Forget hallway gossip. This semester’s hottest topic is which teachers are turning the hallway into a runway.

Through an Instagram poll with seven responses, students voted on the top three most fashionable teachers on campus, and the results highlight style, confidence and expression.

In third place is Jennifer Elam, an English 1 teacher, whose wardrobe blends comfort with conversation through her earth-toned vintage clothing, leaning towards pieces that tell a story.

Elam’s current style of antiques stem from her childhood of Victorian literature and theater performance. Her love of historical fashion leads her to showcase this in her own style, especially as an English teacher who touches on classical literature.

When constantly moving around as a teacher, comfortability is your friend. For Elam, that means a pair of russet horsebit loafers and an embroidered olive green top with flowing peasant sleeves and a scoop neckline, all tied together with highwaisted uncut dark green corduroys, exhibiting vintage inspiration and unique pieces.

While comfort is not the only factor to achieve a glamorous outfit, feeling confident in your dress is a component of the outfit itself. Your fashion is shown off as a statement piece to the world. According to InsightsPhycology, what you wear can dramatically affect your mental state, specifically the colors you choose. Elam expresses that “color is very important to [her]” when deciding her wardrobe for this reason. Using this tip, she “[tries] to project warmth and comfort in [her] style.”

Through her outfit, the predominance of green exudes a harmonious feel, the gold and browns adding to that with feelings of warmth and comfort, expertly carrying out her goal.

This philosophy informs not just her wardrobe, but her advice to others. Using those fashion principles, Elam has one tip for fellow fashionistas.

“Fashion has two jobs. One, it’s to make you feel comfortable in yourself, and two, it’s to help you find your people,” Elam said.

Up next in second place is Conchita Bean, a Pre-AP Algebra 2 teacher, known for her elegant and structured looks.

Bean appears in an outfit that carries the polishedness of a cover look, dressed in a smoke grey tweed dress with its plaid boldly proclaiming its sophistication against the layered sheer white shirt. Perfect for the catwalk, on her feet are a pair of rich black leather boots that fit loosely around her calves, mixing refinement from the leather with a modern twist from the trendy wide-calf.

There is obvious intentionality behind this pairing, uncovering the fashion genius Bean really is. Using the CST rule, better known as the color, shape, texture rule, she crafts an outfit interesting through not only texture, but shape as well.

Since the colors stick to a monochromatic scale of black, white and grey, what makes this combination stand out is the successful mix of tweed, leather and sheer fabrics, triumphantly using the texture rule by incorporating different yet cohesive textures to add depth.

To expand on her expertise, she forms an interesting shape through the dress, boots and layered top. The sleeves of her shirt showcase a poet’s style, the dress sneaks in a kick pleat and her boots’ vaguely wide mouth equals out the hidden touches to create a balanced silhouette.

Using this masterful rule, utilized perfectly by Bean, anyone can put together a voguish outfit.

Thus, we receive tip two from our fashion experts: If an outfit lacks color, craft an interesting shape; if the shape is bland, texture should be eye-catching; and finally, if texture is lackluster, engage through color.

Crowned the undisputed fashionista of Bellaire: Gabrielle Ford, the AP Literature and Composition and AP African American Studies teacher. She doesn’t just dress for class, she dresses for impact. Instead of throwing on any random outfit, Ford “always [tries] to tie [fashion] into whatever [she’s] teaching that day.”

For example, the day she taught her students how to score the sophistication point on their essays, Ford decided to show that sophistication through her outfit. Her look that day was a fitted charcoal grey suit with platinum pinstripes flying vertically down the suit, paired with a pair of midnight black suede ballet flats with a short shadow grey tie, adding just the right amount of rebellion. A crisp white button up breaks the monochrome with precision, applying the balance and contrast rule of fashion.

Think professionalism meets an edge of modernity, highlighting the effort in correlation and self-expression.Her attention to detail extends beyond clothing to nails and accessories.

As students look ahead to curating their own wardrobes, Bellaire’s fashion icons offer three guiding principles: choose what makes you feel confident and comfortable, utilize color, shape and texture to balance your form and use clothing as a form of expression by telling a story through every piece, whether it be your emotions, beliefs or anything else.

Bellaire’s teachers don’t just educate — they elevate.