Style Your First Day Of School Outfits With Cara Loren

Mommy blogger Cara Loren and her three kids

Cara Loren Van Brockin is mom to Hanes (9), Arrow (4), Echo (2) — and a boy on the way! Cara founded her namesake lifestyle and fashion blog Cara Loren to share her passion with the world. With 1.2 million followers on Instagram and two retail endeavors, Cara Loren Shop and Okoa Home, Cara is one busy mama!

Cara shares her fashion tips for kids with The Find so your own students can be dressed for success on their first day of class.

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What are you favorite styling tips for your kids?
My favorite styling tips for kids are keeping their outfits fun, easy and letting them express themselves. If anything gets too complicated, my kids tend to get frustrated by it and are not interested anymore. They want it to feel fun and reflect their personal style and vibe!

What tricks do you have when it comes to making back-to-school shopping manageable or more organized?
I think the trick is just making it simple and easy. If that means shopping online because the kids don’t love going in-store, then do it online! If they love going and picking out a couple of things in-store, then make that fun. I also would suggest doing it enough ahead of time so that the kids feel like they are prepared and ready for the first day of school.

How do you get your kids excited and feeling ready for the new school year?
It may sound silly, but a big part of my kids getting excited for school is back-to-school shopping! It’s fun for them to feel like they’re expressing their own style and feeling confident in how they look along with how they feel! It’s also fun to participate in Back-to-School Night, and hopefully see some of their friends that they may have missed seeing over the summer.

How do you encourage creativity in your kids when it comes to fashion?
My boys are actually very into picking out their own clothes and putting looks together. Sometimes they may not match perfectly in my eyes, but if they love it and feel confident, then that’s really all that matters! There are times that they’ll ask advice from me on what looks better together, and it warms my mom heart that they trust my opinion! I encourage my kids to put their own looks together for each day, and if they feel like they want my advice or help I am always here to assist.

What tips do you have for kids that are afraid to embrace their creativity and style?
I would talk to them about why they’re afraid to express their style and creativity. Is it maybe something that someone said at school, or is it just something on their own? But it’s important to communicate and hear the reasons why they feel that way. And always encourage them to not worry about what others think and just go with what you love!

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What do you think is the most stressful part of the back-to-school season? Truthfully, the most stressful part for me is just knowing that I’m sending my kids off again and they aren’t with me all day long. You become a little over-vulnerable knowing that they aren’t always by your side. Things get said at school, and it’s really hard to protect them from everything. But I always want my kids to be confident and ready for back-to-school, so whatever preparation that means, I am ready to do with them! What are your must-haves for new and exciting school supplies for kids? My kids always love getting new backpacks and a pair of shoes for back-to-school. These are probably their most staple back-to-school items, and I feel like it makes it fun to fill up a new backpack with all your new school supplies! What role does your child play in back-to-school shopping (pick out the clothes and supplies, bring you a list, buy it themselves, etc.)? For back-to-school supplies, my kids normally get sent home a paper of the supplies that they need, and we pick that all out together. And then they pick out — with my help — their new backpack, clothes, shoes and any other pieces that they may need. What’s it like now that your youngest is getting ready for preschool? It’s crazy to think that Echo will be in preschool in a year! This year I want to really prepare her at home to be ready to go to school the next year. Ready school-wise, and socially. I want her to be confident when going to school for the first time. What feels different or similar about preparing her for school? It’s weird knowing my tiny toddler will be going to school soon. It honestly makes me a little sad, but proud at the same time. I want her to be so confident and ready for anything that comes her way! How do you simplify the morning routine to get out the door on time (parenting hacks, must-have products, etc.)? My kids thrive on a schedule and so do I! They wake up at the same time every morning by setting their own alarm clocks the night before, along with setting out their clothes for the next day. This makes the next morning run smoothly and not have any issues with clothing selections. They then wake up and get dressed in their school clothes before coming out of their room, and then make their way to the kitchen for me to help them get a good breakfast before school. My oldest son is actually Type 1 diabetic, so it’s super important that he has a very well-rounded breakfast that is going to keep his levels steady throughout the entire day. Once they finish their breakfast, they fill up their water bottles for the school day and make sure everything is inside their backpacks that they need. The biggest thing for us is just making sure that we have as much done the night before so that the next morning runs smoothly and no one feels rushed. Then they are off on the school bus and ready for the day ahead!