I don't know about you, but I love parenting in the teenage years (and I'm saying that without a hint of sarcasm). Truly, my husband and I have found that the teenage years are incredibly rich and wonderful. We love the deep conversations we can have with our daughters and there is a genuine enjoyment for all of us in being together.
If you are fortunate to have high schoolers in your house also, we've put together a list of the best clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, and school supplies for the 2021 back-to-school season. Happy shopping!
Whether you want to dress up or dress down, Boot Barn will surprise you with their eclectic clothing collection. They offer a little bit of everything: jeans, button-ups, blouses, cocktail gowns, and - of course - western boots & clothes galore.
If you know me, you know that I'm not a fan of shopping. When I find a shirt that I like, I buy two or three to avoid having to go out again. In fact, I just bought this Alex Marie Boat Neck Blouse for myself in three colors.
When I do venture out for a brick-and-mortar shopping experience, I often head to Dillard's because they offer quality clothing for the whole family - a one stop shop! I particularly love Dillards' formal wear options - for weddings, dinner parties, honor society inductions, music recitals, and more!
P.S. Dillard's has great school uniform options this year from Nautica also - stretchy materials, cute designs, and athletic appeal.
If you put me on the spot and asked me to name my favorite jewelry brand off the top of my head, I would say "James Avery." My teenage daughters would probably say the same. We especially love the necklaces by James Avery. They are subtle, stylish, and sweet - elegant designs without too much pomp or fuss. We love these necklaces for all occasions - both fancy and everyday.
Kimes Ranch is a smaller boutique western wear line with the intent "to bring Western back to its roots by creating fashionable jeans with a classic feel." As you can see from the above photos, they've succeeded in their venture. Their jeans have a very retro look that is making a swift comeback in the world of fashion. Country or not, your teen will enjoy perusing the clothing line by Kimes Ranch.
If you live in a city that tends to get cold or snowy in the fall and winter months, you and your teens will love the snug and comfy boots from Koolaburra by Ugg. They're soft and warm, while also featuring adorable bows and decorative elements.
Bookworms will love wearing their favorite books on their sleeves - literally! Peruse the collection at Out of Print, where you will find t-shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps, and tote bags featuring classic and modern stories - Anne of Green Gables, Matilda, Pride & Prejudice, etc. Out of Print also has adorable literary accessories like this NEW Alice in Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole Necklace!
For teens with a preppy inclination, consider the timeless pieces from US Polo Assn. You'll find adorable button-up dresses, starched oxford shirts, classy dress pants, and many items that are suitable for most dress codes or school uniform requirements.
When it comes to school uniforms, we like to think creative for the teen years and have found that golf clothes are a surprisingly amazing option. Golf clothes are well-made, perfectly preppy, and made from premium materials that allow for excellent range of motion. If your daughter is an athlete, this is a particularly great idea because she can look polished while also being able to pass a volleyball, run a lap, or kick a soccer ball at lunch.
You may know the YETI brand for their high-quality, insulated coolers or their line of smartly designed drinkware, but did you know they also sell backpacks and lunch bags? Pictured is the Crossroads 35L Backpack.
Available in four colors, this water-resistant and abrasion-proof backpack is tough as they come for school, outdoor adventures, sports trips, or air travel to almost anywhere.
Don't forget what goes underneath! ENELL bras are great for student athletes with a C cup or larger. Whether your daughter plays soccer, basketball, volleyball, or tennis, she'll appreciate the support (literally) that these bras provide. They are excellent for track and cross-country runners too! ENELL can give her the confidence boost that she needs to run, jump, leap, and move with grace.
Arctic Zone specializes in adorable lunch box designs with excellent insulation.
We first discovered this brand when we purchased lunch boxes at our local Costco last year and we were super impressed by the quality all year long. Their double ice pack boxes kept our salads and sandwiches chilled - even in warm weather (we're in Arizona!).
This year, we had the opportunity to try out some of their more mature lunch bags and boxes {pictured above}. They are super stylish, while also being efficient and spacious! Check 'em out!
We know everyone is crazy about a certain water bottle brand with the initials HF, but our family prefers the Takeya Actives water bottle collection. These water bottles are super sturdy, keep liquids icy cold, and have the best tops (the Spout Lids are easy to clean, easy to carry, easy to fill, and easy to drink out of - including for sports!). We also love that the Actives bottles have protective bumpers, which helps to mitigate the loudness of the bottles in gyms and other athletic settings.
Stabilo's Point 88 Pens are my absolute favorite for bullet journaling, note taking, and to-do list making! My daughters have taken up the point 88 passion also and use these pens frequently for school, homework, drawing, and fun. My 13-year-old niece even asked for a set for her birthday! They have a super slide, non-smear, elegant script that we all appreciate.
This year, we also tried Stabilo's highlighters for the first time and they are phenomenal. Pretty colors that slide effortlessly across the page! Even my 9-year-old commented how much she enjoyed marking important sentences in her Latin and Grammar workbooks!
We buy FiveStar items every school year because it's a brand we trust for quality binders, folders, and other school necessities. We particularly love FiveStar's reinforced college rule, wide rule, and graph filler paper. All of our kids' binders are well-stocked with this paper for the start of the new school year.
If your high schooler is scrunched for backpack space, try FiveStar's Flex Hybrid Notebinders. They include tabbed dividers to make organizing subjects and assignments easy.
Our family has been using TableTopics' conversation cubes for YEARS. We love pulling them out and using them around our dinner table - especially when we have company! Each beautifully-designed cube features 135 square cards. Each card has one question pertaining to the cube theme.
For example, the TEEN cube has questions like "What's your best vacation memory?," "Which of your friends has the coolest parents and what do you like about them?," and "What would you like to be doing in 10 years?"
The INSPIRING WOMEN FOR GIRLS cube has questions like "Where would you volunteer if you had a free day tomorrow?," "If you were the mayor of your city, what would you change?," and "Which school subject will benefit you most in the future?"
Other TableTopics editions include: Girls Night Out, Kids, Road Trip, Dinner Party, and more.
I've been using Book Darts daily for YEARS and I'm happy to report that our daughters are now converts also. In fact, our 7th grade daughter just walked in my office and asked, "Have you seen my book darts?"
Book Darts are small metal "darts" that you put on the pages of your book to hold a thought or to mark an interesting quote. I use them in every book that I read and my teenage daughters use them for both their homework and for pleasure reading. Try them!
What are your favorite products for back-to-school 2021?
Where will you be purchasing clothes, shoes, and gear for your high school students?
SEE OUR 2021 BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDES FOR PRESCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL.