There's nothing more stressful, more anxiety-ridden than piecing together a first-day outfit. Factor in being a new girl (whether that's at school or at work) and the self-inflicted pressure to make a good first impression skyrockets. Luckily, we have a library of back-to-school movies to serve as point of reference. We turned to some of our faves for inspiration and put together modern-day interpretations of their first-day-at-school outfits.
From Josie Geller's trendy all-white ensemble (sans feathers) in Never Been Kissed to Missy Pantone's alt-punk outfit in Bring It On, we assembled looks that not only speak to every personality, but that also work for your first day and beyond.
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RELATED: 14 Back-to-School Movies That Earned Straight A's for Style
Style Type: Trendy
Movie: Never Been Kissed, 1999
Who: Josie Geller (played by Drew Barrymore), an undercover journalist masquerading as a high school senior.
What she wears: An all-white feathery ensemble with a lemon-print tote.
Style Type: Trendy
Doubling up on white is a risky move for any day—especially for the accident-prone. But if you live for that kind of rush, by all means. Limit the ruffles and frills (the non-color draws enough attention as it is) and instead, opt for a tie-neck top (a hot silhouette for fall), which boasts a special detailing without crossing the line. Top it off with a structured backpack and shiny loafers.
Shop the look: Zara top, $40; zara.com. Mango jeans, $50; mango.com. Marc by Marc Jacobs backpack, $400; net-a-porter.com. Michael Michael Kors loafers, $166; farfetch.com.
Style Type: Casual-Chic
Movie: Mean Girls, 2004
Who: Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan), an enrolling junior who until that year was home-schooled in Africa. The goal is for her to "get socialized."
What she wears: A red tee and boot-cut flares with a denim jacket.
Style Type: Casual-Chic
Instead of doubling up on denim (which can seem a smidge excessive at first glance), shrug on a jean jacket over a red midi-length slip dress to achieve the same classic, approachable effect. Sport an athletic streak with stripes and sneaks.
Shop the look: Madewell jacket, $118; madewell.com. Apiece Apart dress, $265; apieceapart.com. Clare V. tote, $485; shopbop.com. Kenneth Cole sneakers, $120; kennethcole.com.
Style Type: Edgy Grunge
Movie: Bring It On, 2000
Who: Missy Pantone (played by Eliza Dushku), a transfer student who tries out for the cheerleading team on her first day.
What she wears: A graphic crop top, chain-linked utilitarian pants, a faux bicep tribal tat (she got bored in fourth period), and dreads.
Style Type: Edgy Grunge
Keep the graphic crop top, but elevate it (without losing the edge) with black leather pieces that boast a ladylike silhouette.
Shop the look: Topshop top, $26; topshop.com. Banana Republic skirt, $325; bananarepublic.com. See by Chloé bag, $455; shopbop.com. Aldo flats, $70; aldoshoes.com.
Style Type: Preppy
Movie: Dead Poets Society, 1989
Who: Todd Anderson (played by Ethan Hawke), an incredibly shy boy, who is sent to an all-boys prepatory school where his popular older brother went.
What he wears: The Montgomery Bell Academy uniform, which consists of a red-and-blue striped tie, a sharp blazer, white shirt, and gray pants.
Style Type: Preppy
Unless an office dress code requires a full-on suit, take sleek borrow-from-the-boys elements, like a sharp blazer, a white Oxford shirt, and tapered trousers, to piece together a polished ensemble for the modern-day woman.
Shop the look: Gap shirt, $50; gap.com. J. Crew blazer, $228; jcrew.com. Cos cropped pants, $62; cosstores.com. Rebecca Minkoff tote, $275; rebeccaminkoff.com. Asos flats, $33; asos.com.
Style Type: Ladylike Sweet
Movie: Grease, 1978
Who: Sandy (played by Olivia Newton-John), the new girl who falls for the bad boy Danny Zuko
What she wears: The quintessential '50s uniform—a white shirt tucked into a sweet pale yellow midi skirt with a matching cardigan.
Style Type: Ladylike Sweet
Pay sartorial homage to Sandy's buttercup yellow sweater-skirt set look with pale lemon ballet flats, but modernize everything else with a white shirt dress and a mini structured tote.
Shop the look: Equipment dress, $310; net-a-porter.com. Dagne Dover tote, $195; dagnedover.com. Josefinas flats, $154; josefinas.com.
