This post is sponsored by Saks.
This year, when I was back-to-school shopping with my 10-year-old, I noticed a trend. Everything she gravitated toward — striped ringer tees, swishy jeans, collegiate sweatshirts — was exactly what I craved in my own back-to-school wardrobe…30 years ago. The nostalgia was almost too much. But there was also something timeless about the little capsule we put together for her. Something that had me yearning for a return to the same gist, albeit with a more grown-up twist.
tee (TTS, S) | jeans (TTS, 25) | flats (TTS) | bag | jacket (slightly oversized, S)
And so I took myself back-to-school shopping for a few fall staples that I know will live well beyond this school year. Iconic jeans, evergreen ballet flats, a perfect little tee, and a fun bag to commemorate the changing season. A better-than-jean jacket and, yes, a collegiate sweatshirt, a la the one my daughter was eyeing.
A classic hunt for the basics, but better, as we like to say. Here’s where I landed.
1. The Grown-Up Tee That’s Basically Trend-Proof
I was only too happy to find myself going down the rabbit hole of striped tees on the Saks website a few weeks ago. Saks, of course, is nothing if not a playground of inspiration, especially on the cusp of fall. And wouldn’t ya know: I found a good one. So good, I’m calling it The Best Non-White Tee I Currently Own.
tee (TTS, S) | jeans (TTS, 25) | bag
The specific tee we’re talking about is rag & bone’s The Slub Stripe T-Shirt, and if you’ve tried any rag & bone tees before, you’ll be completely unsurprised to learn that the fit of this one is absolutely ideal. I know big ol’ tees with big ol’ sleeves are having a moment, but this one is so refreshingly classic with its almost-cap sleeves and body-skimming (but not hugging) silhouette.
It’s not a trendy oversized tee nor a trendy tiny tee but something just right that falls somewhere in the trend-proof middle. The length makes it perfect for tucking into high rises or not tucking into lower rises, too. And the cherry on top? It’s even on sale.
Shop More rag & bone Perfect Striped Tees
2. These Straight Leg Jeans Feel Like Coming Home
sweatshirt (slightly oversized, S) | jeans (TTS, 25) | flats (TTS) | bag
To pair with the perfect tee? Well, as much as I’d love to say the perfect jeans, we’re going to acknowledge that this a wildly debatable topic and go with a less-hyperbolic an unexpectedly exciting pair of jeans that check a whole lotta boxes.
In the vein of timelessness, I leaned away from the wider styles that my daughter and I are both constantly wearing and into the comfort of ye olde straight leg. And friends, when I tell you these Favorite Daughter The Valentina High Rise Straight Leg Jeans were like coming home…I know you know.
This was my first time trying Favorite Daughter denim, and my favorite super-sisters totally nailed it, again. An oldie but goodie straight leg, made even better with a super high rise that feels almost vintage and a medium-blue indigo wash that was pulled straight from the gold rush.
tee (TTS, S) | jeans (TTS, 25)
Don’t worry. They’re comfy as heck, too, because, lest the vibe deceive you, these are, in fact, not rigid denim.
Honestly, the amount of 1% elastane jeans that have entered my wardrobe of late is giving me a bit of an identity crisis — but fear not, fellow rigid-loyalists. These don’t give stretch denim. They give broken-in denim, though zero effort is in fact required. We’re talking a soft, forgiving waistband. Pockets you can actually get your hands into. And a booty that looks like a well-earned custom fit — all upon first wear.
Shop More Straight Leg Denim
3. This Cropped Sweatshirt Nails the Back-to-School Vibe
sweatshirt (slightly oversized, S) | jeans (TTS, 25)
When I was adding those jeans to my cart, Saks sneakily suggested that I might like this Favorite Daughter Cropped Collegiate Sweatshirt, too. And, freaky little cookie-fueled mind-readers that they are, they were right.
