What does 'a teacher' look like?

I was a teacher and I have four children, and a permanent furrow between my brows from frowning. When I was young a man I fancied asked me if I was an actress. When I simpered “what make you think that?” he said it was because I had a loud voice.

During a guessing game, players voted that I worked at a checkout. I am not typically geeky, but I was a computer programmer and website designer! Well i did have a keyboard

Yes, I have been told that I look like a teacher, too! My teachers wanted me to be a teacher! I did take a two year pre-nursing course because I wanted to teach nursing - but a road accident meant that I had to leave the course after a year. I became a secretary. A prolific reader - I assume it is my use of language, and insistence on correct grammar and punctuation that lead people to think that! That's my excuse, anyway!

I’m convinced there is such a thing as “teacher’s handwriting”

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I agree, it's more to do with the manner than the appearance that people guess we were once a teacher. My voice carries far too much and I use my hands to explain a lot.
I was often asked if I were German as a child and when our two blonde haired, blue eyed kids were later with me we were taken for Scandinavians.

Marydoll. I totally agree. I have several friends who are retired teachers. Being a quiet type, myself, I'm lucky to be able to put in even a penn'orth, never mind my twopenn'orth!

I was walking through a busy hospital concourse on my first day in my first professional post wearing a beautiful new calf length summer dress with buttons down the back like one my mum had. I felt on top of the world! Someone came up to me and asked me if I was a Social Worker!! I was..... No briefcase or diary under my arm. No idea what gave me way..on my first day too... Years later I stopped outside my sister's house intending to pop in for a wee lunch break when someone came up and asked the same question. My husband said the half decent car, second hand clothes and diary in hand gave me away that time!

Haggard, most of the time. I look like hell during term time and then gradually regain 'me' in the holidays.

it's your shoes ladies

One HT I know manages to walk around all day in very high heels which I've never managed.

I was once told I looked like a sexy secretary - he then went on to ask if I would take my specs off with a flourish whilst unclipping and flicking my long hair!!
Kinky devil.

Ex teachers are often to be found running the U3A and other such organisations.

I'm not sure if it's a certain look or perhaps a tendency to organise people.
Many of my friends and acquaintances were teachers!

I was a teacher, and people often guessed, but I think it was how I spoke and ' behaved ' that was the giveaway, not what I wore.

No, it may well not have been a compliment! Speaking as a retired teacher, we are often supposed to be bossy, slightly priggish, fussy, have little or no fashion sense and wear glasses.

I have never met a teacher who looked like the description I have just quoted. Some people apply it to librarians as well, where in my experience it is just as out of place.

Next time someone asks if you are a teacher, ask them why they thought so. It would be quite nice to hear the reasons.

I am a retired nurse who has been told several times that I look like a matron, but only when my hair is tied back and with my specs on.

I was once approached by someone thinking I was an estate agent. Not sure why.

DP and I used to get asked regularly at parents evenings if we were teachers by the teachers themselves (both of us worked in public authority jobs). One of the reasons was that we ‘did’ things with our children which made me wonder if one of them had been moaning about being made to go walking at the weekend and on holiday. I was also mistaken for a school inspector who’d come to check on a trainee teacher who was struggling. I quickly stopped the headteacher once I realised where he was going and explained I was just there to look over the school as I was thinking of sending my son there. I did have my work clothes on which may have confused him. He was mortified but I did wonder who was going to ‘get it’ for not clarifying which visitor was sitting in his office.

I’m often mistaken for a teacher-I think it’s just my naturally -bossy-organising manner

I was a Deputy Headteacher in a primary school until I retired 2 years ago. I don't think there is an actual teacher 'look' as no two of my colleagues were ever similar in appearance at any of the schools I worked in. The stereotype sensibly shod/glasses on end of nose/ hair in a bun image of female teachers only exists in fiction, in my experience, but it is how many teachers are still thought of!

I was once told I looked like a vegetarian. I am not and I have no idea what a vegetarian looks like!!
Again I dont think it was a compliment

I have been asked many times if I was French! I found out along the way that I had recent French ancestors so there must be something in my looks.

People often ask if I was a teacher. I wasn’t but because I am a good organiser and can happily stand up and address up to 200 people people think I was before retirement.

We’re all teachers really aren’t we? I’m still trying to train my OH!

I sometimes amend my description to'lecturer' which is what they called us in Further Education. I was teaching much the same things as I would have taught in a comp.

Yes, I was one as well. It takes a long time to resist the urge to tell people things, they maybe didn't want to know. Teachers are information junkies and love imparting it to others. It's not the appearance, it's the manner which gives you away, I think.