High School Back to School Made Easy:

It’s only July, it seems as if school just let out yesterday, and yet already I’m trying to figure out how and when we’re going to squeeze in back to school shopping. I am NOT a big fan of schlepping from one store to the next, often over the course of several days because of my teens’ limited stamina for such activities, and usually at peak summer heat where we live. By the time we’ve wrapped up our summer travels to visit grandparents, our own family camping trips, and the kids’ trips to summer camp, we’re lucky to have maybe a week to squeeze in back to school prep – and that includes back to school shopping for supplies, shoes, and clothes!

I’ve done my best to streamline the process over the years, and now that my kiddos are both in high school (!), we don’t have as many new “supplies” to purchase each year, so it’s mostly just the clothing we need to worry about. That’s why my main focus is now on what clothes they’ll need for the fall.

I remember my own versions of back-to-school shopping in high school, armed with copies of magazines showing the latest trends, stressing about what the hottest styles would be and what my “look” would be and that so-crucial first-day outfit, and the overwhelm of visiting the mall with its inflated prices “marked down” for back-to-school sales. I’m glad those days are over, and glad my kids are also happy to take a more relaxed approach to their back-to-school shopping. This is our family’s relatively-stress-free back-to-school shopping guide (and back-to-school clothing checklist) for our two high schoolers:

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Smart Shopping Tips for High School Wardrobes

First up – important!

It may sound like a no-brainer, but if you haven’t already figured this out, your kids should be involved in this process.

Kimmie started having strong feelings about what she’d wear, and what her “look” was, before middle school. Essie, on the other hand, had her own distinctive style by the time she entered K (and it’s evolved more times over the years since then than I can count!).

If you’re a girl mom, you’ve probably already figured out if your daughter prefers to be a fashion plate or is more of a tomboy, and whether her look trends more preppy/classic or more goth/emo. But even armed with this knowledge, you’re not going to get far without consulting her.

Boys can be less fussy in some ways (if nothing else, there are fewer options in the universe), but don’t assume that means they don’t care or have specific “must-haves” in mind.

And especially if you have a kiddo in transition (whether new grade – as is true for everyone come fall – or new school), try to get the feelers out early on whether they’re envisioning a whole new look for the fall, so you’ve got time to prepare. For example, Essie (who is away at camp as I type this) is currently planning a whole new hairstyle for high school, but wants a particular salon her friend goes to, which requires a lot more advance planning to book around All The Other Summer Things than Mama’s choice of stylist (the chain salon around the corner).

Your High School Wardrobe Back To School Clothes Shopping List

One more general tip:

If you haven’t already introduced your kiddo to the concept of a capsule wardrobe, I encourage you to consider doing so. This post gives you a quick crash course on how to build a capsule wardrobe for your child. If your kiddo is anything like mine have been from the start of middle school on, they will pretty much wear the same few things over and over again anyway. Buying several variations on the same theme, and NOT going overboard on variety in styles, will save all of you time and stress.

A. Shoes

I put this first because in our family, shoes are easily the most expensive (and to the kids, most important) part of back to school clothes shopping. If there’s one thing I always try to buy the kids brand-new before the first day of school, it’s a sturdy pair of everyday shoes that will last them through the school year.

This doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds. Ask your kids what all the other kids are wearing (or all their friends are wearing). For some kids it’s Vans; my kids’ current fave is black Converse hi-tops; but many kids, both high school and younger, prefer the all-around utility and variety of looks you can get in Nike SB.

If you’re as thrilled about schlepping to 20,000 stores as I am (not!), you’ll be glad to know that it is super-easy to buy Nike SB online. Loads of choices, from classic black-and-white to fun seasonal colors, and—thankfully—lots of size options. If you’re buying online, just double-check the sizing chart to make sure you get the right fit (plenty of online shoe selling websites include info on how to measure your kiddos’ feet at home), and double-check the return policy too.

And trust me when I say that unless your kid needs special athletic shoes, or snow is a major part of your wintertime existence, that one pair of shoes is probably all you’ll need. Kids are fiercely loyal to their sneaks these days, and I’ve seen mine wear theirs not just to school and parties and outings and camp, but also to church and school dances and (not that I was a fan of this) even as part of their “concert dress” for school performances.

B. Outerwear

Don’t worry about that heavy winter parka yet (again, if you’re in a region that needs such things). There will be plenty of time to get a bigger size (if needed) when school is underway and temps turn cooler. I’m talking your kid’s daily staple(s), whatever that may be.

For each of my kids, their standard school “uniform” has involved several hoodies (Essie’s pullover-style, Kimmie’s zip-up) for years now. They don’t need more than two or maybe three (it’s good to be able to have one to wear while the other is in the wash). Kimmie did start to branch out a bit last year into my own past lookbook, though, by swapping out most of the hoodie wear for a rotation of flannel shirts.

Maybe your kiddo is a cardi girl. Or prefers an open button-down shirt over everything else. Or is more into the denim or leather jacket look (my own fall outerwear staples are two denim jackets, one dark wash and one medium wash). WHAT it is doesn’t matter; just check with them on their current preference, see if last spring’s versions still fit and if that style is still a go, and resupply as needed.

C. Bottoms

For the vast majority of high schoolers I know, this is easy: we’re talking a wardrobe of denim (Kimmie). For others, it may be a wardrobe of leggings (Essie – some capri length, some full length), or perhaps sweatpants and/or PJ pants.