Not only does it bring those collegiate sweatshirt vibes I was so nostalgic for when Lana was doing her shopping, but it’s got a cute cropped, raw hem and the most playful boxy shape that keeps it from feeling too sloppy. The drop shoulders and voluminous sleeves, too, give the illusion of effort. And if you like a pushed-up sleeve, these actually stay put, without the cuffs being too tight. A small but important victory when it comes to both showing off your everyday bracelet stack and helping with preschool hand washing 187,000 times a day.
(An important note I always feel compelled to make when I rep this brand: in my family, I’m the only daughter, which makes the graphic more fact than cheeky. Kinda.)
4. A “Jean” Jacket That’s Cozy Enough to Nap In
tee (TTS, S) | jeans (TTS, 25) | flats (TTS) | bag | jacket (slightly oversized, S)
I also made this little back-to-school spree my excuse to finally nab the “jean” jacket I’ve been longing to try from rag & bone’s sneaky denim-printed Miramar line. Just like all of their jeans from the same collection, this rag & bone Miramar Denim Trucker Jacket appears to have all the bells and whistles of a fully denim-constructed jacket, but everything from the seams to the pockets to the washed denim texture, itself, is printed onto super soft cotton.
So all those instances where you’re like “ehhh if only my cool denim jacket were as cozy as my fave hoodie…” well, hi, here ya go. It’s a trippy little dream. One that I know I’ll be schlepping around with me as a backup layer everywhere I go.
Shop More Comfy Transitional Layers
5. My “Back-to-School” Bag Upgrade
tee (TTS, S) | jeans (TTS, 25) | flats (TTS) | bag
And since nothing satisfies on the first day of school quite like showing up with a new backpack, I figured a new bag was in the cards for me, too. (That is how it works, right?) This little Aimee Kestenberg chain bag stole my heart right away with its super plush, soft leather and chunky matte chain.
It has a long skinny strap so you can wear it on your shoulder or as a crossbody, but my favorite part might just be carrying it bucket-style by its fat little chain straps. One of my favorite bags in a long while — and ironically, not because of all the organizing potential but because of everything it doesn’t need to hold while my girls are in school. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh…
6. The Ballet Flats I’ll Wear All Fall (Again)
tee (TTS, S) | jeans (TTS, 25) | flats (TTS) | bag
Oh, and about those evergreen ballet flats I mentioned up there. Uncharacteristically, these are not new for this season, but that’s only because I can’t think of a more relevant pairing for this grown-up First Day look than my longtime standby Loeffler Randall Leonie flats.
If you’ve not yet slipped your feet into these, they’re a treat. Glove-soft leather, the slimmest leather sole (that is somehow actually comfortable for walking miles and miles?) and a low maintenance, comfy fit, right out of the box — even if you have persnickety ankles that are rubbed raw by almost everything they touch.
This will be my third fall wearing this exact pair, and they remain the first shoes I reach for when I want my outfit to look a little more elevated without sacrificing comfort. A wardrobe staple that I’ll likely replace over and over again (if these ever wear out).
We’re at a new school this year, and I think I’m more concerned about making new friends and first impressions than Lana (ugh, she’s so much cooler — and easier on herself — than I am).
But I feel like, with these pieces — and a big ol’ matcha in hand — I’m as ready for the year as I’m gonna be. If I can motivate myself to get dressed for the drop-off line, that is.
Happy BTS, friends. We got this.
Em
Thank you so much to Saks for sponsoring this post. Working with Saks is always such a fun opportunity, and it’s one of the first places I look when I’m hunting for a special look or browsing a specific trend. And thanks to you, too, for reading along and supporting our brand partners here at The Mom Edit. We appreciate you so much!
Friends! Follow me on Instagram for accessible, easily adaptable recipes; sneak peeks of The Mom Edit content (and sales!); and more snippets of our life on the Northern California coast. And if you feel so inclined, pop over to my personal food + lifestyle blog, The Pig & Quill, where I share salty scribblings from my kitchen and home life. Byeeeeee!
Photos by my talented friend Carolyn Stockman.
