Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gotokorea]

Just curious. What kind of clothes do all of you wear? Is it suit and tie, just a button down shirt or polo style shirt, jeans or dress pants, t-shirts, or todays latest europene club style clothing? What fashion does the school expect you to be in and does it matter if your at a hagwon or public school?

[Demonicat]

I work kindy and wear torn up pants, chuck taylors and usually a t-shirt. Though with the ingress of winter I'm packing more sweaters now.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Collared shirt and trousers, sometimes tie, blazer if it's cold.

Yes, hogwan vs public school vs adult academy makes a big difference. I once wore sandals, bare feet, raggedy shorts, and a muscle short to my old hogwan job, but that was just to make the point that I could come in my underwear and still be more professional that that place.

[JacktheCat]

All depends on the school.

Some schools have dress down clothes policies. One of my old hackwon jobs forbade me from wearing slacks and dress shirts, said I looked to much like a "real teacher" (which scared the kids), and not "western" enough, and ordered me to wear jeans and a t-shirt.

My current private high school has a strict suits and ties policy, though as waegukin I can get away with blazers and colourful,funky ties.

[antoniothegreat]

my private middle school said i could wear jeans if i wanted, but i usually go polo/button up and khakis.

btw, somebody said button down, i say button up, what does everyone say and where are they from? kind of off topic, but i am curious. I am american...

[gotokorea]

[sheba]

I say button up shirt.... I guess cos we say 'do up your buttons'.....??

Anyway, our only dress code is no open toes (must wear socks or closed toe "slippers"), and must look respectable. If we want to wear jeans then thats fine, or a t-shirt or whatever. As long as its clean, ironed and not ripped etc

[desultude]

ummm, I'm not a guy, but I thought "button down" referred to the collars that have a little button at the tip- to "button down" over your tie. You button up a shirt's front buttons.

"Looking all button down" always seemed to me to mean that you were dressed well all to way to the little buttons on the tips of your collar.

But, not being a guy, I may have this all wrong.

[desultude]

What do I wear? I try to be professional in my dress, and it seems to be expected. My clothes aren't as conservative as the Korean women professors, but they appropriate. The one rule I do tend to violate is that of footwear- so long as the weather is hot, I wear pretty comfortable open shoes, and I don't wear pointy toed high heels.

It is fairly clear that jeans are the one absolute no-no on my campus for teaching. I don't wear them on campus unless it is the weekend, and even then, if I am going to my office, I am seldom in jeans. This is Daegu, and I think jeans are just seen as way too casual for professors.

It has been discussed here many times- dressing well is important in Korea, and you will be judged by your appearance here more than in other places.

[gotokorea]

So then..... it basically depends on your school and it's policys?

[peppermint]

The only guidance I was given at school was " not too naked"

[crazylemongirl]

I'm at a public boys' middle school. And they are weird about somethings and not about others.

I can wear jeans (But I wear a blazar with them).

I got away with capri pants this summer.

They like it if I wear skirts, but don't like bare legs. So they would prefer I wear hose all year around. In summer I had to explain the term 'yeast infection' to my minder as to why I wouldn't be wearing hose. But a note on wearing skirts is that the boys will try and look up your skirt.

Skirts should hit at at least below the knee.

Clevage should be well covered.

Shoulders and bra straps are considered sexy. Make sure those are covered up.

If you're a girl. Make sure you have the padded bra oh steal for when it gets cold.

Make-up is a must.

In general take a look at what the k teachers are wearing and dress a level up from that.

[thursdays child]

I work public high school. As far as i can tell there is no dress code - i asked and was told not show my tummy. I dress casual-smart - sometimes jeans. The Korean staff are generally scruffier than me and on some days I'm a right mess!

[JacktheCat]

[desultude]