PLANO, Texas – (July 29, 2019) – As the ultimate back-to-school shopping destination for stylish looks at an amazing value, JCPenney is giving deserving teachers shopping sprees and winning wardrobes this August to stock up on their own back-to-school fashions. The Company is also helping kids and teens leave summer behind and kick off the new school year with the season’s most popular trends that are sure to bring the “likes” on Instagram^® and in real life. In addition, JCPenney is helping parents stretch their back-to-school budgets even further with $10 haircuts for students in grades K-6th, now through Sept. 15 at the JCPenney Salon and Salon by InStyle.

“A new school year is the perfect opportunity to refresh your style and settle into a new routine. JCPenney went straight to the source and talked to teens directly to hear what trends are important to them and what kind of fashion they expect. We applied these key learnings directly to the merchandise you see on our floor today in an age-appropriate and budget-friendly way,” said Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president, chief merchant for JCPenney. “This is my first back-to-school season with JCPenney, and we are just getting started refining our private brands and showcasing our national brands in a way that appeals to teens, parents and teachers.”

Giving back to deserving teachers
Teachers are the heartbeat of every school, and this back-to-school season, JCPenney is celebrating these selfless individuals who invest their time, energy and resources into today’s youth. This August, the retailer is surprising more than 200 teachers at select schools in underserved communities with $200 shopping sprees to refresh their wardrobes, along with makeovers from Sephora^® inside JCPenney and The Salon by InStyle^®. Professional athletes with ties to each community will co-host the shopping sprees, adding an additional element of excitement for these deserving teachers. Additionally, JCPenney will donate $1,000 of socks and underwear to each of the selected schools to benefit kids in need throughout the year.

Back to school, back to you
The retailer’s marketing tagline, “Back to You,” encourages students, and teachers, to get back into a routine and kickstart a new year of academics, as well as easy-to-wear style. Launching in a national TV spot on July 30, the campaign will be brought to life throughout the Company’s email, social and digital marketing channels. Audiences should look closely as several real-life teachers will be featured in these marketing campaigns, calling out their local schools and cities. JCPenney social media channels will also partner with teachers to showcase back-to-school trends through unique and engaging content.

Best-in-class trends
Trends for this school year are all about feeling confident and comfortable. For girls, this includes miniskirts in different fabrics, activewear and high-waisted jeans. Boys want clothing that can keep up with them from the classroom to the basketball court, including activewear, flex jeans and graphic tees. JCPenney is known for delivering trend-right fashion that teens and kids want, at quality and prices that parents love. Check out some examples below.

• Not-routine jeans: High-waisted jeans are not just for moms anymore. JCPenney has the latest denim trends for teen girls including high-waist, skinny, stretch and destructed from top brands Arizona Jean Co.^® and Levi’s^®. For teen guys, Arizona’s newest jean, Advance Flex 360 gives him improved flexibility and comfort to last the entire school day. The season’s hottest jean trends, including high performance, tapered, skinny and stretch, can be found in multiple washes for both kids and teens, offering unlimited style.
• Miniskirt must-haves: Flowy floral, corduroy, plaid, acid wash and button-up denim are just a few of the miniskirts teen girls will find at JCPenney. With an array of fabrics, colors and styles, Arizona miniskirts will help teens make the grade in class and style.
• Activewear for all: From gym class to math class, JCPenney has a huge assortment of active shirts, shorts and pants to beat the playground competition. Key brands, including Xersion^®, Levi’s, Champion^®, adidas^® and Nike^®, offer students a variety of styles designed to look good and perform, whether students are sitting at their desks or running through recess.
• Logo living: National brand logos matter to kids, and JCPenney has an incredible selection of logo apparel and shoes including Nike, adidas, Champion, Puma^®, Reebok^®, Converse^® and Vans^®.
• School uniforms: JCPenney is a year-round headquarters for school uniforms, offering polos, pants, shorts, skirts, sweaters and more from IZOD^® and Arizona in stores. A vast selection of special size uniforms can be found in stores, with an expanded selection at jcp.com from IZOD^®, Arizona and French Toast®. For students who need their uniforms to do more, JCPenney features IZOD adaptive uniforms online with special features and benefits for sensory-sensitive kids, including softer fabric, flat seams and no tags, ensuring optimal functionality and comfort.
• College ready: JCPenney has just what college-bound students need to make their new living space feel like home. Whether moving into a dorm or an apartment, students check off everything on their packing list including extra-long bedding, colorful décor, small appliances, bath towels, dishes and portable speakers.
• Complete the look: Now through Sept. 15, JCPenney is offering $10 kids haircuts for students in grades K-6^th, at the JCPenney Salon and Salon by InStyle. And to bring the classroom into focus, students under 16 can purchase one pair of eyeglasses for $39.99, or two for $69.99 at JCPenney Optical, now through Sept. 29.

For store b-roll, please visit:
https://www.jcpnewsroom.com/videos-broll.html

For high-res trend images, please visit the Back-to-School 2019 look book:
https://www.jcpnewsroom.com/lookbooks-bts2019-combined.php

To download the press release and images, please visit:
https://www.jcpnewsroom.com/news-releases/2019/0729_back_to_school.html

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JCPenney Media Relations:
(972) 431-3400 or jcpnews@jcp.com; follow us at @jcpnews

About JCPenney:
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP), one of the nation’s largest apparel and home retailers, combines an expansive footprint of approximately 850 stores across the United States and Puerto Rico with a powerful e-commerce site, jcp.com, to deliver style and value for all hard-working American families. At every touchpoint, customers will discover stylish merchandise at incredible value from an extensive portfolio of private, exclusive and national brands. Reinforcing this shopping experience is the customer service and warrior spirit of approximately 95,000 associates across the globe, all driving toward the Company’s mission to help customers find what they love for less time, money and effort. For additional information, please visit jcp.com.

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