Hi, and thanks for checking out my blog! September sure has been whizzing by, hasn’t it? Now that the new school year is in full swing, I wanted to share a story from a weeks ago about back-to-school shopping.
For lots of kids, the start of a new school year is exciting, and yes, maybe a little scary. New teachers, new routines, new classmates, and new expectations. I’m sure there are plenty of other “new-s” but those are probably the biggest ones for me.
On the plus side, a new school year can also mean back-to-school shopping. While shopping for classroom supplies is sort of fun, you can only get so excited about pens, pencils, and notebooks. (My friend Jeffrey, on the other hand, can’t stop raving about his new solar-powered scientific calculator. Math teachers around the world, I’m sure, are thrilled.)
For me, picking out my back-to-school wardrobe is what I look forward to the most. But finding that perfect look can also be kind of stressful.
Fashions change quickly. What’s popular one year, may not be popular the next. Which brings me to the life lesson I learned: choose clothes that make you feel good and wear what matches your personal style. Be true to yourself—you don’t have to wear the exact same things as others—just to fit in. When you feel confident and comfortable (and, of course, school-appropriate), that’s your “best you look.” And guess what? Your best you look won’t just make a good first-day-of-school impression, but a strong impression on any day.
So, let me tell you my story…
Hanger management
Every August, a few weeks before school starts, my mom asks my big sister, Jill, and I to go through our clothing. The goal is to see what clothes don’t fit or what we no longer need/want. As we go through our drawers and closets, we divide up everything into three categories—“keep,” “donate,” or “toss.” (That’s usually for things like socks and underwear.)
This year, I’d grown a few inches and went up a half-shoe size. This meant some new additions to my wardrobe would be heading my way!
I was super excited for our trip to the mall. Before going shopping, Jill and I mapped out which stores we’d go to. With the promise of buying new clothing and shoes, my sister and I have never gotten along better.
Even though I usually don’t get stressed over clothing, for some reason, this year, I was overthinking everything. I was most worried about my first-day-of-school outfit. I needed a “best you” look.
I don’t know about you, but for many kids, having a great first day outfit is critical. It sets the tone for the school year. When you go into your new class(es) you want to feel good about yourself. You want to feel confident. And when you look smart, you feel smart. Right?
That’s why I really wanted to find the perfect “best you” outfit.
Every thread counts
Normally, I prefer comfortable and sporty clothes. Anything too fussy isn’t for me. Jill, on the other hand, loves that style. When we went into the first store, Jill looked at the merchandise and was in heaven. Not me. I didn’t want to go home empty-handed, so I thought maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough. I wandered around, trying to spot something that I liked.
“Back to school shopping?” the saleswoman asked me. I nodded yes and kept browsing. “We have some great new tops over here that will be perfect for you.” The saleswoman grabbed my arm and led me over to a part of the store I hadn’t yet looked.
It was close to where Jill was looking. And finding. She already had several outfits picked out.
The saleswoman started pulling out clothes for me.
“All the teens are wearing this,” she explained. Before I could say a word, she dropped a heaping pile of clothes into my arms. “Try these on. I just know you’re going to look so cute in them.”
“I don’t know. This isn’t really my style.” I held up a frilly-sleeved shirt that I wouldn’t wear in a million years. They weren’t what I’d put into my best you look category. “None of this is for me.” As I started handing back the clothes to the saleswoman, Jill hurried over.
“Ruffles are definitely not Noodle’s style.” Thank goodness for Jill. “But I love that top. Do you have one in my size?”
The saleswoman nodded stiffly and said, “I’ll go check in the back.” Once the woman walked away, I thanked Jill for saving me from the pushy salesperson.
“I don’t care if they entire school is wearing frilly shirts, I just can’t.” Jill nodded. Or maybe she was shaking her head. I couldn’t quite tell.
“I know, Noodle. You are the only you out there, that’s for sure.” Although I’m not sure Jill meant it as a compliment, I appreciated her reference to Dr. Seuss. (Dr. Seuss is one of my all-time favorite authors.)
Ruffling some feathers
While Jill was happy with her ruffled shirt and a few other pieces, I decided that store and its bossy saleswoman wasn’t for me. Once we paid for Jill’s clothes, we moved onto the next store. It was a sporting goods store. Now we were talking my language.
I liked this place much better. Plus, the salespeople weren’t pushy. I could browse for my best you look in peace.
I quickly found a few items that I liked.
One saleswoman walked by me and said, “Oooh. I love that top. If you want, you should check out the table over there for some other cool shirts.” I smiled and headed over to the area where she’d pointed. She was right.
I found an armful of new clothes that were right up my best you look alley. Even Jill approved. Sort of.
“They’re like slightly nicer versions of what you always choose.” Still, I’d take that as a compliment from my sister.
Once we’d maxed out our budget for new clothes, it was time for footwear. At last. My most favorite part of back-to-school shopping.
Big shoes to fill
If I could, I would’ve tried on all the sneakers in the store. But since my mother looked wiped out from all the shopping and Jill had already bought her new shoes, I held myself back. Instead, I selected a few pairs of sneakers that I liked.
Just as I was about to finalize my choices (including a pair of plain white sneakers that tons of kids have), I saw this one pair of sneakers that caught my eye.
They were mid-tops (not high tops or low tops) in an unusual shade of orange/coral. Not a color that you’d normally see. But since I love brightly colored sneakers, I was willing to take the risk.
Thankfully, the store had my size. When I put the sneakers on, I knew they were perfect for me. They were cushiony (which meant that I could probably jump higher) and they were lightweight (so I’d probably run faster in them). The best part—at least from my mom’s perspective—was that they were on sale. Back-to-school shopping was finally complete.
As Jill and I walked to the car with our new purchases, we were both looking forward to the first day of school. Well, as much as you can after a fun summer vacation.
Being knit picky
I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that no one else wore the same outfit as I did on the first day of school. While I didn’t stick out, I didn’t stick in. I was just me.
Truth be told, I bet my friends could care less what each of us wore. That’s because we were already happy with our own best you looks.
So, here’s what I realized from my back-to-school shopping experience: Authenticity is key. And not just when it comes to clothes. Be true to yourself and what it is you like. Trying too hard to fit in can come off as…well…fake. Embrace and accept who you are and let your personality shine through. I bet you’ll get more true friends because of it. (Check out an earlier blog of mine for more on that topic.)
Oh! And as for my orange-coral sneakers? I’m pretty sure, I’ve never jumped higher or run faster.
So, until next time…you guessed it… be your best you.
Do you have any stories about learning an important lesson from an experience? Please share them with me in the comments section!
