Back to School Shopping: 5 Tips to a Killer Wardrobe

After two years of schooling at home with me, Aliyah and Brayden are headed back to school this year, in fact they’ve already started the new school here in Florida (I know!). Since I need them to get dressed and out the door early, we’ve mastered the art of getting their wardrobe classroom ready and empowering them to have a great morning. So today we’re talking 5 tips to a killer wardrobe for kids so they can pull themselves together to be on time in the classroom, wherever that classroom may be. 

This post is sponsored by Vocalpoint and Dick’s Sporting Goods. All opinions are my own.

One huge trend that is taking us by storm right now is athleisure, and it makes for the perfect go-to classroom look. When my kids are running between classes, out the door for PE or are on the playground for recess, they need some key pieces to stay comfortable, both during these hot days we’re still having and through the winter months. That means having a wardrobe that can stand up to it all, the wear and tear, whether changes and more. This year I took the whole fam to DICK’s Sporting Goods® to find some staple pieces they can rock all year long. 

Keep Reading for our 5 Tips to a Killer Wardrobe + a GIVEAWAY!

1. Know what you already have. 

Just like in any kind of navigation scenario, including wardrobe planning, you can’t figure out where you’re going without knowing where you are. Well, the same goes for our closets, and our kids closets. Even if it’s a quick purge, get in there and figure out what fits, get rid of items that have been outgrown or worn out, double check sizes and make a mental note (or even an actual note) of what wardrobe pieces that are still a good fit. Be ruthless, if they won’t wear it, don’t keep it. We recently cleared my little ones closets of SO much stuff and I have to say, it feels really good to have a paired down, simplified wardrobe for them to choose from in the mornings. 

2. Don’t buy too much of one thing, use a checklist!

There are certain areas of the store where I tend to wander, specifically tees and shoes. 🙂 Once you’ve got a list in your head, or on paper, of what is still in the closet (maybe some favorite jeans that fit, etc), you can make a list of what you still need. To totally help in this department, we made a Back to School Shopping Checklist for boys and for girls that you can download too!

3. Layering pieces.

This one is crucial. The keys to athleisure, or any killer wardrobe for school are: comfort, neutral colors and basics that can be mixed and matched. We tend to shop in certain color ranges anyway, but really look at each item you’re about to purchase and know it can go with just about anything else in the closet. That’s a HUGE help. Plus, when the kiddos want to dress themselves, they’ll more likely to walk out of the room in clothes that work together. 

4. Make sure you have base of neutrals.

When creating a mix and match wardrobe, having a good selection of neutrals is key. Denim, grays and blacks are all examples of great neutrals. Of course, there are so many lighter colors that are neutral too, I just find that having some darker neutrals makes my kids clothes last longer as they can tend to stain lighter colored clothing more quickly!

5. Add in accent colors for pop!

Have fun with it! If your kiddo falls in love with a lime green shirt in the store, well sometimes you just walk out with a lime green shirt. It’s what makes a wardrobe and getting dressed in the morning fun. And when you already have a base of neutrals, like gray sweatpants, jeans in blue denim, gray and black denim, etc, bright colors can fit right in to the mix.

Since I love fun, graphic tees so much, and since DICKS has some great graphic tee options, and most of them are super lightweight, breathable fabrics that wick moisture away too, I put together a few ways mix-and-match a graphic tee to maximize a killer wardrobe for school! This is the art of layering and an example of what you can do with a closet that works together.

Okay, so maybe the roller skates won’t make their way to school, but just knowing that I’ve done my best to give them options to succeed in the closet can help us all to get off to a great start in the mornings, school or not. I always find that when I can empower my kids to do things for themselves and feel confident about it, they always step up, and many times surprise me. Cleaning out their closets, shopping with them for items that they love and creating a killer wardrobe with them is just one way to empower them to get ready in the morning and with it I’ve also seen them grow in their own confidence and independence. The fact that they walk out of their room dressed and happy in the mornings is the icing… but oh SO helpful!

     

BOYS GRAPHIC TEE / BOYS SLEEVELESS TEE / BOYS SHOES / GIRLS GRAPHIC TEE (similar) / DENIM SKIRT (similar) / GIRLS SHORTS / GIRLS SHOES 

Ready for some help in your own Back to School shopping? DICK’s is the ultimate Back to School hot spot right now with backpacks, lunchbags, clothes, shoes and so much more. We’re giving away FIVE $50 gift cards to Dicks Sporting Goods to help with yours! Enter below 🙂 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enjoy your Back to School shopping and hopefully you’ve picked up some tips for a killer wardrobe, but if you have your own, feel free to share below!