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Back-to-School Essentials

September 1, 2015

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It’s that time of year again! Evenings are cooling off, daylight hours are slowly dwindling, and some of us have used up more than our fair share of vacation days at the lake.

When we were kids, we had a love/hate relationship with the month of August. We loved that we got to stay up later, spend endless days at the lake swimming with our friends, and we all knew to make the most of these days because just around the corner… September. This was the part we didn’t love too much.

The one redeeming part about September was that our moms would load us up into the car one Saturday morning, drive us out to the mall, and we would spend the day back-to-school shopping. It feels like just yesterday we were picking out new bags, new folders, new pencils and smelling that undeniably September smell of new plastic binders.

And, for us, the best part of the whole ordeal was the brand new clothes we got to carry out of the mall while wearing a grin you could see from a mile away. Of course, we weren’t allowed to wear anything we bought until after Labour Day, but we would hang each item in our closets as we dreamt of the perfect back-to-school outfit.

Nowadays, we can technically buy ourselves new clothes any time of the year. Shopping sprees are no longer reserved for humid August afternoons with our siblings and a relatively stressed parent. However, there was something special about back-to-school shopping that we still sometimes miss. The delayed gratification of the the trip itself, coupled with the notion that these were specific and special clothes. Well, we just don’t have many shopping trips like that anymore.

So, in the spirit of the season, we present:

Back-to-School Inspired Essentials

The Jacket:

There is no way you could leave the mall without a new jacket first. Heading into the fall and then quickly into the winter here in Toronto, one needs a good jacket. As a kid, we often got a winter coat right out of the gate, whereas now we tend to keep a few seasonally appropriate jackets and coats in rotation, depending on the weather of course.

The Every Girl  & Stylecaster

Just like when we were kids, denim jackets and bombers are some of our favourites this season.

The Bag:

We may not be carrying a ton of books around anymore (well, some of us still might!), but a good bag is essential to living in a city. Whether you take the TTC, Uber, drive, or bike, chances are you’re on-the-go and have a few things you need to take with you: tablets, meeting notes, make-up for that midday fix, deodorant (just in case), wallet, phone, earbuds, and the list goes on.

 

Perpetually Chic & WhoWhatWear

The Shoes:

New shoes were integral to the back-to-school shopping trip. After a long summer of running around outside, our current shoes usually looked a little worse for wear, and no self-respecting parent was going to send their kid back to school like that. Plus, what about the growth spurt we all went through while on vacation? Most likely your shoes barely fit anymore. Now, our feet haven’t grown, but we still want some new fall kicks!

 

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Rag and Bone

While the reasons may be different now, a new pair of shoes is still something we like to splurge on around this time of the year. We’re going from wearing a lot of espadrilles and sandals to needing something a bit more substantial.

The Jeans:

Jeans are one of our least, and most, favourite items to shop for. The process can be trying, but finding a good pair of jeans is a great feeling. We live in denim throughout the fall and winter, as much as we can, and just like when we were younger, we look forward to the few times a year when we invest in a new pair.

WhoWhatWear & WhoWhatWear

The Sweater:

Was it just us, or did shopping for winter clothes always feel a bit strange in the summer months? We could barely bring ourselves to pull sweaters on in the store, over our tank tops and shorts, yet now we actually really look forward to it. The thought of curling up in a thick sweater on a cold day is enticing enough to make us start the hunt for our favourite pieces now.

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Sarah Sarna

 

Just the Design

As you look forward to fall and the fashion it brings, we can help you with switching out your closets. Retiring summer clothes that haven’t been properly cleaned first can lead to a nasty discovery next year when sugar stains, grass stains and the like have set in. Bring us your summer wear before you pack it away, and we will have it professionally dry cleaned in no time, ready to be tucked away for another winter!

If you are a mom or dad and are dreading the back-to-school shopping for your kiddos because they’ve grown out of everything, think about whether some of those items really just need to be tailored. We might be able to let out some seams to get another season out of that favourite dress! Or if you were thinking ahead and bought something a size too big in anticipation of a growth spurt, bring it in and we will take it in in the meantime.

Skip The Hassle

Of Dropping Off and Picking Up Your Clothes

With Parkers free pickup and delivery service, you can enjoy the convenience of dry cleaning at your fingertips. Simply schedule your pickup online or by phone, and we’ll handle the rest.

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