A good girls back to school outfit does three things at once. It's comfortable enough for a full school day, it washes clean after whatever recess throws at it, and she actually wants to put it on. Hit all three and mornings get a whole lot calmer.
At Shrimp and Grits Kids we build our school styles around soft cotton and classic prints, so they hold up to real kid days and still look sweet in the first day photo. Here's how to put together girls back to school clothes that work, from the littlest preschoolers up through elementary, plus the back to school outfits girls actually want to wear.
Key Takeaways
- The easiest girls back to school outfit is a soft dress, one piece and ready to run in.
- A few coordinating tops and bottoms mix into a full week of school clothes for girls.
- Pick the first day and picture day dress ahead of time, and keep everyday outfits simple.
- Comfort and easy washing matter most, especially for toddlers and preschoolers.
Why Dresses Make the Easiest School Outfits
For girls, a dress is the simplest school day outfit there is. One piece, nothing to coordinate, and she can still climb at recess. That's why our girls dresses are the backbone of most back to school outfits for girls.
Our school themed prints are made for this time of year. Our navy apple applique skirt in soft cotton knit works for the classroom and the apple orchard both, and a crayon print twirl dress spins the way every kindergartner hopes it will. Those fun prints make a girls back to school dress feel special for the first week, when everyone's riding the new year excitement. Look for soft cotton and simple snaps, so she can move all day and mostly dress herself.
Mixing and Matching Girls Back to School Clothes
Dresses do a lot, but mix and match is where girls school clothes really stretch. A couple of our girls tops and a couple of skorts, skirts, or leggings can turn into a whole week of outfits, since everything is made to coordinate. That's what makes shopping for back to school girls clothes a lot less painful than it sounds.
Here's the math that makes shopping for back to school clothes for girls easier than it looks. Three tops and two bottoms that all go together give you six outfits before you add a single dress. That's the trick, you're building a small set that works as a group, not a separate outfit for all five days. When you're choosing school clothes for girls, a couple of solids next to one or two prints keeps everything easy to combine, and it means she can pull her own outfit without anything clashing.
First Day and Picture Day Dresses
Some days call for a little extra, and those are worth planning ahead. A first day of school dress or a picture day look is one you want picked out the night before, shoes and bow and all, so there's zero scrambling that morning.
Our light blue cotton crayon applique dress is exactly the kind of first day of kindergarten dress that photographs beautifully and still survives a full day. For picture day, a back to school dress in a print she loves beats anything stiff, because she'll actually smile in something comfortable. A girls first day of school outfit is worth getting right, since that photo hangs on the fridge all year. And if you've got more than one heading back, a girls back to school dress can tie right into a sibling matching outfits look for the photos.
Cute Back to School Outfits for the Littlest Girls
Preschool and the first day of kindergarten have their own energy, and the outfits should be even easier. For toddlers, cute back to school outfits do best when they go on fast and let her move, since preschool is mostly moving, snack, circle time, playground, repeat.
One of our adorable girls bubble rompers gets her dressed without a fight. So does one of our matching sets. Bubbles earn their keep the first time she flips upside down on the playground. Skip anything with a stiff collar and anything with a complicated fastener. At three years old, comfort decides whether she wears it at all.
Building Her School Week
Mornings are a lot smoother when you shop for a whole week at once instead of one outfit at a time. A few coordinating tops, some shorts, skorts or pants, two or three dresses, and one special outfit will cover a normal school week. Keep the colors in the same family and she can dress herself without anything clashing. That's a small miracle at 7am.
It also makes hand me downs simple, since coordinated basics carry from one sister to the next. Most of our styles can be monogrammed too, a sweet touch for the first day or for keeping two girls' matching sets straight.
When you're ready to shop, browse our girls back to school clothing to build her week, or take a look at the full back to school collection to see everything together. For the boys in the house, our boys back to school clothing guide has them covered, and our back to school outfits guide pulls it all together.
Frequently Asked Questions About Girls Back to School Outfits
What is the easiest girls back to school outfit?
A soft cotton dress, hands down. It's one piece, she can run and play in it, and the right print takes her from the classroom to the playground with no trouble. Add one of our hair bows and she's ready.
How many back to school outfits does a girl need?
For a normal week, a couple of dresses plus a few coordinating tops and bottoms cover it. When everything mixes, that small set turns into plenty of outfits, so there's no need for a separate one every day.
What should a girl wear on the first day of school?
Something comfortable she feels great in, since first day photos last. A first day of school dress in a print she loves is perfect, and laying it out the night before saves the morning stress. School themed prints like apples or crayons are a fun first week touch.
What are the best school clothes for girls in preschool?
Soft, and quick to get on. Cute back to school outfits for little girls have to hold up to a lot of moving around, because preschool is mostly moving. Pull on dresses work well, and so do coordinated sets with bloomers. She may still want the fanciest thing in the closet, but if what she picks is also comfortable, that's one less fight before drop off.
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