It’s the scariest time of the year. No, not Halloween – although you’d be forgiven into thinking as much as the buckets of candy and costumes have managed to find their way onto store shelves since late July – it’s Back-To-School shopping season and the mall hassles have begun.
I remember the dreaded weeks of trips with my mom and brother and sister in tow to the mall each August. We’d hit 14 stores trying to find the best new looks for fall. I HATED trying clothes on and off, yet there I was picking out shirts and pants and shoes for hour after hour after hour.
There’s an easier way, my parent friends. Pre-shop. Pre-scout. Get your stuff done online. Involve your kids OUTSIDE the mall.
Here’s how it works:
Hit the websites of their favorite stores, have them build out 4, 5, 7, 10 outfits. Give them a budget. Have them build you a Powerpoint with all their picks.
Once that’s done, you go to the mall, with said printout as “advisement” and then get what they like, what you like, with none of the stress and hassle of dragging your gaggle through the mall.
It’s shopping bliss, my friends.
I wasn’t kidding about the Powerpoint either. Zacharie is getting ready for Grade 4 this fall and last year he became an expert at creating Google Slideshows.
After creating projects on old cities and his favorite animals in the school year, he’s been drawing them up for LEGO Nexo Knights and Pokemon to share with his friends all summer.
Time to put those computing skills to work to help daddy with his work!
I sent Zacharie off to SportChek.ca to pick out some outfits. He needed to select hoodies, pants, shirts, and shoes that can be mixed and matched, fit his style, and fit a reasonable budget.
Here’s what he came up with:
OUTFIT 1
Zacharie says “I like the colour blue, first of all, and all these things look like they were meant for athletics. I had a lot of fun cheering on Canada at the Olympics and wanted to wear my own gold medal. And the hat has a neat design, like a Minecraft ocean.”
Items chosen: Under Armour Boys Fleece Storm Highlight Hoody, Adidas Team Canada T, Diadora Hexa Cap, Osiris Crooklyn Skate Shoes, and Adidas LR Tiro Kids Pants
OUTFIT 2
Zacharie says, “Ooooh, I just saw that tshirt and I LOVED it! That backpack looked awesome and I love wearing jeans. My mom likes it when we wear bright jackets so she can find me after school, so I picked an orange one.”
Items chosen: Firefly Blackstone Tee, Quicksilver Revolver Pants, Under Armour Storm Infrared Jacket, and Under Armour Hustle II Backpack.
Zacharie’s back-to-school parenting advice handed out, I took over the computer to put together an outfit for those with girls so you can get an idea of the variety of gear at Sport Chek for back to school.
OUTFIT 3
Items chosen: Under Armour I Do All Things With Heart Tank, Firefly Granby All Over Print Leggings, Under Armour Finale Studio Fleece, Adidas Pace Backpack, and Nike Revolution 3 Running Shoes.
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Your kid’s tastes might change but with Sport Chek’s selection of athletic and casual shoes you’re sure to find something they’ll love all year. And between the enormous stock of new backpack and tote bag designs and outerwear styles, prepping them for early morning exams and after-school fun has never looked so original – or been so easy on mom and dad.
KIDS’ CHEKLIST
Indoor and outdoor shoes, Backpack, Change of clothes (shirt, shorts, socks), Hoodies, Outdoor jacket, Water bottle, Socks, Hats
TEEN CHEKLIST
Casual, gym, and sport-specific shoes, Backpack / shoulder bag / duffel bag, Gym strip (shirt, shorts, socks), Hoodies, Outdoor jacket, Water bottle
BACK TO SCHOOL FOOTWEAR
Finding shoes for a kid whose tastes are always changing just got infinitely easier. Sport Chek carries one of the largest collections of athletic and casual footwear in Canada and to narrow down your search we’re asking mom and dad to ask themselves:
Buying Tip: Make sure there’s a thumb-width of space at the front of the shoe. This should allow room for growth over the year without making the shoes oversized, resulting in premature wear in the wrong spots – and discomfort.
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This post presented by Sport Chek.