Back to School Clothes for Teachers

*updated – July 27, 2021*

It’s almost August and time for teachers to think about getting our own back-to-school clothes ready to go!

Think about your typical teaching day: it starts early (so we need to be ready to go), we are standing up and moving around through much of the day, sometimes we sit on the floor with students, we drop off and pick up from specials classes, we walk up and down hallways, we often do recess or cafeteria duty, we deliver kids to the bus or car rider lines. We’re busy!

Our clothes need to be cute and professional, but they also need to be functional and affordable.

Here are some great options.

TEACHER DISCOUNTS

Here are some great retailers who value teachers by offering a discount year-round.

*Ann Taylor LOFT – Sign up here for exclusive teacher-only perks! Plus they have great sales throughout the year.

*Banana Republic – They also offer their Style with Class special code. This is another retailer that features great sales throughout the year.

*J Crew – Check out their “Wear to Work” section.

*Karen Kane offers a 20% discount!

*Madewell offers a 15% discount to teachers.

*Rothy’s (my favorite shoes) offer a 20% discount to teachers!

*Vineyard Vines – I always look at the “Wear Now Favorites for Her.”

*Zappo’s offers a 10% discount.

The stores linked below offer great discounts during Teacher Appreciation Week (which should last all year long, in my opinion).

*Old Navy – offers anywhere from 10 – 25% off your purchase. Check with your local store. Old Navy, like Banana Republic and Ann Taylor LOFT, also features great sales throughout the year, so it’s always worth a look.

*Chico’s – check their blog for outfit tips.

Have you tried Amazon’s Prime Wardrobe? Let me know your thoughts if you’ve tried it!

And now for some favorite stores and teacher clothes options!

LOFT

I LOVE Loft. One reason is that they have sales or offer discounts all the time. Remember to sign up for the Loft Loves Teachers program HERE and they will alert you to sales and features. In addition, if you show your teacher ID in their store, they give you 15% off your purchase!

Here are some of my favorite categories of clothes from Loft, with a few options as examples:

*dresses – easiest wardrobe item over. Just throw it on and go.

*skirts – a skirt with a cute top helps you look professional and put together, but you’ll also be comfortable.

*accessories – Loft has great jewelry and accessories. One of my favorite accessories is a scarf since it can totally change up an outfit. They always have great deals on jewelry and shoes.

*and finally — Loft pants. If your school does not allow you to wear jeans, you will need to invest in some comfortable but professional pants options.

TARGET
~cardigans! While Loft and other stores have great cardigans also, Target cardigans are cute and affordable and come in a variety of styles.

~dresses – Target dresses are also cute and affordable, and look great with those cardigans.

~flats and wedges are some of the most comfortable shoes to wear at school! (Keep reading for other great shoe options.)

OLD NAVY

Old Navy, like Loft, offers great deals all the time. I often put items in my cart and then just wait until they run some kind of sale or promotion! #veteranshopper.

~Old Navy pants are very popular with teachers! They are cute, affordable, they fit great and they can be dressed up or down.

~Old Navy dresses are very popular, affordable and comfortable. My only caution about their dresses is to hang them up to dry instead of throwing them in the dryer. They tend to shrink in length when dried repeatedly.

AMAZON

I hear mixed reviews about Amazon clothes. However, I have had great luck with certain brands and I’ll share those here.

~Daily Ritual – I have tried dresses and pants from this brand and have not been disappointed! The quality and fit are great and you can’t beat the prices.

~I’ve also found some cute, affordable and high quality items from Lark & Ro.

OTHER RANDOM FAVORITES

*Walmart – I hear great things about the Time & Tru line of clothes and shoes at Walmart!

*JC Penney – Worthington brand

*Marshall’s and TJ Maxx

*last – an awesome online thrift store shopping option: Thred-up!

AND FINALLY – SHOES!
Here are some of my favorite brands that are cute and comfortable.

*Rothy’s is my new favorite brand. No, they’re not cheap. But, they are an investment that pays off. They hold up well, they are super comfortable, and they are actually machine washable! Here are my favorite styles:

~flats

~while I prefer a rounded toe, lots of teachers love the point style.

~I also love their loafers.