If one thing’s clear these days, it’s that class is a thing of the past. Folks have lost sight of what it is, for one. And even if they know what it is, they don’t really seem to respect it.
I marched in an ERA parade back in the day.
So let me give my bonafides, first: progressive, feminist. Got the picture? Ok then, let’s start.
I heard about the latest internet sensation –an Atlanta teacher with a rockin’ curvy figure who wore a skintight dress to teach her fourth grade class.
Oh, ok, you want to call it body-con? Does that sound better to you? Ok. But still. A rose by any other name: skintight is skintight. And skintight has no place in the classroom. Because it’s inappropriate.
You can look up the photo. The pose is priceless: skintight dress with her hip jutted out. It doesn’t look like she’s wearing a slip and it’s so tight you can just about make out her mons Venus. Fortunately, she’s wearing a great bra because her rack is a thing to behold.
Oh, you don’t think I should call it a rack? Sorry, I lost my mind for a minute. I guess I’ve been hanging out on the internet too long on these blog comments defending her. The ones whose opinions tell me the poster just might be lacking class. Just saying. So, sorry. Teacher’s breasts are great. Large. And harnessed to within an inch of her life. They ain’t movin’. I can appreciate that because mine are also large.
Back to the tempest in a (large) teapot: A whole lot of people are defending this teacher’s right to dress that way in the classroom.
Have they lost their minds?
“She’s being body-shamed because she’s thick.”
Umm, no. She’s not being body-shamed at all. That term is misused across the board and it’s misused in this case.
She has a fabulously curvy, hourglass body that is sexy as hell. It’s just that her fabulously curvy body should not be displayed in the classroom. Hell, wear that skintight dress to the mall, a bar, out to dinner. Wear it on vacation. Wear it to the grocery. Or the Farmers Market. Wear it to the Swingers’ Ball. Wear it to a dog show. Wear it until it falls off your body for all I care. You look great in it.
But if you wear it to teach school you have absolutely no class.
“If she is able to teach your kids, it shouldn’t matter that she’s not wearing a burlap bag.”
Seriously? Like those are the only two options? A skintight dress and a burlap bag?
Ok then, why not a bikini? Thong panties and bra? A transparent blouse and no bra? A teacher with any sense at all would not wear those things to class. Nor would a prudent fourth-grade teacher wear mini-shorts, yoga attire, gym shorts, an evening gown, cocktail dress, tennis whites, golf shoes… need I go on? Appropriate attire is something we think about every day.
And in this case, if she thought about it and STILL made that choice, I’d have to seriously question her judgment AND her ability to be a role model for my children (if I had them).
I was truly shocked by the response to this–that so many people felt there was nothing at all wrong with a teacher wearing a formfitting dress to school. As if.
But I shouldn’t have been so shocked. Look at all the horrific things that Trump has said and people accept it without a second thought. Look at the popularity of the K- clan as role models for young women. It’s all part and parcel of the same thing.
No. Class.
No class. That’s the way Merica is now. No class.
If I had kids in her class I’d yank them out so fast their pigtails and man buns would spin.
And I’d find some really smart gay male teacher for them. (Just in case you right-wingers think I’m on your side. I’m not.)
Thank you. Getting that off my rack — I mean chest — felt good. And now you’re probably wondering what kind of attire I think is appropriate for the classroom. I’m sure if you think about it, you can figure it out. But in case you think I am proposing teachers wear burlap bags: these are stylish, attractive, appropriate. These are just the first few I found, there are so many other options in so many other colors. I’m kind of partial to that first image, though. I love those outfits.
It’s interesting. I wouldn’t wear that to school and my mum (who was a teacher) wouldn’t have. But my main objection is that I think it looked like a silly and impractical outfit for teaching young children – especially the shoes. I think teaching young children should always be quite a physical job and what she was wearing didn’t look too comfortable. But that’s really her choice and problem. Beyond that, it didn’t particularly bother me one way or another.
