How to Dress for a Babysitting Job

Last Updated: May 20, 2022 References Approved

Whether you've landed your first babysitting job or just have a job for a new family, you always want to make a good impression at work. Dressing appropriately is just one of the many steps for landing and keeping a babysitting job. For babysitting jobs, you'll want to be comfortable but also look appropriate.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Dressing Comfortably

1
Wear clothing you can easily wash. Dress in something that you can move around in and you don't mind getting messy, such as a T-shirt and jeans. Kids are always finding new adventures, and it's likely you'll be cleaning up after many messes.^{[1]
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- Don't wear anything tight-fitting that restricts your movement. You need to be able to easily move around, bend down, and pick up the kids.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Jessie Davidson
  Child Care Specialist
  Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
2
Keep the weather in mind. Bring sunglasses and sun lotion for summer babysitting jobs in case you go outside. Carry a coat, hats and gloves with you in the colder seasons.

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3
Wear comfortable shoes. Choose a pair of shoes that are easy to slip on and off, and make sure the shoes are lightweight to avoid potential damage if a toddler decides to throw one of them. It's also a good idea to bring tennis shoes if you plan on going outside.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Jessie Davidson
Child Care Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
4
Look polished. Wearing a modest T-shirt or blouse with casual jeans will allow you to move comfortably all while looking professionally casual. Darker colored clothing often looks professional and tends to hide stains well.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Jessie Davidson
Child Care Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}^{[5]
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- Even though you should wear something comfortable, it's still important to present yourself professionally. Make sure the clothes you choose are clean and tidy. Don't wear anything that's revealing, ripped, stained, or dirty.^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Jessie Davidson
  Child Care Specialist
  Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
5
Bring a change of clothes. Kids often enjoy messy activities such as arts and crafts, and they also tend to spill easily. It's likely that you might get paint, glue or dirt on your clothes, so having back-up clothing on hand to change into would be ideal.^{[7]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing Accessories

1
Avoid wearing hanging jewelry. Leaving your dangling earrings, necklaces, and bracelets at home is safer for the kids, ensuring there is nothing for the child or baby to pull off and potentially choke on. Besides, you don't want your favorite beaded necklace broken or children pulling on your bracelet.^{[9]
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2
Hide your tattoos and piercings. Take out any piercings before your babysitting job or hide them as best you can along with your tattoos. Kids may find you unapproachable if you have too many visible tattoos whereas babies love to grab things and might decide to yank on your piercing.
3
Keep the makeup minimal. If you feel the need to wear makeup, keep it simple so you look like you're going to work and not out to a party. Don't overdo it by wearing tons of eye liner, lipstick or blush.
4
Keep your hair out of your face. Choose a professional-looking hairstyle that won't get in your way while you work. With longer hairstyles, wearing your hair up in a ponytail looks professional and ensures you will be able to move around with minimal distraction from your hair.
- If you have dyed hair in bright colors such as red, blue, green, etc., put it up in a ponytail for the first couple babysitting jobs so parents and kids can get used to it slowly.
- Try pinning your hair back in a barrette if your hair is too short to tie up.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Avoiding Inappropriate Clothing

1
Wear modest-looking clothing. This means nothing revealing such as booty shorts, belly shirts, low-cut shirts, skirts or low-rise pants. Avoid looking unprofessional and pass on the yoga pants and leggings.^{[10]
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2
Keep your clothes profanity-free. Don't wear T-shirts with racial or sexual comments on them, or tasteless words or pictures such as clothing that advertises alcohol. You wouldn't want the children you babysit repeating any inappropriate words or phrases.
3
Avoid wearing ripped clothing. Even though your favorite pair of jeans might have holes in the knees, it's important to remember that you're dressing for a job. Skip the ripped jeans and choose an outfit that doesn't look sloppy.
4
Maintain good hygiene. Make sure that your clothes are clean, you have showered, have clean hands, trimmed fingernails and well-groomed hair. Be clean, but don't wear heavy fragrances that kids might be sensitive to.^{[11]
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Expert Q&A

Question

What shoes should I wear while babysitting?

Jessie Davidson
Child Care Specialist
Jessie Davidson is a Child Care Specialist and the CEO and Founder of BabysitPro, which provides online courses for current and aspiring babysitters. Jessie has over 20 years of childcare experience and specializes in best practices for sitters of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and grade-schoolers. BabysitPro’s courses are unique and age-specific so babysitters can learn detailed information relevant to the children they babysit. Jessie holds a BA in French Studies from Wheaton College and an MA in Visual Anthropology from The University of Southern California.

Jessie Davidson

Child Care Specialist

Expert Answer

Slip on some comfortable, closed-toed shoes that you can easily run around in.
Question

What outfit should I wear when I'm babysitting for the first time?

Jessie Davidson
Child Care Specialist
Jessie Davidson is a Child Care Specialist and the CEO and Founder of BabysitPro, which provides online courses for current and aspiring babysitters. Jessie has over 20 years of childcare experience and specializes in best practices for sitters of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and grade-schoolers. BabysitPro’s courses are unique and age-specific so babysitters can learn detailed information relevant to the children they babysit. Jessie holds a BA in French Studies from Wheaton College and an MA in Visual Anthropology from The University of Southern California.

Jessie Davidson

Child Care Specialist

Expert Answer

Wear clean, tidy clothes that aren't ripped, stained, or dirty. Also, don't wear clothes are tight-fitting or restrictive—you should be able to move around, bend down, and pick up the kids without anything being revealing.
Question

What should I do if I have so many questions that I am afraid I am going to forget them?

Community Answer

You can write them down on a piece of paper and bring the paper with you. Explain to the parents that you want to be sure to remember all of your questions, because it is important in order to do your job well.