The problem with mid-August: a fashion post

The problem with mid-August, I find, is a little something called "back to school."  Throughout my childhood, I had varying thoughts on the subject, ranging from "I don't want to go back" temper tantrums to sleepless nights of eager excitement and anticipation.  However, mid-August and I have now reached an impasse, because while this is the first mid-August where I will not be going back to school, many of this country's youth still are.  What?  You mean the world does not revolve around me?  Nonsense I say!

Invitations to free campus concerts, events and friends' shows aside, mid-August begins the inundation of back to school shopping.  Ads hit your e-mail inbox and your TV set, and fall clothes hit the stores, sometimes accompanied by cheeky signs that remind you far too prematurely that "summer is over" (it is not I say.  It is NOT!)

Not that one doesn't sometimes need new clothes for work or whatnot when fall rolls around, but there are some purchases (at the moment, read: all) that simply cannot be justified when you are not only not going back to school, but are not working (and therefore, do not have an income) either.  You are also entirely out of excuses for your parents/grandparents to buy you that new backpackskirtshoesjeansdresssweater.  "But I need it" (aka "but I want it") just doesn't hold the same clout as "but I need it for school."

Exhibit A: Backpacks
When you were in high school, you always wanted to be that cool girl who carried a shoulder bag and therefore probably inflicted lifelong damage on her back... so why do backpacks now seem so darn cute? I know a person could theoretically still use a backpack... I still need to carry a lot of stuff around for auditions, but every time I see someone walk into an audition with a backpack I tend to think "ew, un-classy."  My awkward combination of a large purse and a tote bag?  Clearly so much classier.  Does anyone else think this?  Probably not.  Am I a judgmental freak?  Probably yes.  More practically speaking a full backpack is a pain on the subway (and you know, the large purse that I tend to bang into every second person isn't).

 

{Herschel Supply Co / Threadless}

 

 {Fjallraven / Rugby}

  

{Sandqvist / Ecote}

Exhibit B: SHOES.  Everyone loves shoes.  And I mean, these would all be totally appropriate for dashing to and from class in (especially across the snowy Ithacan hillsides) amirite?  (Can I even walk in half these shoes? Probs not.  But given the opportunity, I will try.)

  

{Anthropologie}

 

 {Marais / Madwell}

 

{Ilse Jacobsen / Kimchi Blue}

Exhibit 3: Sweaters.  Because if it's not summer, that means it's fall, right?  So it's cold?  So we need sweaters? 

  

{Anthropologie / Levi's}

 

{BDG / ASOS}

 

{j.crew... really, just all the horribly overpriced j.crew sweaters plz.... especially cashmere. k thnx.}

LOIK OMG CAN U GUYZ TELL WHERE I LIKE 2 SHOP?

K I could go on but I'm done.  Really.  Maybe I'll do another fashion post at some point.  But seriously that was way too much work, and after reading it through was a lot shorter than I expected it to be after all that effort.  At least there are a lot of pictures?

Oh clothes.  Le sigh.  I guess I need to get a job...