A Stylish Mom Shares The Back-To-School Looks That Make Early Mornings Effortless

This year, back-to-school means something different for everyone. But regardless of the setting, fall’s arrival brings with it one of the most exciting style moments of the year: back-to-school shopping. Looking ahead to the much-anticipated seasonal wardrobe refresh, H&M’s Back To School styles make getting back into the swing of classes, playdates, and after-school activities totally stress-free. From personality picks like graphic tees and patterned dresses to uniform essentials like button-ups and twill pants, H&M is a one-stop shop for affordable and on-trend pieces that make mornings more seamless — and so much more fun.

To see exactly how H&M’s Back To School collection lends itself to a busy morning, we partnered up with Aissatou Balde, founder of Tales and Turbans and mom of two, Fatima and Diari.

“I’ve learned that kids really are their own people, even at very young ages,” Balde says.“They have things they like and things they don’t. So I like letting them be a part of deciding what they want to wear.”

Because both of her daughters have defined styles — Fatima is “more of a tomboy,” while Diari loves “bright-colored and glitter tops” — H&M’s Back To School collection is a dream for Balde. It has a little bit of something for everyone, and “the variety of pieces make it easy to grow with the girls’ individual styles,” she adds.

For Balde, comfort is a common thread between how she and her girls dress. “They’re in school all day and they have to be active, whether it’s recess or running around from activity to activity, so they need clothes that will move with them,” she says. Fatima gravitated towards a yellow, blue, gray, and white striped sweater and khakis, while Diari chose a taupe sweatsuit and pink sneakers. Both outfits are representative of their style preferences, but also allow them to, as Balde says, “have fun without worrying about their clothes.”

Shop Diari’s Look

Diari’s outfit, in particular, is representative of what Balde calls a life hack: “I’m a big fan of two-piece and co-ord sets because of their ease. You don’t have to find a match when the job is already done for you!” And because mornings can be chaotic, anything that can cut back on the amount of decision-making that needs to happen is a plus.

Shop Fatima’s Look

“I set up what they’re wearing the night before,” she adds. “It gives me peace of mind of knowing that it’s taken care of in advance and, bonus, it also allows the girls to be a part of the selection process without adding stress to a school morning.” But the one thing she’s recognized most as a mom is that there is always more to learn. “Everyday I’m looking for new ideas and growing with whatever changes today brings.”

Photo Credit: Aissatou Balde