World Book Day Costumes for Teachers

Storybook and history looks for the staffroom

Each pick below lists what's in the pack and its size range. If your class has a Victorians, medieval, or Ancient Egypt topic, the nanny, knight, or Egyptian queen gives you one fancy dress buy for both days.

The Womens Traditional Alice Costume comes as a light blue dress with the white apron already attached, bow-detail knee-high socks, and a black headband, in sizes Small through X-Large.

With a three-bears pinafore attached to its yellow dress, the Womens Goldilocks Costume adds a matching headband and runs from size 8-10 through to 24-26.

A blue jacket, a long skirt, and a black veiled hat make up the Womens Victorian Nanny Costume, a period-story nanny in sizes Small (8-10) to XXX-Large (28-30).

Sized by chest and height, the Medieval Knight Costume Mens is a long white tunic with red cross detail; check the size selector on the product page for what's currently available.

Sherwood Forest in four pieces: the Men's Robin Hood Costume is a green hooded top, a brown hooded collar, a belt, and boot covers, sized by chest; check the size selector on the product page for what's currently available.

For an Ancient Egypt topic, the Women's Egyptian Pharaoh Queen Costume combines a black maxi dress with a gold headpiece, a patterned neckpiece, and caped arm cuffs, in sizes Small through to XXX-Large.

Dressing up again later in the school year? See our Christmas costumes, nativity costumes, and Easter costumes.

What actually makes a good staffroom costume

One you can get into before the bell and still be teaching in at home time. Three details on the picks above are worth checking. Alice's apron and Goldilocks' pinafore are attached to the dress, so there's no separate layer to tie on. The Victorian nanny's long skirt and the Egyptian queen's maxi dress need flat shoes underneath and a bit more care on stairs. Sizing differs from pick to pick, with the men's costumes sized by chest, so check the chart on each product page before you order.

Frequently asked questions

What can teachers wear for World Book Day?

A character pupils will know from a book, or a history figure tied to a class topic. From our range, that means Alice, Goldilocks, or Robin Hood for a storybook character, or the Victorian nanny, medieval knight, or Egyptian queen for a Victorians, medieval, or Ancient Egypt topic.

Is there an easy World Book Day costume for teachers?

Try Alice or Goldilocks. Both dresses have the apron or pinafore attached, so there's no separate layer to tie on: Alice comes with bow-detail knee-high socks and a black headband, Goldilocks with a matching headband.

Can teachers dress as a history figure instead of a book character?

Yes: our Egyptian Pharaoh Queen, Victorian Nanny, and Medieval Knight costumes suit an Ancient Egypt, Victorians, or medieval topic. Schools set their own expectations for how closely a costume has to match a specific book, so check with yours if you're unsure.

What size should I order?

Go by the size selector on each product page, as the six picks are sized differently and availability moves. The women's costumes run from Small up to X-Large (Alice), XXL (Goldilocks) or XXX-Large (the Victorian nanny and the Egyptian queen). Robin Hood is sized by chest and the knight by chest and height; check each one's own selector before ordering.

Will I be able to move and teach comfortably in these costumes?

Plan for length on two picks: the Victorian nanny has a long skirt and the Egyptian queen a maxi dress, so wear flat shoes and take the stairs with care. Robin Hood's boot covers are part of the set, so pick the shoes you wear with them for a full day on your feet.

Can a staffroom coordinate costumes as a group?

Yes, and each theme has men's and women's options: a storybook group can pick from Alice, Goldilocks, and Robin Hood, a history group from the Victorian nanny, medieval knight, and Egyptian queen, so three of you can share a theme in three different costumes.