English teacher Kim Rober, once a rebellious high school girl sporting pink hair, now dresses more appropriately for a teacher, but still retains her sense of style.
The Spectator: What do you wear on a typical day of teaching?
Kim Rober: I usually wear a lot of dresses and skirts. They let me dress professionally and relaxed. I try to mix how old I am with how old I feel I am in my head. It comes out to be my version of the adult Ms. Rober.
TS: What is the difference between how old you are and how old you feel?
KR: I still can’t believe I’m 30. High school seems like it happened yesterday. Even though I’ve matured, I still feel very young at heart. I’m not a kid anymore, but I don’t feel like an adult.
TS: Is there any article of clothing you especially like?
KR: I especially love the motorcycle boots I’m wearing today. They remind me of the Doc Martens I used to wear.
TS: You used to wear Doc Martens?
KR: Yes, they are steel-tipped ones, but I refuse to wear them to Stuyvesant. I’ve made a promise to do so, but I can’t bring myself to throw them out. I’ve also promised to never wear one of my band shirts to school, but I think I’ve broken that promise once with a Smiths t-shirt.
TS: So you were a bit rebellious in high school?
KR: Definitely. I remember when I used to have pink hair and wore my Doc Martens and fishnet stockings. In high school, I loved punk rock and my Vans. Once I got into college, though, I thought it was time to grow up. I dressed very conservatively for a while until I realized I could dress like an adult without looking like my mother.
TS: Why did you dye your hair pink?
KR: Part of the reason was that I was hanging out with people who were into punk music and it came with the territory. Also, everyone else in the school was either preppy or had a kind of hippie style. I didn’t go for either of those, so I decided to dress to express my individuality.
TS: What do you think about your students’ style?refreshed for 08
KR: In general, Stuy kids have a very good sense of style. Some of them even remind me of how I used to look in high school. But again, it’s not like I would ask them where they got their clothes.