- Abbie Jones dressed as Dobby the elf for World Book Day, only to discover her school had chosen expressive dance instead of costumes.
- Despite the embarrassment, she embraced the situation with humor, and her story went viral, earning her the nickname “Dobby.”
World Book Day is a beloved tradition in schools across the UK, where children and teachers alike dress up as their favorite book characters.
It’s a chance to celebrate literature, get creative, and have fun. But one British primary school teacher found herself in an unexpected — and rather embarrassing — situation when she went all out for the event only to discover it was not the celebration she had imagined.
In a TikTok video that has since gone viral, the peripatetic music teacher recounted her mortifying experience.
“I have never in my life experienced a day at work more embarrassing than today was,” Abbie Jones confessed in the video. Armed with nothing but a glue gun, sheer tights, cardboard, and “hope,” she spent two and a half hours crafting a perfect Dobby the elf costume.
“I’ve always loved Harry Potter, it’s something that I grew up loving and have continued into adulthood. It’s always been a complete ‘escapism’ book and movie for me, but also one that’s filled with nostalgia and happiness,” Jones tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“Dobby as a character has always been one of my favorites just for how super cute he is, but also for how he is brave in the face of adversity, and I love that he is such a loyal and loving friend. “
After putting in all that effort, she was ready to wow her colleagues and students with her dedication; however, things took a turn as soon as she arrived at school.
In the viral video, Jones recalled the moment she first saw the receptionist through the window: “I thought, ‘Oh, that’s a shame she’s not dressed up.’ ” But as the day progressed, it became clear that the celebration was going in a very different direction than she had expected.
After the receptionist revealed to her that the kids were not dressed up, Jones was stunned. She had been under the impression that World Book Day was all about dressing up as your favorite character, but the school had opted for expressive dance, instead.
Abbie Jones even brought a prop sock to complete her Dobby costume.
Abbie jones
The situation only got more awkward from there. The teacher had come prepared – she even brought a prop sock with her — an essential part of any Dobby costume.
“I was mortified,” Jones admitted in the video. “I’ve had to just go about my daily business looking like this. Do you know how hard it is to get students to take you seriously when you’re dressed like this?”
Nevertheless, the TikTok video showed Jones’ good-natured ability to laugh at her own misfortune, even though she clearly felt out of place the entire day. With nowhere to hide and no way to escape her Dobby costume, the teacher had no choice but to soldier through the day.
“In terms of student reactions, there were generally a lot of strange looks as I walked through the corridors that day, but there was also lots of laughter and the children loved the costume,” Jones explains. “I have also been lovingly given the nickname ‘Dobby’ by staff and students at work now, which I think is going to stick indefinitely!”
Despite the embarrassment, Jones’ story has resonated with many online, as commenters chimed in to make her feel better about the World Book Day mishap.
“Nah you’re definitely the cool teacher,” one pointed out.
“TBF the school should be more embarrassed for opting for expressive dance rather than fancy dress,” another wrote.
Jones’ funny, lighthearted moment shows how sometimes things don’t always go as planned, but it’s all part of the fun – even if you end up looking like Dobby for the day.
“I will absolutely be dressing up next year,” Jones says. “I’m already planning a bigger and better costume, I’ve set the bar high and need to make sure I outdo myself next time.”
