Traditional dress code for a teacher

Before the transition to online learning, the standard dress code for teachers across the United States was undisputedly business casual. Teachers were expected to use their attire as a business communication tool and to set a professional tone in the workplace. By wearing sophisticated, clean and modest clothing, teachers set a positive example for students about how to dress for school and future workplaces.

Traditional dress code teachers

Business casual attire applied to all teachers and they were expected to wear the following:

• Button-down shirt
• Wool pants or slacks
• Sport coat
• Navy blue, brown or black socks
• Loafers or wingtip shoes
• A navy or black suit
• Blouses
• Cardigans
• Skirts or casual dresses that fall below the knee
• Accessories, such as scarves or modest jewelry pieces
• Closed-toed heels or flats

All items of clothing should be freshly washed and neatly pressed or ironed, so they’re wrinkle-free. Shoes should be clean and polished, and they shouldn’t have any scuff marks or obvious signs of wear.

Although these dress codes have been the norm in North American schools for decades, the transition to online learning since 2020 may have permanently impacted what teachers are expected to wear to work.

Teacher dress codes for online learning

Before online learning became a popular option for students of all ages, teacher dress codes fell low on the priority list for school boards and principals. The key concern for teachers pivoting to online lesson planning was figuring out how to continue delivering learning material to their students while they remained at home.

The innovation and commitment this required was extraordinary. Teachers suddenly had to adapt their curriculums to be formatted for digital delivery, rather than in-person, on short notice while retaining students’ attention and interest.

With so many other variables at play, teachers’ wardrobes haven’t been as strictly enforced while teaching online. A significant factor in the lack of enforcement on teacher dress codes while teaching online is likely the limited view students see over platforms, such as Zoom.

How online teaching impacts the dress code

The pandemic has affected the education of 1.2 billion children across 186 countries, resulting in school closures and a pivot to online delivery of programs wherever possible. The United States has, as of January 2022, seen 71 weeks of in-person school closures.

Teachers from grade school to high school have been forced to figure out how to successfully transfer their material online in a way that still makes sense to their students. Some colleges require teachers to complete nine credits of course material to be eligible to teach online classes, while teachers in the public school system were expected to move at a quicker pace with no training.

Since educators already had so many challenges to overcome when delivering this material to students, many boards and principals stopped enforcing dress codes for teaching online, as long as the attire was appropriate. When teaching via Zoom or another online platform, only a teacher’s upper body and face appear on-screen, making what they wear below the waist of little consequence.

Therefore, if teachers wanted to wear joggers or pajama bottoms while teaching, they could do so without anyone knowing. Many school boards and teachers developed the philosophy that as long as what the students can see on-screen reflects positively on you, it’s acceptable attire for online teaching.

What teachers should wear when teaching online

While teachers don’t necessarily need to worry about a particular dress code when teaching online, you should make sure policies or directives are in place to ensure a minimum of decorum.

It’s important that your employees still appear put together and professional on a webcam feed to retain the respect of their students. Teachers appearing on camera in pajamas with messy hair are less likely to be taken seriously by their students, and it can even affect how students learn.

When teaching online, inform your teachers that they should:

• Wear a clean, wrinkle-free casual shirt
• Record or speak in front of a neutral background

The focus is on the hair and upper body when teaching online because that’s all the students can see. Although teachers don’t need to dress business casual, their shirts should still be fresh, free of wrinkles and appear professional.

Solid colored clothing looks best on camera, so if they’re recording video lectures they intend to use again in the future, they should consider solids. Avoiding large graphics or busy patterns on their clothes can also ensure students are focused on their face while they’re speaking.

Personal grooming is still an essential aspect of a teacher’s dress code when teaching online. To set a good example for students regarding self-care and hygiene, teachers should appear put together and professional.

A new element of teacher dress codes in online learning is the need to curate everything students can see within the screen, including the background they use for their lessons. Teachers should try to select a neutral backdrop, such as a plain wall or an office space. This helps avoid distractions in the background and also protects teachers’ privacy by not revealing too much of their home on camera.

The future of dress codes for teachers

As online learning becomes more accessible to students across the globe, teachers may see a permanent shift in their workplace attire. Many school boards and principals are less concerned about the dress code for a teacher and more concerned about ensuring the safety of staff and students while at school. Online learning has put dress codes into perspective, for both students and teachers, resulting in many changes.

As long as teachers’ clothes are clean, appropriate and not offensive or distracting to students, it’s likely that teachers across many boards will find their daily attire is more relaxed moving forward.