5 Best Practices For Shopping On A Teacher's Salary

We shared highlights from our survey of over 200 teachers, and their general sentiment on the back-to-school time frame. Now, we’re leaving you with best shopping practices, as spoken first hand by teachers themselves:

Jennifer D. from Baltimore MD summed it up well, “Teachers need to understand the benefits of dressing fashionably. Your students will notice (after all, you ask them to look at you for at least an hour every day) and they will most likely respect you more for taking care of yourself. They may even find it easier to relate to you. More importantly, however, you will feel more confident about yourself, which will translate into better teaching and classroom management.”

So, with no further ado — we present “5 Best Practices for Shopping On a Teacher’s Salary”:

1) Infuse your own personal flair and creativity to your wardrobe. This can especially done through the use of fun accessories (earrings, necklaces, scarves) to make even a basic outfit more exciting.

“I think it’s important to emphasize that teachers absolutely must shop on a budget because our salaries are so limiting. However, many teachers have fabulous and unique senses of style.” -Jennie H. from Chicago, IL

2) Comfortable footwear is imperative…especially for long days on your feed!

“I know a lot of my teaching friends want to be stylish but at the same time we are young and look young so its important to look professional. Flats work best since we are on our feet all day- the problem with that is most work slacks are so long they require heels. It would be nice to look cute, yet professional and also me comfy!” -Monica T. from San Diego, CA

Theory****cargo pants, Cole Haanwedges (55% off)

3) Sign up for sale alerts for brands you love through Shop It To Me and other online destinations.

“Teachers also need to know that they can find great fashion without spending beyond their means. Stores like Loehmanns and internet sites like Shop It To Me and online sample sale sites make fashion affordable even for an inner-city public school teacher like myself.” -Jennifer D. from Baltimore, MD

4) Shop places that offer discounts for educators.

“I like to shop at places that offer teacher incentives/discounts. For example, J.Crew and Ann Taylor Loft give out great discounts all year round to teachers. All you have to do is flash your teacher card. Also, versatility is key. I like being able to wear some clothes to work and then go straight out afterwards and look decent.” -Allison K. from Brooklyn, NY

5) Work together! Find other stylish teachers with similar taste to exchange tips and shop with!

“We definitely share info about sales, deals, or where we buy clothes if someone is wearing something cute. A few of us have gone on shopping outings to see what we can find. There have been some pretty great scores that we get excited about (ex. Joes Jeans and Stuart Weitzman heels).” – Blythe D. from Oakland, CA

*“A few friends and I do “Fashion Challenges” where we set up a budget and see who can find the cutest/stylish outfit on that budget at a given store. We all have to look at the same store and we give ourselves a time limit.” *-Carly Q. from Happy Valley, OR