If the reddening leaves and cool weather doesn't clue you in, you can always tell it's fall when strange adults and small children start wandering around a campus normally reserved for 18- to 22-year-olds. Yep, Family Weekend is on its way, and schools across the country are in the throes of a bona fide makeover...so, why not seize the excuse to do the same for your wardrobe? Lawns are getting mowed and buildings repainted to keep the tuition flowing, and whether you're meeting your significant other's parents for the first time or just tagging along to dinner with a friend's family, it's time to dress to impress. Of course, unless Julia Restoin Roitfeld's a pal of yours, an outing with the 'rents may call for something a bit more modest than your usual trend-setting style, so here's an all-inclusive guide of perfect outfits for a first-rate first impression!
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By Day—Keep cool and casual. If you've been through one of these hectic weekends before, you know it's jam-packed with every activity from hiking to wine-tasting, so it's best to stick with something versatile and comfortable.
F21 Accordion Pleat Skirt, $19.80, available at Forever 21; Levi's Vintage Clothing Jacket, $75, available at My Theresa; Comme Des Garçons Play High-Top Canvas Sneaker, $105, available at La Garconne; O'Clock Silicon Watch, $43.81, available at ASOS.
By Night—If things go well, family dinner will go late and, if you're lucky, you'll get a few free drinks to boot! That said, there's no point in wasting time going home and changing before you get back to a night out with some people your own age, so go for something that works for dinner, drinks and dancing the night away.
Plenty by Tracy Reese Felt Almond Heels, $138, available at Anthropologie; ASOS Slot Through Portfolio Clutch, $36.59, available at ASOS; Nasty Gal Crescent Collar Necklace, $25, available at Nasty Gal; Topshop Silk Skater Dress, $180, available at Top Shop.