As we finish up the end of the summer, there's a little voice inside my head saying,
"It's time to go shopping for new clothes!!!" It happens every August, just like it did when we were kids. For kids today...the tradition lives on. Moms, kids, charity organizers...we're all out shopping in August whether we have children or not for our Back to School clothing and supplies.
This year, I decided to participate in the Backpack Project in NYC. The Backpack Project is designed to help homeless families living in shelters with purchasing school supplies and the first day of school outfit for the kids. We're given a name, the child's stats (age, grade, clothing size, etc.), and a list of school supplies that we need to buy for them.
My child started off as a male wearing a Medium adult men's shirt. When I questioned what in the world Medium meant in pant size, ends up the child was a girl and the measurements were compeltely wrong!!! Thank goodness I asked. I can only imagine how upset the child would have been had I bought the wrong size and the wrong gender!
As I started shopping, I realized that this child needed more than just her first day of school outfit. She needed tennis shoes, underwear, socks and a gym outfit. I looked at sites like Zara and H&M, but I didn't purchase from them because their sizing is by age and not by clothing size. Zara had so many cute outfits...but I ended up going to Kohl's in the end because they offered specific sizes and didn't use a child's age to determine their size (like H&M and Zara do).
With the child's clothes shopping completed, I started to feel that bug to go shopping for my own fall wardrobe. Most women in the US get that 'back to school' bug every August. Why do you think the September Issue is so important? Because that is the time women really get that inkling to shop for clothing.
August/September is a time for us to come up with a new look and reinvent ourselves, just like we did every single year back when we were in school. Granted, we don't all go to school, but we do need to liven up our wardrobes for work, for play, or just for the hell of it every fall.
In my search on Pinterest for new looks I wanted to try, I discovered new places to shop online. For those looking for some updates, try these sites on for size.
** Emma Stine **
1.
Skylar Watercolor Maxi Dress, $88; 2.
Ombre Cardigan & Pant Set, $130; 3.
Rose Lace Jackie Dress, $138; 4.
Navy Concord Pullover, $98.
I still don't tire of ombre or stripes. Lace and pure femininity...still my all-time faves. Take a look around the site, you're bound to find a few things you like.
** Dorothy Perkins **
For H&M and Forever 21 lovers, the UK has their very own discount retailer store called
Dorothy Perkins.
1.
Blush and Black Lace Dress, $69; 2.
Black Pearl Neck Bubble Top, $49; 3.
Cream 2in1 jumpsuit, $69; 4.
Grey Meow Tee, $17; 5.
Blush Studded Slouch Bag, $57; 6.
Striped Jersey Dress, $27; 7.
Blush Stud Leather Look Biker Jacket, $89; 8.
Doll and Frog Grey & Lace Ombre BodyCon dress, $27.
** Kohl's **
While shopping for the child from the Backpack Project, I picked up a few dresses for myself. Here's what I found...
A designer collab? Why yes, that's what I found! Derek Lam for Kohl's (1 & 2).
1.
Derek Lam for DesigNation Animal Georgette Dress, $35.20; 2.
Derek Lam for DesigNation Striped Drop-Waist Dress, $24; 3.
Apt. 9 Sequin Drapeneck Dress, $16.80.
Of course, thanks to the many coupons out there and discounts, I didn't pay these prices, so make sure you look for any and all coupon codes you can use.
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Well, I hope this gives you some shopping ideas for your back to school, er...I mean fall wardrobe shopping sprees. Check out the sites I've listed. I found so much stuff I loved that you can't help but go on a little spree at each online retailer. So many cute things...and most of it are at reasonable prices that don't break the bank.
xxoo,
Michelle
