Teach Middle East Magazine September 2014 Issue 1 Vol. 2 | Page 46

Bella

THE PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE
FOR THE MINIMALIST TEACHER
By Maryann Reid

D

ressing for the job does not
have to mean stressing over
fashion. A major advantage
of working in this region is that
teachers do not have to suffer through
a daily fashion show. Female teachers
are encouraged to wear an abaya to
work leaving them with only the need
to accessorise, if they so choose. If
you happen to work in a school where
you do not wear an abaya, having
something you can confidently grab
out the closet in a flash is essential.
Teachers can quickly organise a few
main pieces of clothing to create a
“uniform”. Therefore, there is no more
closet shame over what you don’t
have, or what doesn’t look right.
There are 3 basic principles to keep in
mind to help make your mornings flow
smoothly and get you dressed in less
than 5 minutes, guaranteed.

Colours

Keep your colours solid, and avoid
patterns. Purchasing items of clothing
in solid colours like blacks, blues,
greens, browns and greys make your
early mornings fast and convenient.
You can mix and match without

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September 2014

thinking about the latest colour trends
or if polka dots go with stripes. Later,
throw in the occasional orange or pink
to liven up your outfit. Bottoms should
always be 1 or 2 colours. For example,
black and beige can hold any wardrobe
together. You can interchange them
with loose coloured tops.

Style

A quality, pashmina scarf is a girl’s
best accessory when pulling together
a clean, comfortable, stylish look.
Choose scarves in colours you love.
You can be more adventurous here,
as long as they are well made. A long,
lovely pashmina will make it look like
you have on a different outfit everyday
even if your bottoms and tops are the
same. It immediately shifts an outfit
from average to absolutely classic.
Scarves make you feel instantly
secure and appropriately covered in a
conservative work environment.
Stylish, but simple options for loose
fitting pants include boho/bohemian
style that are loose in the hips and can
either be fitted at the ankles or wide
legged.

After The Bell

Comfort

The hours a teacher spends on her
feet are more than the average worker.
Teaching is physical labour. Choose
well-made quality flats in neutral, light
colours like tan, grey or beige. The
black flat is nice, but neutrals make
an outfit pop. It complements a clean
look. At some point, you can throw in
a pair of cute red flats when the basics
are covered.
In all, two solid boho pants, two solid
long skirts, five long blouses with
long sleeves, and six pashminas
are all you need to pull off a fifteenpiece capsule wardrobe. This limited
amount requires great care of your
clothes to make them last the whole
school year. Avoid too much ironing
or over washing, and hang up clothes
immediately when you get home. The
night before, pull out a pair of pants
and top, lay out your scarf, and shoes.
Preparing your outfit from the night
before significantly