Write a short report (200-400 words) about the clothing worn by a social group, clique, or individual that you find interesting in the present time in the place you live. How does this group or individual use clothing to
* celebrate social/religious occasions?
* visibly identify themselves with a group?
* show status within their group?
* attract persons of one�s gender preference?
* express individual taste?
There is no written dress code for our teachers, but the faculty/ staff are almost always professional in their dress, following the guidelines of the student dress code. This visibly identifies them with or as a group. There are a couple of exceptions to the �clean & neat� part. There�s the teacher who does seem to own an iron. And one who doesn�t understand that dress shirt tails are to be tucked in. Or the one who figures that a couple of stains will not be noticed. On the other end of the spectrum is the teacher who is always beautifully coiffed & immaculately dressed up in expensive clothes, complete with high heels.
Teacher choice of clothing is a means to model what good dress looks like. It is also a means to expect respect from the students. You know what Mark Twain said about naked people and influence on society. A similar non-effect occurs in the classrooms of sloppily dressed teachers. I am the textiles teacher. Once the students grasp the idea that one can actually MAKE their own clothing, they always ask about what I am wearing. This gives me a way to express my individual taste�art to wear garments--and get them to think about the possibilities of using classroom skills & their imaginations.
Teacher dress in our building is fairly homogenized. Very Brooks Brothers/Talbots/Ann Taylor. The men in administration wear suits & ties. The jacket comes off for the day, but goes back on for meetings. This is one way they can exhibit their status. Also setting the administrators apart is the permanently attached walkie-talkie! The men teachers dress in slacks and button down shirts; a sweater may be added when it is cold.. Our (female) principal almost always wears a deep-colored suit with a colorful accent in the form of a blouse or scarf. Her jacket does not come off. The also-female assistant principal wears suits, or separates, brighter colors, but always beautifully put together. The staff members are easily & visibly identified as well: the nurses wear white lab coats; the custodians wear uniform pants & red school-logo embroidered rugby shirts.
Many teachers wear seasonally decorated clothing. Most of the women seem to own complete Christmas or other holiday wardrobes, including jewelry. One of the men has a pair of corduroy pants with candy canes embroidered on them. This penchant for seasonal dressing is also a way of expressing individual taste, since our everyday wear is so conventional. One Friday a month is a dress down day for the teachers. I think the kids get a kick out of what the teacher�s �Saturday clothes� look like.