Sure, your back-to-school shopping list is going to look a little different this year: instead of new laptop totes or pairs of loafers, you're weighing floating desks against yet another sneaker purchase. You might even be wondering if there’s any point in shopping at all when all we seem destined for is a fall season full of Zoom, loungewear, and inside voices. But, now more than ever, we need our back-to-school shopping itineraries to remind us that time actually is moving and our routines could use a little refreshment.
Knowing that shopping is by no means a cure for the stay-at-home doldrums, we still cannot deny the power of a new purchase to shake up our outlook for the better. Whether it’s a fresh new face mask, a seasonal upgrade to your leggings uniform, or comfy shoes that will take you from the street to the apple orchard, there’s probably something to put some pep back in your step on our list of new essentials ahead. Click through to shop the remixed “must-haves” for one very different back-to-school season.
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At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
A Face Mask
We’ll start with the obvious — the CDC recommends that all Americans wear a face covering to reduce the spread of coronavirus. There are scores to choose from, but which one feels the freshest and the fall-ready-est? We love Caraa’s colorful, top-rated mask — sold in sets of five, the masks are thoughtfully designed (with adjustable ear loops, nose wires, and an easy-fitting pleated design) and come in a variety of color combinations to match your new seasonal mood.
caraa Universal Masks (5 Pack), $25.00 Buy
Leather Leggings
We would never, ever advise that you put your leggings away for any reason — especially since fall 2020 is looking to be quite the indoor season. We’d simply suggest updating your activewear with a fabrication that gives the slightest nod to the change in seasons — ie, swapping out those lightweight summer styles for a leather-evocative finish.
BP. Faux Leather Leggings, $49.00 Buy
A Bright Sweater
Here’s a 2020 fall fashion rule that I just made up: No more boring sweaters! We’ve got too much to be depressed about to withstand any more heathers, graphites, or oat melanges. We owe it to ourselves — and the people with whom we Zoom — to choose beautiful, electrifying knitwear shades, to help shake off the fall scaries as best we can.
Free People Found My Friend Pullover, $78.00 Buy
Hiking Boots
A few seasons back, the fashion crowd tittered at the prevalence of hiking boots in the street style photos of New York and Paris. What gawky, utilitarian footwear will they co-op next? Well, fast forward to right now, and shoes that will take you from the concrete jungle to the nature trail are starting to sound like a great idea. Because if we can’t leaf-peep (at a safe social distance) come September, we don’t know what we’re gonna do.
Merrell Ontario Suede Mid, $97.99 Buy
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A Desk
OK, not a fashion item. But please get this. You’ve cobbled together your seating arrangement all summer, moving from couch to coffee table to kitchen table to bed. It’s pretty clear we’re not going anywhere for the rest of the year, so it's time to buckle down and get a decent workstation that will support your studies without over encumbering your space.
Urbansize Floating Beech Desk, $314.68 Buy
A Laptop Desk
Or, at the very least, invest in some computer support that you can carry with you around the house from makeshift workspace to makeshift workspace.
Urban Outfitters Laptop Desk, $39.00 Buy
A Bodysuit
It was a fun summer of living in t-shirts and bra tops, but the “serious season” is upon us and you’re feeling the need to look a little more put-together. But how can you leave the comfort you became accustomed to behind? Luckily, you don’t have to — the bodysuit is a super-sleek but sublimely comfortable way to elevate your loungewear look.
Madewell Wrap Thong Bodysuit, $49.50 Buy
Blue-Light Blocking Glasses
We know the jury is still out on the effectiveness of these blue-light blocking glasses, but as school (and work) start to ramp up, we’re facing more screen time than ever. We’re willing to try anything to ease those all-nighter headaches, and many devotees say these glasses helped with the tension that comes along with staring at a screen for hours on end.
Sojos Blue Light Blocking Glasses, $19.99 Buy
Slipper Shoes
After a summer of wearing flip-flops and slip-on sneakers, the idea of bending down to tie or lace any kind of footwear is practically unthinkable. Never fear, the slipper-shoe is here — aka the footwear version of the house dress — and it plays very nicely with our new favorite quarantine accessory: socks!
Vionic Gemma Mule Slippers, $64.95 Buy
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Elastic-Waist Pants
We know we know — no one ever sees you from the waist down. However, you may be suffering from jogger fatigue, and ready to slip into something with a little more structure now that the weather is beginning to cool. We’ve got you covered with a fall-ready pant that still has all the waist-friendliness of that terry sweatpant you’re not ready to give up.
Uniqlo WOMEN WASHER SATIN PANTS, $39.90 $29.90 Buy
A Planner
Pick up an eye-catching planner that is crafted to help motivate you in keeping your academic calendar streamlined — like this brand new tie-dye style from planner-pro Erin Condren. Filled with everything from class schedule to projects and exam pages, inspirational quotes, stickers, sections for notes, a 12-month dated calendar plus weekly spreads, and 40 extra lined pages, she has it all.
Erin Condren Tie Dye Metallic Academic Planner, $42.00 Buy
A 24-Hour Bra
You may have gotten away with a bra-free lifestyle this summer, but once fall rolls around you’ve got to buckle down and sit taller in your WFH-office chair. This requires a bra that still feels as comfy as PJs but is going to put some pep in your step so you can look alive in that first Zoom of September. Customers are evangelical about the comfort of Lively’s T-shirt bra — “Everyone should definitely have these in their bra collection,” one reviewer exhorted. “If they came in more colors, I’d literally buy every color imaginable.”
Lively The T-Shirt Bra, $35.00 Buy
A Desk Chair
As much as you need a proper work surface, you also need a proper work chair — so, it's time to invest in a stylish that looks as good as it's going to feel supporting your back-to-school body all fall long (aka this sunshine-yellow velvet model crafted by Kelly Clarkson Home).
Kelly Clarkson Home Lourdes Velvet Task Chair, $229.00 $147.99 Buy
New Denim
We’re going to make a polarizing claim here: fall might be a good time to get back into your jeans. No, not your jeans from last fall — those, um, definitely don’t fit anymore. We’re talking about some quarantine-friendly jeans — a cool, loose-legged mom-adjacent pair that will elevate your look just a hair but still provide you with the casual comfort that we all love in our denim.
Levi's Balloon Leg Jeans, $98.00 Buy
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Inspirational Art
Buy yourself a little something to keep as a positive visual reminder for any difficult days ahead — like this mini-framed inspirational desk print by writer, graphic designer, music enthusiast, and coffee lover, Camille Allen.
Camille Allen Keep on keeping on Framed Mini Art Print, $24.99 $17.49 Buy
Roller Skates
A time-tested and quintessential after-school activity, roller skating is seeping back into the public sphere after decades as a niche SoCal sport thanks to plentiful TikTok videos of sun-kissed, blissed-out PYTs rolling around suburban streets. Treat yourself to the pleasure of cruising your neighborhood on eight wheels after being cooped up on Zoom all day. Fall is a glorious time to hit the streets during the golden hour.
MA Sports UK California Pro Storm Quad Rollerskates, $76.29 Buy
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