Fashion Formula

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Back-to-School Clothes

By Rachel Sprouse

Back-to-school seems to be a season in itself, where parents and children spend weeks preparing for the upcoming school year. It means attending open houses, purchasing school supplies, preparing for classes and yes, buying clothes for back-to-school. It may seem like a hassle, bringing the kids from store to store, trying to plan shopping trips during the back-to-school sales, but it does not have to be. By avoiding these common mistakes, back-to-school shopping will be a smoother process.

Buying Everything at the Beginning of the Year
While its not a bad idea to plan ahead and buy winter coats at a discount in August, buying everything at once for the entire school year may be detrimental. Children grow at varying degrees throughout the year, and the size you bought at the beginning of the year may not fit your child by the time the season arrives for them to wear it. Not to mention, you may forget what you bought in August and accidentally buy unnecessary duplicates. If you must buy everything at the beginning of the year, you may want to consider purchasing a size larger than your child is currently wearing.

Buying Clothes the Kids Wont Wear
Not every child enjoys clothes shopping. Some go kicking and screaming, while others want to buy everything in the store. It may seem easier to go shopping without your child, but if you dont incorporate your childs tastes and preferences, they probably wont wear the clothes. You may spend hundreds of dollars on items you think are cute or quality-made. However, if children dont like the clothes that were selected for them and are forced to wear them, having them get dressed for school in the morning can prove to be a power struggle and a stressful start to everyones day. Instead, ask your child what they like before you go shopping. Have them show you examples from magazines, sale papers or websites. By allowing your child to have some input in what you buy for them, theyll be more likely to wear it.

Forgetting to Consult the School Dress Code
Dress codes can be strict, depending on the school and the school district. To avoid a dress code issue, consult the schools dress code policy before purchasing clothes. For example, researching the proper skirt and shorts length in the schools dress code policy can spare your child from a dress code violation. This will keep you from buying items that your child cant even wear to school. However, there are some modifications that can be made to certain clothing items that will keep them out of violation, such as adding a jacket or cardigan over a sleeveless shirt your child really wants to wear.

Not Finding the Balance Between Trendy Clothes and the Basics
Fashion trends change frequently. With this in mind, try to find a balance between basics and trends. Buying trendy items is fun, just be sure you also purchase enough basics to pair with them.

Middle and high school-aged kids tend to gravitate towards trendy clothing. Often, the best places to find unique, trendy items are in independent, local stores and boutiques. This also makes it less likely that your child will show up on the first day of school wearing the same trendy item as someone else.

Leaving Your Coupons at Home
The best way to get more bang for your buck is to look up each stores deals and coupons online before you leave the house. Even independent specialty boutiques have websites that will inform customers of their deals. Parents can save money by printing out their coupons beforehand or saving them to their phone. Make sure to remember to bring your coupons and have them out and ready at the checkout counter. You dont want to go to all of the trouble of researching and then forget to take advantage of your discounts.

Keeping these suggestions in mind, enjoy the last few weeks of summer, and happy back-to-school shopping!