I know what some of you are thinking, “Leggings for work! There’s no way leggings are appropriate for work!” I have been in that camp for awhile so I don’t blame you! I work with High School students on a daily basis and part of maintaining my authority in the classroom is dressing appropriately. But as a teacher, there comes a point where you just need to be comfortable! Do ya feel me?
When I went back to the classroom as a full-time teacher in December I was putting in long hours. As much as I love pencil skirts and dresses for work, there comes a point where – on days with lots of planning and grading – you just need a comfortable work outfit that allows for a lot of movement! It’s pretty hard to sit cross-legged doing my grading in a pencil skirt and let me tell you, skinny jeans aren’t really made for that either! Ha!
What to Look For in Leggings for Work
A lot of the teacher bloggers I follow on Instagram feature leggings pretty often but there are different norms for different levels of teaching. In Elementary school I can see more leeway for leggings but in High School, when you teach students whose hormones are doing the boogaloo, it’s a lot more tricky. In New England the dress code for teachers is much more formal (in Bellevue I got away with wearing distressed jeans to work!) but formal shouldn’t have to mean boring and uncomfortable.
I scoured Amazon
- They have to be thick enough to wear more like pants than like leggings – ie: supportive in back and not showing every little thing underneath.
- They have to have pockets on the back and seams down the side so that they look more like regular skinny jeans than leggings.
Two of the pairs I ordered had no pockets on the back. Though they looked classy on the front, they had limited use since I didn’t feel like I could wear them without a long tunic. The pair I am wearing above (and also wore in this post) are the perfect work appropriate leggings. They are light-weight, comfortable, supportive, and with the pockets and side seams – look just like a pair of skinny jeans.
How to Wear Leggings for Work
My key for wearing work appropriate leggings in the High School work environment is to:
- Dress them up with heels
- Wear them with a longer blazer or cardigan
Making the rest of the outfit more formal takes the attention away from the more form-fitting bottoms and with the pockets in the back and seams on the sides, you may not even be able to tell that they’re leggings instead of colored skinny jeans! Voila! A comfortable outfit with leggings that are appropriate for work!
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Get the Look:
- Polka Dot Tunic, Shein (old). Similar without collar here and here. Love this bow blouse version.
- Pink Leggings, Amazon (no longer available in exact color, but more here). I also tried these (available now in more colors) but I wasn’t as pleased with the fit.
- Black Longline Cardigan, Ross (I seriously think everyone needs one of these!). Similar here and here.
- Sam Edelman Leopard Pumps, Nordstrom (old).
- Pink Tassel Earrings, Baublebar (old). This year’s design here. Under $15 version here!
- Black Oversized Sunglasses, Nordstrom (old). Similar here.
- Leopard Bag, Amazon (gift). Most similar.
- Baublebar Mason Ring, Nordstrom.
- Michael Kors Two-Tone Darci Watch, Areatrends.com.
- NYX Butter Gloss in Strawberry Parfait, Ulta.
So now, tell me, would you wear leggings to work? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to download your FREE list of the best places to shop for work/professional clothes by clicking the image above!
-Virginia
Linking up with: More Pieces of Me | Sincerely Jenna Marie | Style Sessions | The Pleated Poppy |Pumps and Pushups | The Red Closet Diary | Twenties Girl Style | Elegance and Mommyhood | Living in Color | Stylin’ in St. Louis | Passion 4 Fashion | Friday Favorites | Fab Favorites | The Fashion Canvas | Cassie Rae
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