Back-to-school shopping goes faster when you walk in knowing which outfits you're trying to finish, not which store has the biggest sale sign. I plan a school wardrobe the way I plan any client's closet: a few bottoms that work hard, tops that rotate through them, one or two layers, and shoes that survive a full day on their feet. Big mass merchants and off-price chains are useful because one trip can cover several of those needs. Below are fifteen retailers I'd look at, from elementary and uniform shopping through tweens, teens and college students, with the kind of outfit I'd actually build at each one.
Emptying the Drawers Before Making a List
The cheapest back-to-school haul is the one built on what's already at home. Before any store, I pull everything out of the student's drawers and have them try it on. Kids grow over a summer in ways parents don't notice until school starts: jeans stop at the ankle bone, sleeves ride up the wrist, sneakers pinch at the toe.
Sort it into three piles. What still fits and gets worn stays. What fits but never gets worn needs a reason; often it's a scratchy seam or a top that goes with nothing. What doesn't fit leaves the room. The gap between the first pile and a full school week is your shopping list.
- Count bottoms first. Most students get through a week on three or four pairs if they can rewear jeans.
- Count tops against laundry day. If you wash once a week, you need five or six.
- Check shoes by pressing your thumb at the front. A thumb's width of room is about right for a growing foot.
- Note one layer for cold classrooms and one for rain, since those are easy to forget until the first wet morning.
1. Old Navy Back To School Clothes
Old Navy is where I'd start if the budget is tight and the student is still growing. Straight-leg jeans, a printed tee, white sneakers and a light zip hoodie make a full school outfit, and on warm days a cotton dress over bike shorts with slip-on sneakers does the same job. For uniform schools, a polo, chinos and a cardigan with loafers cover most rules. I check the waistbands first: adjustable tabs inside kids' jeans buy you a few extra months, and stretch denim does too, though it bags at the knee faster than rigid cotton. Multipacks of tees are worth it here because those are the pieces that wear out first.
2. Target Back To School Clothes
Target is the one-trip store: clothes, shoes, backpack and the pencil case all go in the same cart. For a younger student I'd put a striped top with pull-on jeans, bright sneakers and a denim jacket together. Tweens tend to like wide-leg pants with a fitted crewneck and canvas sneakers. Older students can layer a plain tank under an oversized button-down with relaxed trousers. My one habit in that aisle is holding knit tops up to the light, because thin jersey turns see-through after a few washes and that's usually what breaks a dress code, not the cut.
3. Walmart Back To School Clothes
When the list is long, Walmart stretches the money furthest. Dark jeans, a solid tee, a plaid overshirt and lace-up sneakers make a weekday outfit that won't date, and joggers with a breathable top, a zip jacket and athletic shoes cover gym days. Little ones do well in leggings, a tunic, a light cardigan and slip-ons they can put on without help. I'd keep the bottoms and layers neutral and let the tops carry the color, since that's how a small haul turns into many outfits. Run a zipper up and down before you buy it; cheap zips are where budget jackets fail first.
4. H&M Back To School Clothes
H&M is good for students who want something current without rebuilding the whole wardrobe every term. Loose jeans with a ribbed tee, a bomber and retro sneakers read as a relaxed high-school look. A pleated skirt with a tucked polo, crew socks and loafers is a little more put together, and college students can wear tailored wide-leg pants with a soft knit and an oversized blazer. Sizing shifts between collections there, so I never buy a second pair of the same pants online on the strength of the first. Keep the base in navy, gray, cream and denim and the trend pieces will still match something in March.
5. Gap Back To School Clothes
Gap is where I'd go for the basics that need to last the year. Straight jeans, a striped long-sleeve shirt, a crewneck sweatshirt and white sneakers is the outfit most kids will reach for daily. Chinos with a cotton button-down and a cardigan make it dressier, and a T-shirt dress with a denim jacket suits students who'd rather not wear jeans. I look at the weight of the cotton here: a heavier tee holds its shape at the neckline far longer than a thin one, which matters more than the print. Sticking to navy, khaki, white and mid-wash denim makes school mornings quicker because almost everything matches.
6. Kohl’s Back To School Clothes
Families shopping for several ages at once get a lot out of Kohl's. For a sporty kid, leggings or joggers with a moisture-wicking top, a quarter-zip and cushioned sneakers. For ordinary class days, bootcut jeans, a graphic tee, a flannel shirt and walking shoes. Presentation day calls for ankle pants, a modest blouse, a relaxed blazer and flats. Compare the house labels against the national brands by feel and seam finish rather than by name; sometimes the cheaper one is better made. And build outfits as you shop, so you don't come home with six sale tops and nothing to wear them with.
7. Macy’s Back To School Clothes
Macy's is useful for comparing several brands and fits side by side. A teen might like high-rise straight jeans, a fitted tee, a cardigan that stops at the hip and retro sneakers. A college student could wear tailored trousers with a crewneck knit, a light trench and loafers, or go casual in relaxed jeans, a sweatshirt and a quilted vest. I always have the student sit down in the fitting room. Jeans that feel fine standing can dig in at the waist after an hour in a classroom chair, and a jacket needs room across the back for a sweater underneath. The clearance rack is worth a look for layers that will carry into winter.
8. JCPenney Back To School Clothes
For uniforms, JCPenney is a sensible stop. A wrinkle-resistant polo, straight khakis, a zip cardigan and loafers or sneakers covers most uniform policies. Without a uniform, pull-on jeans, a printed top, a utility jacket and canvas shoes work for younger kids, and older students can try dark denim, a blouse and a knit blazer. Buy enough tops to get through the week between laundry days, but hold off on a stack of bottoms until you know which fit actually works after a week of wear. A light rain jacket and a sturdy backpack round it out for the wet commutes that fall brings.
