Happy Back to School Season teacher friends! It's day two of our fun little back to school series on the blog filled with my favorites for this season, a classroom transformation and just a few helpful tips and tricks along the way.

After sharing my honest blogpost on whether or not I thought Tieks were worth the price, SO many teacher friends reached out thanking me and sharing that they loved hearing real thoughts from a real person. Those comments absolutely made my day, because friends, that's my heart for this space. I want it to be real and authentic and a place you always feel welcome! I love sharing all the fun things here, but promise to always keep it real too.

After receiving so many comments and messages, I put together a whole post specifically for teacher friends on why Tieks are my absolute FAVORITE teacher shoes. Because let's face it...as teachers we rarely sit down. As a preschool teacher, I can tell you that four-year-olds add a whole another level to keeping me on my toes. ;)

I don't know about you, but I've gone through so many pairs of shoes in the short time I've been teaching. Between field experiences in college, student teaching, subbing, and now heading into my third year of teaching full time, I've been on the hunt for the perfect pair of teacher shoes. Often times my previous pairs would be cute, but not super comfy and I'd end up walking around barefoot by mid afternoon. When I did find a pair that was super comfy, they didn't hold up longer than 6 months and I was so bummed!

Picture by Lauren Graeve Photography || Wearing Chestnut Brown Tieks

In my dream world, my teacher shoes would be...

+ super duper comfy - I dreamed of shoes that were as comfy at 8pm as they were at 8am

+ durable - I wanted them to hold up all year long and even into the following year ideally

+ versatile - I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe and investing in a few quality pieces to wear them with anything and everything! As teachers we have enough decisions to make each morning - the simpler, the better!

+ cute - a pair that was cute and fun was is an added bonus, but honestly if I could find a pair of shoes that met all of the criteria above, I was going to be a HAPPY camper

I had been eyeing a pair of flats on Pinterest for YEARS but always shied away from the price tag. After saving up a few gift cards from Christmas and Birthdays, I decided to take the leap and invest in my first pair of Tieks! I ordered the Chestnut Flats because I LOVED how versatile they were. I have a tote bag and leather backpack that are this same color as well. :)

They arrived on a Friday afternoon as we were getting ready to leave town. I squealed as I walked to the mailbox and grabbed the box. I hopped in the car and immediately unwrapped them as my husband drove. They were SO soft and felt like a pillow as I slipped them on in the car. We were heading to graduation parties that weekend. I immediately put them to the test as we set up all day for my brother's grad party and celebrated all afternoon and evening. Friends, I did not have a single blister the very first time I wore them...I was in shock. That's pretty much never happened for me. It wasn't like I slipped them on for just an hour either, I wore them for 10-12 hours the very first time. It was after that long day, that I realized these shoes were absolutely worth the price for this reason alone! Each time I've worn them since then, they've gotten better and better, which I didn't think was possible. ;) Tieks are made with real leather and are designed to mold to your unique feet, SO cool! Comfy? CHECK!

Picture by Lauren Graeve Photography || Wearing Brown Chestnut Tieks

Now let's chat about the versatility of these shoes. I originally ordered the chestnut pair and absolutely LOVE them. I can literally slip them on with anything. They go perfect with a white tee & jeans on the weekend, a fun striped dress for church on Sundays and everything in between!

After falling in love with my classic chestnut pair, I decided to order a second pair in a fun color or design before the school year started, because I can already tell you these shoes will be on repeat all year long. ;) There are SO many fun options to choose from, but I finally decided on the rose gold glam pair. I love the blush color and the shimmer makes me feel so fancy!

Being a preschool teacher is definitely not glamorous most days as I wipe little noses, clean up spilt snack and empty sand and wood chips out of tiny shoes, but it is so worth every second! It is such a joy to be their teacher and get to pour into their lives for a year. It's the little things like fun flats or fresh nail polish that make me feel a little more put together in the midst of the day to day. :) This fun pair is just as versatile. I love throwing them on with a fun floral shirt or even leggings and a cozy cardigan! Versatile? DOUBLE CHECK!

My last hope for my dream teacher shoes was that they would be durable and hold up all school year long. I shared in my previous blogpost, that the only thing I was bummed about was that my brown pair already had a little scuff on the back. A few days after sharing my blogpost, a member of the Tieks team sent me an email offering to send a mailing envelope to have them sent in and fixed right up! I was blown away by their incredible customer service. THIS is what makes these shoes worth the investment! I have a feeling these flats will hold up not only all year long, but also in the years to come! Of course, I promise to keep you all updated as the school year goes on. :) You can just tell that when you open them up, that they are SO well made!

Fun fact: Each pair of Tieks is handcrafted and takes THREE days to make.

These shoes are definitely an investment, but so worth every penny! Durable? CHECK!

I mentioned that cute was an added bonus, and Tieks went above and beyond in that area too! I mean, y'all, look at these pretty details just in the packaging alone! They are so thoughtful with their packaging. Every package comes with a sweet handwritten note, their signature blue box with a coordinating floral band wrapped around it, and a little black pouch to fold up your Tieks in and throw in your tote bag! I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to packaging and branding and Tieks knocked it out of the park with theirs! It's absolutely gorgeous and I love when brands make you feel so special.

So, there you have it friends! I have finally found my PERFECT teacher shoes and I am just giddy thinking about wearing these fun flats all school year long. :) Teacher friends, these flats are so worth the investment! As teachers, we tend to put everyone else's needs first, but it's so important to take care of ourselves too so we can be our very best for our little learners!

The Perfect Teacher Shoes

A Peek Inside My Teacher Bag

The Biggest Classroom Transformation