Back-to-School Outfits for the Whole Family
Whether you’re sending your child to kindergarten or they’re heading off to college, the back-to-school shopping list can be overwhelmingly long.
Luckily, we’ve enlisted the help of Lana Rowder, Founder of The Selfie Stylist, to share her expert tips and help you navigate Your back-to-school shopping lists!
It’s back-to-school season, so you know what that means. Every store is having a sale where you can find deals on everything from school supplies to mattresses to a brand new car. All the ads and distractions can pull you in a thousand directions. It can seem very overwhelming and, personally for me, hard to stay focused on getting the things my family actually needs.
To help stay on track, I’ve got some tips to make the back-to-school shopping easier. Also included are some outfits for the whole family to have on ready once that school bell rings.
For kids, it’s a bit simpler, so start there. Kids need some new clothes, the next size up in sneakers as they’ve likely outgrown those from last year, and a new backpack to spark their excitement about entering the next grade.
Purchase Practically
Sneakers are an item to splurge on. They need to be able to withstand all the running around and fun activities a full day of school brings.
For shoes, we recommend purchasing a name brand pair. There are plenty of areas to save when school shopping, but tennis shoes shouldn’t be one of them. These sneaks have to hold up day after day and recess after recess. Also, avoid wild prints or bold colors and choose a more neutral sneaker. By purchasing something in white, tan, black, or light pink, this will ensure that their shoes match their outfits day after day.
Picture Day Ready
Go ahead and purchase picture day outfits at the beginning of the school year when you’re back-to-school shopping. It’s one less thing you’ll need to worry about!
When selecting a backpack, we like to choose something that can be monogrammed. If the store you’re purchasing from offers personalization it’s much more likely to get done, as opposed to buying it plain and then dropping it off at another location to get personalized. For this reason, we recommend backpacks from Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, and Land’s End. The personalization doesn’t have to be the child’s full name, but by putting at least their first initial or their 3 initials on the outside, it is much easier for them to locate it in a pile and will less likely go missing.
For the teens, Vans backpacks are also fully customizable. You can select all the colors and patterns to make it one of a kind. If personalization isn’t their thing, NorthFace, Yeti, Herschel, and Jansport are all great options for a backpack that is built to last.
See what’s in the graceful spaces team’s shopping cart
When shopping for back-to-school clothes, be practical! Your child likely needs a couple of nice looks for the first day, picture day, etc. But the majority of time your child will be running, painting and doing science experiments in these clothes, so keep that in mind. We also recommend buying a school picture day outfit the day you are back-to-school shopping. This alleviates it sneaking up on you and creating closet panic on a random Tuesday night.
we’ve got 6 smart tips for keeping your kids’ closets
organized here!
Don’t Forget Mom and Dad.
The clothes that are most overlooked when out shopping are those for mom and dad. Yes, we need some new threads for the new events that are about to fill our calendars. This shopping list isn’t as straight forward, so here are 3 outfits ( with links ) you should have on hand. We only selected in trend clothes, from the brands that we love and wear to ensure your closet is ready and you show up stylish for new school year.
Meet the Teacher
Meet the Teacher, Muffin Morning, Open House, School Assembly…it has many different names, but one outfit will do the trick.
For Mom: Straight leg, slightly cropped, white denim + a block sandal + satin shirt. Add in a blazer for extra style points
For Dad: A button down or polo (short sleeve is totally appropriate) + casual pants + casual shoes + belt.
Friday Night Fundraiser
This event is usually kid-free and requires an elevated and polished look.
For Mom: You can’t go wrong with a little black dress. Classic dress + statement heels + small trendy bag + fashion earrings.
For Dad: Moveable, wrinkle free pants + Dress shirt (this one should be long sleeve) + dress shoes + coordinating belt.
Saturday Morning Sports
Don’t overlook an outfit for these events. Though it’s the most casual to dress for, it can be where the majority of your time socializing is spent, so spend it looking good!