Summer is officially over, but I know many of you still feel the heat depending on where you live. Even though it’s cooling down in the midwest, there are still some days when I walk out of school to humidity and sunshine, which makes it a little tricky to get dressed in the morning when it’s 50 degrees and cloudy. I do, however, try to get the most out of my summer dresses by wearing them into fall when I can.
My checklist for dresses that I wear to work is:
- Appropriate length: I’m 5’3′ so I typically don’t have any issues with dresses being too short. I’m not opposed to wearing dresses slightly above the knee, but I usually opt for flats as opposed to heels in those cases.
- Appropriate cut: This is kind of a no-brainer, but anything too low cut doesn’t make the cut for work. I also don’t typically wear sleeveless to work.
- Comfortable and easy to move in: I’m running around lab classes all day long, so being comfortable is key. For me, dresses are honestly the comfiest and the easiest to throw on in the morning.
- Affordable: Because I’m a Culinary Arts teacher, things can get messy in my lab, and that’s okay! I typically buy all of my dresses on sale. That way, if I spill olive oil on one, it’s not the end of the world!
These Amazon dresses are in constant rotation.
Walmart and Old Navy are also my go-to stores for affordable dresses for work.
And on those chilly days, I’ll layer with my trusty denim jacket. And yes, every teacher needs one! It’s just part of out uniform! These dresses are great options for the classroom and can all be worn with a denim jacket. For me, Old Navy jackets have been my go-to for years. I will say that their style has become a bit more relaxed rather than fitted, so I’m going to link a few other options that are more fitted.
Old Navy Jacket / Walmart Jacket / Levi’s Jacket
Look through your summer dresses and see which ones you can transition over to the classroom. Also, remember that you can swap out your summer sandals for boots and sneakers as the weather cools down!
