Back to School Fashion for the Girls-Heather

Back to School is synonymous with 'Back to School Shopping.'  I know many parents can feel the pinch of all the new school expenses from extracurricular activities to school supplies.  Your child's wardrobe doesn't have to be one of those black or white issues meaning; you break the bank, or you don't get new gear for your little one.  Why can't we have great fashion forward looks for a fraction of the price?  Well, guess what, you can! 

I know this, not from a widespread newsletter or a fashion magazine article.  I know this because I am THRIFTY, with a capital 'T.'  I'm almost positive I was born this way because as long as I can remember I have found it a personal challenge to get that steal of a deal.  I'm sure my mom had a hand in this, though I think it goes one step deeper into my actual DNA.  I take inspiration from all fashion sources, but choose to carry out the purchases through affordable means.  I mean, our kids grow like weeds, so it makes sense to choose wisely.  Of course, every now and then I find that piece that speaks to me and has to come home, but it does not come with an entire outfit (gasp; this has NEVER happened).  High/ low dressing, or mixing high end pieces with budget friendly pieces, is definitely my chosen method. 

So when you're out shopping for that stylish look, take a little inspiration from the designers, but if you're like me and don't like to spend a pretty penny to look chic, translate the look into something more attainable for the average consumer.

Here's a look from Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2016 kids look book.  It's a great mix of patterns and textures, made up of classic pieces that are paired together to make the outcome a little more fun.  

I put together a similar look with pieces ranging from $60 dollars and below.  All the pieces are basics that could be transformed into tons of other outfits (which factors in my mind when purchasing something.) 

Click on the links below to shop these items:

Blouse

Headband

Bookbag

Coat Dress

Skirt

Tights

Boots

Have fun with all the preparations as you and your child both take on the new school year, a little more stylish than before! 

A Letter To My Daughters- Tiffany

To My Daughters,

It’s the rainiest of days and you just want to be left alone: to shut the world out and disappear.  

I know…I have been there.

I want you to know that I have weathered the storms too.  When the floodgates burst open and you feel like your drowning- it happens to us ALL at some point in our lives.  

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow.

There will come a day when you feel a little less than you should.  When someone has the power to make you feel so small so they can feel bigger and bigger.

It’s so easy to get lost in our problems.  It’s easy to just sit there and “take it.”  You go on living life and letting people say what they want about you because you are too worried of what they will do or say if you have a voice.  This is the part of me I struggle with.  It is something that I recognize but nonetheless it is hard to be someone you are not.  And I wouldn’t say I was STRONG. And, I've realized that I get scared and that’s okay.

I am stronger because I have been weak.

I fear less because I have been afraid.

I can remember back to my elementary school days.  I recall a day that still makes me cringe.  I was riding the bus home from school and a classmate put gum in my hair.  I don’t recall why or what led up to it, but just like it was yesterday, I remember running home crying to my parents.  I didn’t say anything to that girl but instead my parents called her parents and made her come apologize to me.  It was mortifying- for some reason I couldn’t speak. 

This happened on many other occasions throughout my years growing up.  I remember in high school having awful rumors spread about me: walking through the halls and being yelled at and called embarrassing names.  And the words haunted me like a passion.   My lips would quiver, my body shook and I muttered the words in my head. 

I could never get the words out.

I felt so stupid that I just couldn’t stand up for myself.  I was fearful and I let it eat me up inside.  Let me tell you, that is not the way to live!

This feeling of fear, it didn’t go away.  I carried this with me through college and into adulthood.  I allowed people I dated to wrong me and I allowed others around me to hurt me just the same.  At one point, I entered willingly into a relationship that I thought was “love.”  It was bliss and I felt I was right where I should be.  But then, it all went wrong.  Slowly, I allowed someone to bully and hurt me in a way I NEVER imagined I would let anyone. I had reached the height of all my fears and I started to realize something needed to change.

Change doesn’t come easy and it doesn’t come without work.  If you want to live your life for YOU and if you want to really live and be happy, then you need to stand up for yourself. I have learned so much from my experiences and I have even more to learn.  But, even a broken crayon can still color!

