in toy cars as he filed this piece.