I know this question could get a huge range of answers. But I'm trying to build up my wardrobe... right now, I'm subbing and doing some field work through my university. This will build up more and more until I student teach next spring, so I am trying to build up my wardrobe as I go. I'm not great about dresses/skirts, and I don't do heels, unless they're more chunky/wedge-like. So far, I always wear dress slacks with a sweater or button-down shirt. But it gets boring! I'm young, so I want to dress my age, but still look mature and in charge, you know?? Right now, I mostly shop at Gap, Old Navy, etc... but it's always hit or miss when I go shopping. So, where do YOU get your "teacher" clothes??
I'm a hardcore Anthropologie fan. I usually only get items on clearance, so it's about $30-40 for a top or sweater or skirt. If you get a couple a month, you can build a really cute wardrobe. I found an AMAZING dress at H&M tonight for $35-so cute and perfect that I'm going to drive 35 minutes tomorrow to another H&M to get it in my size. I also love J. Crew-they had a great couple of tops tonight, but none were on clearance and I don't want to pay $50 for a t-shirt. But way cute if you can get stuff on sale.
Macys***, JCPenney, Gap, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Eddie Baur. When I was younger I used to shop at Old Navy all the time. I still have a ton of skirts from there.
LL Bean for twinsets that wear like iron - actually their pima cotton t-shirt plus the button-front tee in the same color. Christopher and Banks for cute sweaters - they carry a lot of 3/4 sleeved tops, which I like. Some of their stuff is too "cute" for high school, but I usually find very wearable pieces. I also get pants and tops at Lands End and Eddie Bauer. I like a classic look (and I'm far too mature to wear anything trendy!)
I get my dress pants from Express. I love them! I also shop at Banana Republic, Gap, Ann Taylor Loft and Jcrew
Kohl's, JC Penny's are some of the stores I shop at but it just depends on your style and what you can afford. I like the no wrinkle shirts where the sleeve folds above your elbow with a button or just fold back. I seem to get warm easily when I'm teaching so I don't do long sleeve shirts, just a fleece or a sweater if I get cold.
I'm no longer "young", but I refuse to look frumpy. Most of my wardrobe comes from Lane Bryant, New York & Company, and Old Navy. I find things at JC Penney, Kohl's, Macy's, Talbot's, and the Gap . . . but it's usually hit & miss there. Same with TJ Maxx and Marshall's. I order online quite a bit. I'm 30 miles from the closest Penney's & Kohl's . . . and I'm 50 miles from the others. I tend to keep my slacks and skirts in classic styles & neutral colors. Same with the shoes, but I do heels, flats, and wedges. I do, however, like to spice things up with different blouses. I like classic pieces because they're so . . . classic, but I think that also gets a bit dull sometiimes. I like to look like I have at least a little knowledge of current style.
I'm young too, and I LOVE New York and Company. I usually only buy off the sale rack-I can get 7-8 items (dress shirts, pants, skirts, suit jackets) for about $70 if the sale is right.
Do you know (or anyone else here happen to know) just how expensive they are? There's one not far from me, but in a more well-to-do area. I'd like to check them out, but am afraid I can't afford them.
I checked their website last night, and they're pretty expensive, for my taste, lol. Most blouses ran between $60 and $75 with some as much as $100 and pants more than that. Their sales were good, though - most of the shirts were marked down to $30-$40 which is closer to what I'm used to paying.
I always love the sales on suits at JC Penney: http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/X3.aspx?DeptID=50434&CatID=50443&cmCatLevel=3&CmCatId=50434 Aside from that, I tend to shop at Kohls and Sears. I wear lots of suits (both pants and skirt suits, so Penney's "wardrober" suits are a bargain!), and skirts and sweaters.
I would look into your local thrift store. I do most of my shopping there and a lot of clearance racks at other stores. You can find all these name brands at the thrift store for a couple bucks. Just this week I bought 5 shirts, a beautiful salmon gap spring jacket, and a crayon maker (that crazy art teacher in me) for 15.00.
If you're short on cash, New York & Company, TJ Maxx, Ross, SteinMart, & Marshalls has nice, work attire for a good price & you can always find things on sale at any dept store. If money's really no object, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico's, Cache, Anthropologie, White House Black Market & Talbots are nice. I like Victoria's Secret style too, but a lot of it's too revealing for work, but you can still find a lot if you don't mind ordering online or by phone.
You said you shop at Gap, Old navy so go to Jcrew, they have similary style. They also give teachers 15% off any thing you buy.
Macy's is fabulous when they have their sales. I like Penny's. Today I bought a dressy spring jacket at Target. I hardly ever buy clothes at Target, but was in a hurry today and happened to be there.
I love Banana Republic. I also love to shop at New York and Co. I've recently found some cheap items at Nordstroms The Rack. Lot of name brands for cheap. I usually stick to my jeans and KU tees for work though since I teach toddlers. I keep my other clothes for the weekends and dates with my boyfriend.
I totally second the Thrift Store. It is a great place to find basics for a teacher wardrobe. Though you do have to be a little more diligent about searching the racks for your size - but it pays off. I went to Goodwill yesterday and got a lined skirt, 2 dresses, a blouse, and a really cool chunky beaded necklace for $20 or so. My other favorite place is JC Penney- but I only shop the clearance rack - especially when they have everything marked down to $4.95. And Target clearance, or Macy's. Pretty much any clearance rack. In fact, I can't remember last last time I paid full retail for a piece of clothing. I prefer to get everything below $10 - Below $5, if I can!
The Anthropologie around here is very very expensive. Usually dressed are in the $150 range and shirts and pants are in the $80-$100 range. Plus, the quality doesn't seem to be good to me, but I mostly shop at Talbots clearance sales and thrift stores.
I love Banana Republic - they're they only company whose clothes seem to fit no matter what I choose! But they are expensive, so unless they're having an awesome sale, I buy on ebay! I hit up Goodwill - it can takes HOURS to go through the racks, but it's totally worth it. I left the other day with a fitted blazer, two skirts, and a button-down shirt for $15. TJMax and Ross are good, though they rarely seem to have my size. I like Gap, but they recently closed the one near me. Also love J. Crew.
Ann Taylor Loft often has great sale racks. I just bought some really nice black dress pants, a black cami, a white shirt and a sort of gauzy black cardigan sweater. It would have come to $185, but they had a special $50 off any purchase over $150. None of my items were on sale, so that worked out great. Some of the pieces can get a little expensive, but everything I have ever bought from ATL washes and wears exceptionally well. I buy almost exclusively black and I use black/dark Woolite and even after several years, the blacks are still very dark or new looking. I have a scoop neck black long sleeved tee that I love so much that I end up washing it every week. 3 years later it looks like new; it was $36. This past October, I bought two long sleeved black tees from Target for $15 each and both have holes and are faded and ready for the scrap heap. I wash them in the same loads as my AT stuff AND lace undies from VS. I'll stick with buying better stuff, just less of it!
Definitely Macy's clearance racks. I just bought a recycled (I wouldn't have bought it otherwise) cashmere Calvin Klein coat for $70, marked down from $450. I wasn't looking for a coat, but they only had one, and it happened to be my size. What's a girl to do?
