7 Tips on What To Wear For Your First Day of School
The first day of school is tough, not only are you heading back from a long (and hopefully relaxing) vacation you're also tasked with the responsibility of making a good impression among your peers. It's hard to know what to wear and how to stay true to your personal style when you're being pulled in multiple directions. Remember that comfort and confidence are key, don't doubt yourself and don't overthink things.
One of the benefits of being in school is experimenting and figuring out what it is you like, that can vary from discovering a subject that you're really passionate about to finding your future best friends to figuring out what your style is. Sure, it's constantly evolving (a lot of us are still trying to figure out our own) but knowing what it is that you like, why you like it, and how to wear it in a way that feels you is part of the fun of finding yourself.
Ahead, we spoke to seven fashion people about what they wish they'd known about style before their first day of school, tips on getting ready for your first day of school, and somethings they'd wear if they had a re-do. Scroll through for both advice and outfit inspo!
Bianca Valle, Nutritionist
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
I would always wear the same earrings, almost everyday to school. As I’ve gotten older, the first thing I change are my earrings. I love wearing a baby t and jeans with pearl earrings. So cute and simple!
Experiment! Go out of your comfort zone and don’t worry about what others think about you. Do your thing and good things will happen. :)
Lauren Eggertsen, Fashion Editor at Who What Wear
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
If I were to have a second chance at a first day of school, I would definitely wear my Ganni cowboy boots. I feel like they are exactly the statement I would want to make to everyone on day one—that I care about fashion, don't mind dressing differently than everyone else, and am overall a good time (because anyone wearing these boots is bound to be fun, no?!).
Back in school, I was pretty good at wanting to be different than everyone else as far as my style went, but I definitely wish I valued vintage a bit more back then. Looking back, it would have saved me a lot of money and made me look ten times cooler. Since chances are your style will change a million times throughout your life, sometimes vintage is the key to making sure certain parts of it standstill. I still have dresses and bags and shoes from either a vintage store or my grandma's closet that bring back so many memories when I wear them now and that's always special.
If you are trying to "define your style" I would suggest don't try too hard to put yourself in one style box. Instead, figure out what you like wearing and what you feel comfortable in and go with that. Like I said before, your style is going to evolve more than you realize, so instead of wasting your efforts, just go with what feels right and makes you smile and don't be afraid to take risks.
Lauren Caruso, Site Director at The Zoe Report
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
If I had a first day of school re-do, I would totally throw all my stuff in this huge tote from Little Liffner. (I'd give myself points for showing my friends a new emerging brand, too.)
I wish I knew that brands and labels don't matter if you don't have intrinsic style. I wish I could tell my teen self to focus on cultivating my own idea of what's cool and what works for my style rather than comparing myself to those around me. Also, thrift shopping will one day be cool! View your $50 back-to-school second-hand store budget as a fun challenge, not a daunting one. It will teach you things.
You'll never find your own style if you're just parroting what everyone around you is wearing. Oh, and don't pay any mind to what the label says.
Jo Rosenthal, Model
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
I wish I knew that I could really wear anything I want because if I feel good it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I spent a lot of time in high school trying to impress people with my style when I should really have been dressing for myself. One time this girl spread a rumor about me that I had 2 closets and it made a lot of people not like me, but I think it's funny now because two closets would be really cool.
Buy things that make you feel like 'you' in your happiest moments.
Imani Rudolph, Model
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that style is something that doesn’t need to be validated by others. If you’re happy with how you look, that’s what matters most.
When trying to define your style, I say give everything a try, then stick with what feels good. If you don’t feel comfortable and confident with the looks you’re pulling, odds are you aren’t being true to yourself.
Michelle Li, Fashion and Beauty Editor at Teen Vogue
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
I was always against blazers because they felt really grown up to me, but lately I've been experimenting and finding a way to wear it while still looking fun and casual. They're such a nice piece for adding some structure to an outfit.
I wish someone had told me to *invest* in clothing pieces instead of just buying so much random junk that I only wore once. I recently went home and cleaned out my whole closet and threw away so much clothing that I bought in the moment because I convinced myself that if I bought that item it would be the only dress/top/skirt/pair of jeans I would ever need again (which was never the case).
It takes a lot of patience to find your personal style. It doesn't happen overnight, but it feels so good once your find it. It's worth the energy and the effort, consume as much as you can and be able to identify why you like outfits. Finding your personal style takes learning what makes you feel comfortable and that in itself takes so much time to learn.
Aemilia Madden, Senior Fashion Editor at The Zoe Report
What do you wish you knew about style when you were in school and what tips do you have for finding your own personal style?
I wish I was a bit more hip to the fact that comfort and style don't have to be mutually exclusive. It is possible to be low-key without wearing a college sweatshirt, skinny jeans or leggings, and sneakers every day.
Shop vintage and secondhand, it helps you to establish an eye for what you're actually into as opposed to what the current trends are.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
