Back To School…Slay The First Day!

How could it possibly be back to school season? The summer has literally flown by! When you see your local Target turn over all the merchandise, you know it’s time to get on board. Before I had my son, I loved this time of year. What is it about new school supplies that is so exciting? I have these vivid memories of my mom and I strolling down the aisles of Staples, getting overly ecstatic about every colored pencil or printed Lisa Frank folder that I could possibly get my hands on haha. Getting back in to the swing of things doesn’t have to be stressful. I am here to make things easier for you with some great styling tips and the cutest back pack and accessories that you’ve ever seen!

Aside from all the fun school supplies you get to stock up on…the ultimate back to school item that should be your first purchase is your child’s backpack. After searching everywhere for the best backpack for my son’s first day of school (EVER!)…I knew Stephen Joseph was the way to go. They have the cutest collection ever. There is a ton to choose from and variety of really fun and adorable themes! For my son Jax, I went with the dinosaur backpack below. It fits his personality pretty well. Seems like that boy is always stomping around making a mess and growling at me lol.

We are excited to offer you all $5.00 off your first order from Stephen Joseph! Use the code below to get the discount!

FRECKLED5 (This will be good starting today through Sept. 5th!)

Click this link to check out all the cool back to school products on StephenJoseph.com!

They also offer matching accessories like lunch boxes, snack containers, freezer packs and sippy cups. Their products come in a bunch of different styles to fit a wide range of ages. For Mason who is 7, we went with a more mature style which he went crazy over! I love how they offer personalization for their backpacks as well. If you don’t feel comfortable putting your child’s first name on the front, you can always do their initials or even a cute nickname. I am obsessed with the side mesh pockets on Jax, Charlee and Luke’s bags! For camp, I put his sippy cup on one side and his sunscreen in the other.

I am sure many of you are getting started with your back to school shopping! Here are some great styling tips that hopefully can help you out a bit. But if you really want to forget the stress, I am happy to style your kiddos 🙂

Styling Tips

Take Your Summer Wardrobe in to Fall: Don’t feel obligated to put away all of your child’s summer clothes just yet. There are certainly ways to stretch those pieces to work for the cooler days ahead. Tights and leggings are super easy and inexpensive pieces to buy for the new season. Throwing on a pair of leggings underneath a cute summer dress or skirt is a simple way to make these outfits more fall appropriate. Even the addition of a fall shoe will immediately change the look. For Charlee above, I took her summer/spring leggings and we added an adorable plaid blouse with a cute pair of neutral booties. Over the summer she wore these leggings with tank tops! This is the idea of a transitional outfit. For boys, take a summer tee and throw on a henley long sleeve shirt underneath. A simple tee can be elevated with a fun pop of color underneath. Here is a perfect example of how to take a summer dress and transition it in to an appropriate out for fall!

Layering: I am a huge fan of layering. If there is anything to invest in, it’s great layering pieces. For girls, I will always recommend a high quality denim jacket. It goes with everything and is a season less piece. It’s a classic item that she can wear all year long and goes with literally everything. As I mentioned above, leggings under dresses is a simple way to add that extra layer of warmth to her outfit. For boys, I would go with a cool bomber jacket. Or if your kid is less trendy and more sporty, then go for a hoodie. I would find something unique like a cool indigo fabric or maybe a bold pattern. For those days that jackets are not needed, he can throw on a vest over his long sleeve tee. I love the one Mason is wearing in our back to school pics above! It’s the perfect mix of sporty and trendy.

Mix summer prints with fall prints: Be bold. Mix unexpected prints together. This is a fun and unique way for your kids to show off a little of their personal style. And another east way to pull some of those summer styles in to the next season. As long as you have one color that appears in both pieces, you are good to go. Try pairing prints of varying sizes so it doesn’t look to busy. A bright and colorful summer print doesn’t have to be packed away just yet!

Let Me Style You!: Ok this is an easy tip right? Who has time to shop or go to the mall. As I am sure you may know, I am a stylist for an amazing children’s retail company called Mac and Mia. I personally handpick outfits for your child and a wonderful surprise box of goodies gets sent directly to your doorstep! Obviously, I styled my family for the shoot. If you want me to pick out some back to school outfits too, click HERE to have me as your stylist and request a box!

XO, CG

*This post was sponsored but all the opinions are my own*