The freshness of the first day of school is exciting. It’s the day to reconnect with friends, meet new teachers, and make a serious style statement. It is common that “back to school” also means hitting the stores for fresh clothes. But a whole “new” wardrobe could already be lying dormant in your child’s (or yours perhaps!) closet. Online tailors make it so easy to assure the whole family is going back to school in clothes that fit perfectly and are styled to meet individual needs.
As we move through life, self expression and clothing preferences often become stronger and more consistent. But until we “grow up” and these preferences become clearer to us, personal style remains an experiment. Children still in their formative years should be encouraged to wear what makes them feel comfortable and confident. Keep in mind school dress codes and family values and definitely guide your child, but forcefully dressing kids could result not only in temper tantrums but also other mental health concerns down the line. A helpful tip is to provide choices or give guidelines and then let your child take it from there.
One way to help your child get his, hers, or their back-to-school wardrobe ready is to be their extra mirror. Perhaps even let children evaluate their wardrobes first and voice their concerns and desires. However, to double check make sure to pay attention to these four areas:
Length: check hems on pants, skirts, shorts, etc.
Buttons/Zippers: make sure garments have all buttons and functioning zippers
Mending: look for problem areas that need repair like undone seams or holes
Overall Fit: clothing should not be too tight or too baggy; children should be comfortable and clothing should allow for easy movement
If alterations are needed, online tailoring services are a great option that have made tailoring very convenient. Instead of wrangling the whole family into a car and into a physical shop, pin the clothes from the comfort of your home and send the clothes to an online tailor such as Tad More Tailoring. Just safety-pin the alterations on your child’s garments, send them in and voila! Revitalized clothes for a fresh school year. For some more alteration and style inspiration, check out these 5 tips for each person in the family!
Styling Tip 1: Shop Your Own Closet for Elementary-Age Kids
Hear me out, how many t-shirts in your closet do you have just waiting for the next donation trip at your local thrift store? These old tees could be upcycled into cute skirts, dresses, or shirts for your child. Using shirts such as a graphic tee can add fun details to your child’s wardrobe and create a bonding moment between parent and child. Reaching out to a local or online tailor is a great place to start. Children at this age are very imaginative and many are interested in elaborate games of play. Make sure their clothing allows easy movement and comfort. Cute combinations are always a fun graphic tee with cargo jeans or leggings and a tunic.
Styling Tip 2: Add Perfect Patches for Middle Schoolers
By this age, kids are generally professional playground gamers. This probably means holes. In shirts, pants, jackets, skirts, backpacks even, you name it. If the hole is on a seam, tailoring services can mend this repair no problem. Holes elsewhere can still be mended by way of a darn, which pretty much entails adding stitch lines in different directions until the whole is fixed.
Another option instead of a darn is to let your middle schooler choose a fun patch to cover the hole. Holes on sleeves, knees, pockets, etc. are great places to let your child add some customization to a garment that otherwise would be donated or trashed. Middle school can be one of the more confusing times in our academic careers. Allowing for such personalization can boost confidence, independence, and connections.
Styling Tip 3: Let Your High School Teens Fly Solo
As your teen enters high school, personal style tends to appear more and more. Some high school age kids are now even independent enough to drive themselves to a shop and buy their own clothes. Having discussions with your teenager to set expectations and remind them of dress codes is important, but so is giving your child expressive independence. If your high schooler’s current wardrobe needs alterations, have them try to handle it independently (going to a tailor/pinning for an online tailor), but be there if they have any questions.
Styling Tip 4: Keep it Comfy (and Professional) for the Teachers
A balance of comfort, style, and professionalism is the name of the game for teachers. Long hours on your feet educating young minds, diffusing conflict, extra tutoring, and helping manage hundreds of children all at once is no small task. Layering can be the key to all-day comfort- as your circumstances can change in a flash in a school setting, so can your outfit! Our favorite piece is a linen blazer, casual yet professional and comfortable yet stylish. Make sure all your layering pieces fit like a glove while not sacrificing convenience, try an online tailoring service today!
Styling Tip 5: Chic Practicality for the Parent in the Carpool Lane
Stay-at-home parents do the most important work of all, and pro-bono at that. After spending quality time with and managing kids all summer, the beginning of the school year can come with a lot of emotions. One thing is for sure, once you drop the kids off, you’ll have some well-deserved time to focus a little more on yourself. Treat yourself to a date by reading at a café or strolling through a park. An outfit like jeans, fashion sneakers, a nice tee, and simple accessories allows you to feel like your own person again, but encompasses practicality enough to jump back into parent life on the spot.