Cute outfits: 5 Affordable Teacher Fall Fashion Finds

5 Affordable Teacher Fall Fashion Finds

As a teacher it can be hard to find cute teacher outfits on a budget. Here are some fall fashion finds that have become staples in my wardrobe this year. My closet would truly feel empty without these 5 things!

I cannot believe it is the last week of September and we are days away from October and full on fall. Living in the lowcountry of South Carolina, it's especially hard to remember that fall is actually here. We still have temperatures in the mid 80s during the day and low 70s at night. Even though I was on the beach in a bathing suit yesterday, I attempted to pretend it was fall this morning and spent the day sweating through my scarf. The only way to order a PSL right now is over ice if you want to survive where I am.

Regardless of temperatures, we all in the deep South still like to daydream that it is fall like it is everywhere else - and that includes wishing for fall clothes. As teachers, we are always on a budget so I always think very carefully about purchasing any clothing items. I try to buy basic pieces that can easily be mixed and matched even as trends change. Plus, I can't afford to have a teacher wardrobe and an outside of work wardrobe, so I am always looking for clothes that can function in all aspects of my life. So I thought I'd share my 5 fall fashion staples that dominate my wardrobe for the season.

1. TOMs Wedges. I got these last Christmas in sand and in black and could not love them more. I LOVE the booties trend that has started over the last year or so but they tend to shorten the length of my legs. I love these TOMs bootie wedges because the heel lengthens my legs just enough. Plus I am always a sucker for TOMs because they are so comfortable - and as a teacher comfort is key! Black wedges pictured below, taupe wedges pictured with white piko top further down. You can find them HERE.

2. Colored skinnies. As you can see above and below, I live skinnies of ALL sorts of colors and textures. I LOVE any skinny pants especially from LOFT because a huge percentage of the fabric is spandex - and I live to be in spandex anything. I also love LOFT skinny pants because they don't stretch out after one wear, so you can wear them over and over again without having to wash. I also love that they come up higher on the waist line, about 2 inches below the belly button, so you never have to worry about having low rise pants falling off. They stay put, are comfy, and can be mixed and matched so many ways! The black corduroy skinnies below I JUST bought for $35 and I love them with my $20 leopard print Target (Merona) flats! My pup even wanted to sneak her paws into the last pic! You can find the skinnies HERE and veryyyy similar Merona flats HERE.

3. Piko tops. The white shirt below is a Piko "top" and the hunter green is a Piko "tunic". Piko tops are loose, comfortable, but fitted in the arms so you aren't completely wearing a sack. I love love love how it feels like wearing pajamas at work but you still look cute and put together. You can eat anything you want while wearing these. I especially love to wear the tunics with leggings - because you REALLY can't get more comfortable than that. I also love that the shirts are long enough to cover my backside too - which is always a plus as a high school teacher! Best of all pikos range from $20-30 and come in EVERY color imaginable - so you can always find what you want! I've heard of friends finding them cheaply on Amazon, but I always buy mine from Simply Dixie Boutique online HERE. They are currently 20% off using code "pikolove" but they also send out email coupons weekly so you can always get them for a discount! Speaking off which I need to go throw a few more colors in my cart...

Scarf: J.Crew Outlet, Top: Simply Dixie online boutique, Pants: LOFT, Shoes: TOMs

I will say they do have a wide neck line, so I always like to wear scarves with them to cover any potentially exposed bra straps (this could be fixed with a strapless bra but I don't believe in them.) I love a fun scarf anyway to liven up a simple outfit. It is expensive to constantly keep up with the newest trends, so I love to wear simple and basic solids that I can easily mix and match. I can always jazz up those basics with a new scarf for less than $20 a piece! You can never have too many. I love this one I snagged earlier this spring from the J.Crew outlet. Find some more cute and affordable ones from Target HERE.

4. Black maxi skirt. Again, I am always looking to be comfortable at work and there is nothing more comfortable than a maxi skirt. I snagged this one for $20 at a LOFT outlet and wear it at least once a week. You can wear them ALL year long but I especially love them in the fall when you want to transition to cooler weather clothes but don't always want to wear pants. It's the perfect item to have too when traveling for the holidays because it is stylish but the epitome of comfort! Endless possibilities for mixing and matching with different tops too! Find a similar one HERE.

5. Off white pencil skirt. I am all for the new trend of ignoring "No white after labor day" rule. I just love the brightness of white or cream in the winter. This pencil skirt has been a closet staple for me the last few years. I love that it looks professional, but I can dress it down and still be comfortable in it with boots and even a vest (I splurged for the Mountain Hardward brown vest years ago and it.was.so.worth.it.) You can find the exact skirt HERE and similar boots (mine are from Target two winters ago) HERE.