However, as to whether it was inappropriate and people are right to say she is being unfairly judged and body shamed, I think that depends on how other people would be treated. I don’t think it is as simple as saying form-fitting is inappropriate. You have to question whether people would really believe and follow that regardless. If she was a very slender, straight shaped woman, would you think a tight fitting dress looked inappropriate? If a man wore tight trousers to school would he be criticised? If so, then fine – what is appropriate or not is still subjective, but she would not be being targeted or discriminated against if any person wearing tight clothing to teach would be admonished in the same way. However, if it is actually because her curves in tight clothes appears to people to be inappropriate, rather than tight clothes in themselves, then that is absolutely wrong and it IS body shaming. She shouldn’t have to not wear things other people would be allowed to wear without question just because of how others may react to the figure she naturally has.
What if the outfit in question was tight skinny trousers and a fitted vest style top on a slim woman? I doubt anyone would raise an eyebrow, but it would be just as ‘form-fitting’. & would this woman then not be allowed to wear that outfit either because on her it would accentuate her curves?
I do think the issue is actually a little more complex and I can see why people have reacted both ways on this. (Though I still maintain it’s a pretty daft outfit to wear to teach kids for practical reasons!)
I hear you–at the same time I think we have gone way overboard with the idea of “discrimination”.
Any woman with a rockin plush body is going to look more provocative and inappropriate. That is a fact. There is certainly a right to wear whatever you want but looking trashy at school is just not my idea of professional attire. I wouldn’t wear that to an office either but i hold teachers to a higher standard. And in that I believe she failed.
Every costume has a function, to be worn for a particular event or activity. In today’s times where you have countless varieties of clothing and equal number of opportunities to show them off, I don’t see why the lady had to wear something controversial. Children at an impressionable age look up more to their peers and teachers and tend to emulate them in every way. Hence it makes sense for teachers to wear clothes that do not distract children from the education they are supposed to imbibe from the teacher.
Professional attire in a professional setting. What’s so hard about that? Every job I ever had, including teaching many years ago had a dress code. What is going on with that school district?
I haven’t seen the dress but, I agree there is a time and place for different types of clothing. I also know many teachers who look like they are heading to the gym. I’m not fond of that look either.
Standards have certainly changed over the years. I work in the health care profession, and I’ve seen outfits worn that I might wear to the bar for a drink. Not to work.
The skin tight dress seems inappropiate to me. But I’ve been in high schools where I couldn’t tell which was the male teacher versus the student because of clothing.
Carol, I haven’t seen the dress in question, but from your description it is completely inappropriate for a teacher (or any other professional or business person on the job). And I’m sure she knows it! If a person is smart enough to be a teacher, she is smart enough to know that professional attire is called for in a professional setting. It isn’t “body-shaming” to ask a teacher or other employee to adhere to a dress code.
I am a feminist too and I am all in for whatever a man or a woman wants to wear.However, will you wear a swim suit or track pants to an interview? Dressing has to be per the set up one is in. It just cannot be a random thing. My Mum is a teacher here in India and she cannot even wear a Kurta. A saree with a blouse with sleeves is a must.I do question what’s age old practice but before we question we need to know if it’s even necessary.
I saw that pic of the teacher and my thoughts are that the dress was too tight. Since the kids have to follow a dress code then the teachers should too 🙂
Class and professionalism. I’m looking at the teacher as a role model for children and if she turns up looking like she is ready for ‘clubbing’ then what message is she sending. It has nothing to do with size but style. Class and style always win out in my book.
Hi Carol,
I love Sue’s comments. I have three daughters who care about their body. However, they care about their mind more– I’m proud.
Thanks for coming to Blogger’s Pit Stop last week.
Janice, Pit Stop Crew
I agree with you Carol. But what can we expect in a society that has little girls dressing like hookers from a young age? Some of the young mothers I know have a hard time finding age appropriate clothing for little girls. And I’m tired of looking at half of their ass exposed with low cut pants. Yup. I’m old fashioned when it comes to modesty.
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If one thing’s clear these days, it’s that class is a thing of the past. Folks have lost sight of what it is, for one. And even if they know what it is, they don’t really seem to respect it.
It’s interesting. I wouldn’t wear that to school and my mum (who was a teacher) wouldn’t have. But my main objection is that I think it looked like a silly and impractical outfit for teaching young children – especially the shoes. I think teaching young children should always be quite a physical job and what she was wearing didn’t look too comfortable. But that’s really her choice and problem. Beyond that, it didn’t particularly bother me one way or another.
