The phrase “back to school” means different things to different people. For adults, it may evoke nostalgia at the smell of new tennis shoes and pink pearl erasers. For students, it may grate like nails on a chalk board with parents’ reminders about unfinished summer reading. For parents, it may mean the glorious sound of a silent house. Whatever those three words mean to you, this time of year almost always entails shopping for school supplies and new clothes. With the high temperatures and strict dress codes knocking heads, securing an appropriate August wardrobe can be difficult, so the EIL fashion team hand-picked some school-ready selections from island retailers. From the first day of preschool to college game day, we’ve got looks for students of all ages, plus a few little tidbits of that back to school nostalgia thrown in here and there for the “old-timers” who love the crisp pages of a new notebook, are picky about the pens they use, and know the joy of finding the perfect lunchbox.
1 of 2
Apple for the Teacher
An apple for the teacher is always a good way to make a first impression when the apple of your eye is heading off for their first days of school! These precious outfits from Bailey Boys will ensure your little ones will look adorable for their elementary school days.
2 of 2
Stylish Siblings
No matter how much siblings may disagree, there is no greater gift. When school days arrive, often the young ones are excited to follow in their older sibling’s footsteps. Dressed for first day of school photo ops, these coordinated styles are as charming and smart as your favorite students and will work for both big and little brothers and sisters. Men’s attire and shoes from Island Couture and this boys’ ensemble from Cutie Patooties are both fashionable and comfortable for a day in the classroom. A floral sun dress from Gentlemen’s and Lady Outfitters with Miim leather shoes and cotton sweater from Go Fish will earn top marks for passing middle school and high school dress codes. The roomy chevron print tote from Indigo & Cotton is a trendy alternative to the basic bookbag. The blue and coral dress embellished with lace trim and yellow bow from Cutie Patooties will make any little miss a bright ray of sunshine.
Crazy About Crayola
Crayons. Who can conjure up an image of them without picturing the distinctive green and yellow Crayola box? Invented by cousins Edwin Binney and Harold Smith in 1903, Crayola crayons originally came in a box of only eight colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, and black. Prior to Binney & Smith’s product, crayons were strictly for artists, often imported, both fragile and toxic. Crayola became the world’s first mass-market manufacturer of crayons, with a product cheap and sturdy enough for everyday use by children. A box sold for a mere nickel. A 16-count box of crayons was released for schools in 1935, but while they were hugely popular with students and teachers, it wasn’t until the late 1940s that crayons found their way from the classroom into the home. The increase in sales after this time can credited to the generation of baby boomers who grew up using the crayons and were now parents themselves. With the 1958 introduction of the all-encompassing 64-count box that
featured a sharpener – a dream come true for every creative child and aspiring artist – Crayola firmly established itself as an iconic American brand.
Today, Crayola has 124 colors in production, with names that have evolved over time. The introduction of a new color or retirement of a shade is a news-making event. When the company first retired colors in 1990, eight colors left the pack and joined the "Crayola Hall of Fame." This not only received national media attention, it stirred angry protests and gave birth to advocacy groups like the National Committee to Save Lemon Yellow. In response, Crayola fed the public appetite for nostalgia by issuing a limited-edition tin of its original eight colors. In 2003, when four additional colors were axed, votes from more than 60,000 fans in a “save the shade” campaign “rescued” burnt sienna. The company made headlines just last year for retiring a color from its classic 24-count box for the first time in history. If you think the country’s nostalgia for this basic classroom supply is overstated, look no further than the fact that an original 8-count box of Crayola crayons is on display in the Smithsonian Institute.
Cooler Nights and Rainy Days
COOLER NIGHTS: When the air cools off, these fashion-forward cotton sweaters and jeans complemented by sleek gold hoops or feminine floral earrings from Ronne’s on Market Street will be fall wardrobe essentials. Who says book bags can’t be stylish too? This leather Hammett bag from The Pampered Foot is high-function and high-fashion all in one. A little black wristlet from Lady’s Outfitters is the perfect go-to accessory to easily carry your ID, phone, and cash.