9. The Children’s Place Back To School Clothes
The Children's Place is built around younger kids, and the clothes reflect that. Adjustable-waist jeans, a printed cotton top, a zip hoodie and hook-and-loop sneakers make a school outfit a five-year-old can mostly manage alone. On uniform days, a polo dress over bike shorts with a cardigan and Mary Janes is comfortable for sitting on a classroom rug. I like letting the child pick one color or print they love and building the neutrals around it. They get a say, and you still end up with a closet that matches. Check that every closure is something small fingers can actually work.
10. Carter’s Back To School Clothes
Carter's suits preschoolers and early elementary kids who need soft, simple clothes. Pull-on denim with a long-sleeve graphic shirt, a fleece zip jacket and flexible sneakers is playground-ready. A cotton skater dress with full-coverage shorts underneath and a button cardigan works for kids who like dresses, and joggers with a sweatshirt and puffer vest handle active days. My test at this age is simple: can they sit cross-legged, run and manage the bathroom on their own in it? Tag-free necklines prevent a lot of fidgeting. Buy the coat with room for a sweater, not a full size up, or the sleeves cover their hands.
11. Lands’ End Back To School Clothes
Lands' End is strong on classic uniforms. A wrinkle-resistant polo, a knee-length pleated skirt or chinos, a V-neck cardigan and black loafers covers a traditional policy, with opaque tights or crew socks and a waterproof jacket for cold mornings. Without a uniform, dark straight jeans, an oxford shirt and a cable-knit sweater look neat. Read the school's rules on colors, logos, skirt length and shoes before you order, not after. Ordering early gives you time to exchange sizes, and pieces this sturdy often survive to be handed down to a younger sibling.
12. Abercrombie Kids Back To School Clothes
Abercrombie Kids appeals to tweens and teens who want a relaxed but coordinated look. Loose straight jeans with a fitted crewneck, an overshirt and classic sneakers make an easy first-week outfit. A knit polo with pleated pants and loafers is a bit sharper, and cargo pants with a plain sweatshirt and a quilted vest suit casual days. The proportion rule I give teens is one roomy piece, one close-fitting piece; two baggy layers together swallow a slim frame. If they want a trend, let it be one item added to basics they already own, not a whole new wardrobe.
13. American Eagle Back To School Clothes
Denim is the reason most students head to American Eagle. Relaxed straight jeans, a baby tee or standard crewneck, an open button-down and retro sneakers is the classic combination. On cooler days, wide-leg jeans with a fitted sweater, a bomber and low-heeled ankle boots. For campus, cargo pants with a ribbed tank under an oversized cardigan. Make them sit, walk and bend in the fitting room; denim with little stretch can feel fine for two minutes and cut in by third period. Wide-leg hems should graze the top of the shoe, so try them on with the sneakers they'll actually wear.
14. Nordstrom Rack Back To School Clothes
Older students who want recognizable brands and better shoes can do well at Nordstrom Rack. Ankle trousers with a fine-knit top, a relaxed blazer and leather sneakers make a smart college outfit. Straight jeans, a cotton tee, a utility jacket and good trainers handle ordinary classes, and a midi skirt with a tucked blouse and cropped cardigan works for presentations. Off-price racks change constantly, so I shop them with a written list and walk away from markdowns that don't fill a gap. Check every button and zip, because returns and floor damage end up there too. Put the money into shoes that can handle long walks between buildings.
15. Burlington Back To School Clothes
Burlington is a treasure hunt, and you need a plan to win it. A teen outfit might be brand-name jeans, a graphic sweatshirt, a light puffer vest and athletic sneakers. Younger kids can wear joggers, a printed tee and a zip hoodie with slip-ons, and college shoppers may find tailored pants to go with a knit top and long cardigan. Stock varies by location, so be flexible on color and strict on what's missing from the closet. Try things on wherever you can. A bargain that doesn't make a single outfit with what's already at home isn't a bargain.
Buying for a Kid Who Will Grow by Spring
With younger children, the size that fits perfectly in August is often short by February. I don't jump a full size up, though, because oversized pants trip kids up on stairs and loose sleeves get dragged through lunch. Instead I look for pieces with growth built in.
Adjustable elastic inside the waistband lets you buy jeans with a little extra length and cinch them now. A deep hem can be let down later if there's enough fabric folded inside. Knit pants and leggings stretch with the child longer than woven ones. For coats, I want a sweater to fit underneath with the sleeve still ending at the wrist bone, which usually means half a size of room, not a whole one.
Teens are different. Their growth is less predictable and they care far more about fit, so buy what fits today and plan a smaller top-up shop midyear. That second trip is also when they'll know what's actually being worn at their school, which saves money on trend pieces.
Uniform Rules Worth Reading Twice
Uniform and dress policies catch families on the small details more than the big ones. The shade of navy, the shape of the collar, a logo on the shoe, the length of a skirt measured while kneeling: these are the lines schools tend to enforce. I read the policy with the cart open and match each rule to an item before paying.
- Skirts and shorts: check them with the student sitting and bending, since length shrinks when they move.
- Shoes: some schools ban colored soles or visible logos, so confirm before buying sneakers.
- Outer layers: ask whether a hoodie counts as part of the uniform or has to come off indoors.
- Leave tags on for the first week so anything that fails the rule can go back.
A Small Wardrobe That Gets Through the Whole Semester
Whichever of these stores you use, start with the budget, the school's rules and a short list of complete outfits. Get the bottoms and shoes right first, add tops and one or two layers, then let the student pick the colors or the one current piece that feels like them. Big chains are handy for covering everything in a single trip, and off-price stores are good for filling a specific gap. Check fit and care labels before the tags come off. In my experience a dozen pieces that all go together get more wear than a full bag of mismatched deals.
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