When you feel like your whole world is falling apart, just stay positive and know you’ll be okay. 

You are going to want to give up.  DON’T.

Just because one person makes you feel like you are nothing, be confident enough to know that you are enough. That moment I finally stood up for myself was when I started to see a plan in my life.  I now know that it is never too late to be strong.  And when I stood up for myself, I was also imparting a voice to the many other people that are bullied or affected by violence.  And it was the most liberated I have EVER felt.

I leave you with this advice: Don’t give up.  Fight for yourself and who you are.  Fight for others. And remember we can't reverse the wrongs, but we can learn from them and find strength from it. 

You can’t go back. 

So, open up and stand up ALWAYS.  Just be you, and let your inner beauty shine through. 

Love you most,

Mom

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

The First Day from a Mom's POV-Heather

Whether it's the first day to school, for the very first time, or the first day back after a fleeting summer the result can be the same; nerve-racking. 

Sweaty palms, racing heart, a timid stance.  Some are familiar with these rights of passage into a new grade, a new school, or a new environment for our little ones on their first day.  

The 'Jitters' aren't just for our little ones.  The thoughts are already present in my mind, though my son is only 3;

Will he be scared?  

Will he have an unkind interaction?

Will he make friends?

Will he miss his mommy and want to come home? (I 'm kind of hoping the answer to the first part of this question is yes:)

I recall my childhood days, that first week before school started and that little ting of anticipation and nervousness mixed together.  I remember distinctly crying to my mother in elementary school because I didn't want to ride the bus, where supervision inevitably was somewhat less than the classroom, and all the grades meshed into one.  I still don't recall a single incident on the bus that was particularly scaring, however it was the anticipation that someone would be 'mean' to me and that feeling of being vulnerable that I think led me to plead with my mother.  She did however, have me ride the bus.  Not every single day, but I rode nonetheless.  It was one of those fears that needed to be worked through, for me to see that I would be 'ok.'  

I'm both excited and scared for my son at the same time.  As a parent your instinct is to protect, even from the smallest pains.  But another crucial role is also to let your child experience the world and make it through the feelings described above, on their own terms, with their own resources.  Never alone though, as we can offer our ears, our hearts, and our encouraging words to our children as they go through these milestones.  They will without a doubt at some point feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, and defeated.  This is life.  You can't protect them from those truths no matter how hard you try.  I tell myself however that I CAN be there to guide him through these times, and to be the presence that is in the background of his subconscious whispering 'it's ok,' 'you can do this,' and 'you are loved and valuable.' 

"First Day Jitters"-Mikhaila

Going back to school means work, endless work. 

Teens feel the punch of going back to school the hardest. In a survey, 83% of students say that school was one of the main sources of stress they had. As a junior in high school it can be a bit overwhelming at times. And around mid-terms, finals, post-tests I tend to be more stressed than normal. I've cried before, bit my nails to the bare, had mini panic attacks, been sleep deprived, and have over worked myself. 

STRESS can be so hard to bare at times, but you can get around it. 

Here are some tips that I used to help me get away from stress:

1. Make time for yourself- be sure to leave time in your schedule to pamper yourself or even just relax a little. 

2. Be sure to get sleep- being sleep deprived only adds on to the amount of stress you are under.

3. Eat healthy- your body doesn't want the junk food you are craving, it needs fuel!

4. Plan out your day- planning out your day helps you stay focused on one thing at a time.

5. Think positively- negative thinking has been linked to higher stress levels and more times than not are the reason you are stressed.

6. Get exercise- exercise has been shown to lower stress levels, so go for a run instead of turning to sedentary activities.

So use these tips to help you fight the blues of stress and turn your school year into a stress-less year!

Xo,

Mikhaila

Mikhaila is a guest blogger for our "First Day Jitters" posts.  You can view her personal blog here.  She is wearing one of our tees from our anti-bullying line which supports initiatives to help spread awareness.  Shop this look.