RAINY DAYS: Rain gear is a must-have for all ages but especially for students who have to wait outside for a bus or walk between buildings to switch classes. Dress up this rain jacket featuring breathable short sleeves with a pair of herringbone rain boots from Ronne’s on Market Street to add a splash of fun to a dreary day. Stashing a compact umbrella in a bookbag in case of unexpected downpours is easy with the wide selection of bright, printed umbrellas that fit inside their own case available at St. Simons Drug Company.
Remember to Pack Your Wellies and Mack
Rain gear might not be something typically on your back to school shopping lists, but here in coastal Georgia, it’s essential for any kid dashing across a school campus in our frequent afternoon downpours. And in the spirit of learning, here’s a little trivia about why you may have heard a raincoat called a Mackintosh or “Mac” and the word Wellington used in reference to boots.
In 1823, a talented Scottish industrial chemist named Charles Macintosh patented a process that he had invented for waterproofing fabric. He sandwiched cotton material between layers of a coal-tar naptha and rubber solution to render it completely waterproof and used that fabric to make coats. The first Mackintosh raincoats that were made using this process were sold in 1824. As people travelled mostly on foot or horseback, having garments that were impervious to rain was incredibly practical, especially in a country known for its inclement weather. While a true Mackintosh raincoat is one made using that same tar and rubber combination, the term “Mackintosh,” and its shortened forms “Mac” or “Mack,” became a generic term for any waterproof coat.
The term “Wellingtons” or “Wellies” for rain boots is a moniker that originated across the pond,
and began with a real person: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. During the 18th century, the duke decided to improve upon the military hessian boots worn by most soldiers and instructed his shoemaker to make a longer leather boot covering the knee to give better protection from ammunition in battle. The more utilitarian and stylish boot soon became fashionable with gentlemen desiring to emulate the duke. Dubbed “Wellingtons,” the boots became a staple of hunting and outdoor wear for the British aristocracy. But it was in 1852, when Charles Goodyear and his colleague Hiram Hutchinson started experimenting with a rubber production method called vulcanization to mold waterproof boots that gave birth to the Wellingtons we know today. Goodyear turned to producing tires and sold Hutchinson the patent for rubber boot. Hutchinson introduced the first rubber Wellingtons in his home farming community in France with great success. Perfect for muddy farms and the damp grounds of country estates, the popularity of waterproof boot spread. During WWI they were mass produced for soldiers to wear in the trenches in Europe. After the war, Wellingtons with steel toecaps were widely used as foot protection in heavy industry. Today Wellies are trendy footwear at Glastonbury and other fashion-forward festivals. Still produced in the same way as Hutchinson’s original boots, there are now branded versions sold by some of the world’s top fashion designers. From cute polka-dot and lady bug styles for little girls to fun “farm chic” animal prints, paisley, herringbone, and Burberry plaid for ladies, Wellies in the wardrobe brighten up those rainy days.
1 of 2
Handsomely Outfitted
A pair of Aftco shorts and long-sleeved checked button-down shirt from Gentlemen’s and Lady Outfitters make for a classic yet casual look that can comfortably carry any guy from his first class to a night out with friends. When temperatures drop, the less hearty souls can always swap a pair of khakis or jeans for the shorts.
2 of 2
Hometown Pride
College students may feel a little homesick, so wearing something from the island can be a sweet reminder of much loved faces and places. SSI Tee Time gear is available at The Yellow Canary or snag some resort logo swag at The Market on Sea Island. Island Republic has you covered for the classic St. Simons Island hat, and represent with T-shirts from your favorite restaurants and hangouts. To go beyond the standard shirts and caps, show off that hometown pride with a beautiful St. Simons signature bracelet from Golden Isles Bracelet Co. or a 31522 keychain from Gentlemen’s and Lady Outfitters.