However, as to whether it was inappropriate and people are right to say she is being unfairly judged and body shamed, I think that depends on how other people would be treated. I don’t think it is as simple as saying form-fitting is inappropriate. You have to question whether people would really believe and follow that regardless. If she was a very slender, straight shaped woman, would you think a tight fitting dress looked inappropriate? If a man wore tight trousers to school would he be criticised? If so, then fine – what is appropriate or not is still subjective, but she would not be being targeted or discriminated against if any person wearing tight clothing to teach would be admonished in the same way. However, if it is actually because her curves in tight clothes appears to people to be inappropriate, rather than tight clothes in themselves, then that is absolutely wrong and it IS body shaming. She shouldn’t have to not wear things other people would be allowed to wear without question just because of how others may react to the figure she naturally has.
What if the outfit in question was tight skinny trousers and a fitted vest style top on a slim woman? I doubt anyone would raise an eyebrow, but it would be just as ‘form-fitting’. & would this woman then not be allowed to wear that outfit either because on her it would accentuate her curves?
I do think the issue is actually a little more complex and I can see why people have reacted both ways on this. (Though I still maintain it’s a pretty daft outfit to wear to teach kids for practical reasons!)
I hear you–at the same time I think we have gone way overboard with the idea of “discrimination”.
Any woman with a rockin plush body is going to look more provocative and inappropriate. That is a fact. There is certainly a right to wear whatever you want but looking trashy at school is just not my idea of professional attire. I wouldn’t wear that to an office either but i hold teachers to a higher standard. And in that I believe she failed.
Hard to know these days what is appropriate. I would certainly consider a skin tight dress comfortable!
You would?
Every costume has a function, to be worn for a particular event or activity. In today’s times where you have countless varieties of clothing and equal number of opportunities to show them off, I don’t see why the lady had to wear something controversial. Children at an impressionable age look up more to their peers and teachers and tend to emulate them in every way. Hence it makes sense for teachers to wear clothes that do not distract children from the education they are supposed to imbibe from the teacher.
Yes, exactly!
As s former teacher, I couldn’t agree more. There are ways to be comfortable and classy!
Professional attire in a professional setting. What’s so hard about that? Every job I ever had, including teaching many years ago had a dress code. What is going on with that school district?
I haven’t seen the dress but, I agree there is a time and place for different types of clothing. I also know many teachers who look like they are heading to the gym. I’m not fond of that look either.
Standards have certainly changed over the years. I work in the health care profession, and I’ve seen outfits worn that I might wear to the bar for a drink. Not to work.
The skin tight dress seems inappropiate to me. But I’ve been in high schools where I couldn’t tell which was the male teacher versus the student because of clothing.
Carol, I haven’t seen the dress in question, but from your description it is completely inappropriate for a teacher (or any other professional or business person on the job). And I’m sure she knows it! If a person is smart enough to be a teacher, she is smart enough to know that professional attire is called for in a professional setting. It isn’t “body-shaming” to ask a teacher or other employee to adhere to a dress code.
I am a feminist too and I am all in for whatever a man or a woman wants to wear.However, will you wear a swim suit or track pants to an interview? Dressing has to be per the set up one is in. It just cannot be a random thing. My Mum is a teacher here in India and she cannot even wear a Kurta. A saree with a blouse with sleeves is a must.I do question what’s age old practice but before we question we need to know if it’s even necessary.
With you there, Carol.
I saw that pic of the teacher and my thoughts are that the dress was too tight. Since the kids have to follow a dress code then the teachers should too 🙂
Class and professionalism. I’m looking at the teacher as a role model for children and if she turns up looking like she is ready for ‘clubbing’ then what message is she sending. It has nothing to do with size but style. Class and style always win out in my book.
Hi Carol,
I love Sue’s comments. I have three daughters who care about their body. However, they care about their mind more– I’m proud.
Thanks for coming to Blogger’s Pit Stop last week.
Janice, Pit Stop Crew
I agree with you Carol. But what can we expect in a society that has little girls dressing like hookers from a young age? Some of the young mothers I know have a hard time finding age appropriate clothing for little girls. And I’m tired of looking at half of their ass exposed with low cut pants. Yup. I’m old fashioned when it comes to modesty.