I’d recommend anywhere from 5-10 pairs, depending on your child’s tastes and your family’s budget. More pairs means you (or they) can go longer between laundry days.

I have been known to take Kimmie shopping to a retail store for sudden size changes mid-year, where we’ll pick up a few more pairs of (new) bottoms. But otherwise, I find it’s easiest to just go either to a women’s resale event, teen consignment/resale shop, or even one of the many thrift stores in our area; there are far more choices in sizing, style, and selection all in one place.

The last time Kimmie suddenly found that NONE of her jeans fit around Thanksgiving, she tried on every single pair in her size in a local teen resale shop; we are talking well over a hundred pair. But after two hours, we had 10 new-to-Kimmie pairs of pants to get her through the rest of the school year and into the summer, for what 2 pairs would have cost us new.

D. Base layers/tops

Again, check with your kids on their preferences and sense of current trends they want to tap into, but you probably already have an inkling of what they like (and what their school’s dress code allows – ours, for example, bans bare midriffs and spaghetti straps).

If your high school daughter is into dresses (or skirts), make sure that her choices fit her school’s dress code, and/or she’s prepared to wear leggings, T-shirts, whatever underneath. Otherwise, whether you’ve got sons or daughters, there’s a reasonable chance we’re talking T-shirts for your kid’s daily base layer – the piece that stands at the center of their daily outfit, onto which all the other pieces get layered for just the right look.

The particular trend of the moment varies from one year to the next – I remember when my kids’ back to school list included “shirts with words” as well as the year flippy-sequin shirts were all the rage – but for my kids, short-sleeve T-shirts have been the base of all their looks for literally years. Kimmie’s preferred T last year was basic black; for school this fall, so far she’s picked out a few variations on this theme (black with graphic designs), as well as a few more colored Ts than I’ve seen in awhile. Essie still favors dark blues and grays, but is also gravitating more toward shades of purple this year.

Also check on whether long-sleeve Ts should be on your kid’s list. This could be waffle-style base layers to wear under the short-sleeve T’s (another fave new look of Kimmie’s), or standalone long-sleeve Ts to wear on their own. Or maybe for your kiddo, a few pullover sweaters are what they’ll wear when the temps turn cooler, instead of just those short-sleeve Ts.

E. Basics

I’m talking socks and undies here. Hopefully these are things you stay on top of year-round, versus automatically sizing up at the start of each school year; it’s always mid-year when my kiddos suddenly decide they no longer fit into their current undies, or all their socks have holes.

If this is NOT something you restock year-round, have your kiddos go through their collection, donate “too smalls” and those with holes to the rag bin, and then see what they’ve got left so you know how much you need to buy, in what sizes. (I personally like to keep at least 2 weeks each of underpants, bras, and socks on hand for my kids, because somehow socks and undies are the things that always get missed when the kids gather up their laundry each weekend, and then get discovered in corners on their bedroom floors only when they’re 100% out.)

(Which raises the point: before you take them at their word, make sure they HAVE thoroughly excavated their bedroom/bathroom and gotten all dirty laundry through the wash, so you both know exactly what you’re working with!)

F. Phys ed clothes

Unless your child has finished their graduation requirements, your middle or high schooler will probably have to take PE at some point this year. And unless your school has a prescribed uniform, this means your kiddo will need PE clothes (and a gym bag, which hopefully they’ll be able to keep in a gym locker at school).

Your child SHOULD be able to use some of last summer’s shorts and last year’s Ts for phys ed; double-check with them on whether their school has any special requirements. Also double-check with them on whether that one special pair of everything shoes will work for phys ed; if not, plan/purchase some gym shoes accordingly.

If your child plays a fall sport, this is also the time to get them their next-size-up cleats and any other gear/clothing they’ll need to provide for fall practices and competitions.

G. DON’T worry about right now:

Unless your child has a special event coming up in the first month of school, these are the back-to-school clothes shopping items you DON’T need to worry about right now:

Formal/fancy wear:

Homecoming dresses, semiformal or formal suits, and concert dress (the clothes a musician is required to wear for performances) are almost certainly a way off still, so you can sit back and relax – you’ve got time to get those pieces into place. (And besides, chances are good that whether your child needs a fancy outfit for Homecoming will come down to how many of their friends are going or whether they have a date as of one week before the dance. I’ve seen plenty of mama friends posting the weekend before Homecoming in local chats and on FB with their daughter’s dress sizes due to a last-minute dance invite, and wondering who has a dress their daughter can borrow because there’s no time left to shop.)

School spirit wear:

Again, unless there’s something your child is required to purchase for their team before school, there will be plenty of fundraisers and other opportunities once school is underway to purchase school-branded attire. At my kids’ high school, it seems at least one club or team is selling their own school-branded clothing items every month during lunch and flex period.

Winter gear:

Whether that winter parka/boots if you’re in more northern environments or winter sports equipment/attire, you’ve got plenty of time for that when school is in session and temps turn cooler. Besides, your high schooler will be more in the mood come then anyway. (I’ll never forget how uncomfortable I was the August before I went to college in the snowy mountains, shopping for a heavy parka when it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside; the contrast made it really hard to pick a coat I’d like.)

You’ve got this!

Here’s to a seamless, struggle-free, and stress-free back-to-school shopping experience for you and your whole family, Mama of High Schoolers!

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