The Creation of the Classroom
Desk Design
In 1881, around the time that the US enacted public school laws, John Loughlin of Ohio
invented the first school desk known as “The Fashion” and manufactured it with his Sidney School Furniture Company. The desk was known for its “Patent T-head” way of joining the wood top back and seat directly to the cast iron legs. The desks attached to one another and were usually big enough to sit two or three children. Of course they also featured the notorious inkwell where many a ponytail was dunked. As education evolved from writing on slates from primers to using textbooks and writing papers, there was a growing need to have a place where students could stow their books and work. Accordingly, school desks made the transformation from fancy benches to personal desks with storage space by way of an openly accessible cubby or a liftable top. This style continued well into the 1960s although wood and iron gave way to steel and chrome and other less expensive fabricated materials. The “modern age” of the desk began in the 1970s with the creation of the plastic, fiberboard, and chrome wrap-around desks with a basket underneath for storage are still in use in many places today. Classrooms today generally tend more toward tables and collaborative spaces and utilize study cubicles for individualized learning areas.
Why Not #1?
We all know that #2 pencils are a staple of the American classroom and required for most
standardized tests. But if it’s our preference why isn’t it a #1? Just what does that number mean anyway and why does it matter? There’s a system of letters and numbers (here in the US) used to describe the hardness and color of the graphite, or lead, in a pencil. An American #2 pencil (which corresponds to an HB pencil grade used by the rest of the world) is the middle of the road on the graphite grading scale. Pencils numbered higher than 2 have harder leads and are often used by engineers, architects, and draftsmen for the greater control they have over the lead because of its more precise point. Pencils numbered below 2 have softer leads and are popular with artists because they can help create a wider spectrum of tones and degrees of shading.
Classic Composition
What makes composition books interesting is the unique marbled pattern that makes them distinct. This pattern was inspired by printing techniques that were used in 10th century China,
which evolved in 12th century Japan and continued to spread west in the 15th century. Paper marbling was most likely discovered by Europeans who encountered the “ebru” style practiced in Turkey during travels in Istanbul. The technique became wildly popular in the 19th century and was used frequently in England for decorating book covers, end papers, and sometimes even the edges of books. Marbling is a labor-intensive practice in which pigments are dropped into water and manipulated with brushes before paper is placed on top to absorb the resulting pattern. By the 1830, cheaper and easier methods of creating this effect called “pseudo-marbling” were developed. Notebooks printed with pseudo-marbling patterns began appearing in France and Germany in the mid-19th century, and by the early 20th century, U.S. manufacturers were emulating those designs. Since the pattern was never copyrighted, it was picked up by Mead in the 1970s, and remains popular today.
1 of 2
Game Day
Down here, everyone knows the first day of college football is a true Southern holiday! UGA fans can don this black dress with eyelet sleeves from The Yellow Canary with red earrings to cheer on the Dawgs in Athens. Grab the essential clear stadium bag with a black strap at Gentlemen's & Lady Outfitters or a UGA or Georgia Tech clutch from The Market at Sea Island. Georgia Southern fans can opt for a blue and white embroidered top from Go Fish with a neutral colored stadium bag from The Pampered Foot. CCGA fans will look adorable in this grey gingham romper and earrings from The Yellow Canary. Add is just the thing. Add some sunglasses from Go Fish and you're ready for game day!
2 of 2
Bath Essentials and Social Season
BATH ESSENTIALS: For college students with a long trek to a community bathroom, having to haul shower items to and fro can be a hassle. Scout totes can be filled with all the essentials and double perfectly as a shower caddy. A robe from Indigo & Cotton, fuzzy slippers from The Pampered Foot, and a cute “lights out” eye mask set the tone for a night of uninterrupted beauty sleep after logging the day’s events in a Lilly journal. Tote, journal, and eye mask are available at St. Simons Drug Company.
SOCIAL SEASON: This floral romper from Wild & Personal and red ruffled dress from the Cloister Collection are bright and breezy looks appropriate for rush events, socials, and nights out with friends. Accessorize with a pair of Jack Rogers sandals from The Pampered Foot and a clutch from Planters Exchange, bracelet key ring from Gentlemen's & Lady Outfitters, and sunglasses from Wild & Personal.
We wish students of all ages, as well as teachers and school staff, a great school year! Now go hit the books!
