Tips for styling cool back to school looks, and how to save while doing it

We've spoken here -- a lot -- about never shopping online without first searching for a discount code, and one of the first places we always turn for that is RetailMeNot.com. You too? Perfect! Because they're our newest sponsor and we love that.  Hey, any site that saves us money pretty much all the time, is a cool pick as far as we're concerned. You can shop by store, by the best deals, by exclusives, or even search by category on the site (a feature that was new to us) to see hot items you might be looking for -- like Converse high-tops or a Skip*Hop diaper bag -- and then go directly to the retailers with the best deals. There are even secret deals (shhh...) at smaller retailers we like, like 20% off Appaman outerwear at Black Wagon or 10% off personalized items at Psychobaby. All you need is the code. Another great tip we didn't know until just this very minute: You can use their app when you're in an actual store, for digital coupons that you can use right at the register. So if you're still doing back to school shopping or shoring up your kids' fall wardrobes, we're here to help save you money!  We've put together a few back to school looks we love from the shops we frequent, with the help of our own kids. Yep, they gave us the thumbs up on these fun fall looks -- and even made us spend like a whole extra half hour shopping around for a different girls' top to go with that cute Gap cat print skirt. If you love anything you see here, just visit RetailMeNot, search for the retailer, and see just how you can save from them. We're rooting for you.  

Classic With an Edge

Tea Collection Rayo Graphic Zip Hoodie | Gap Boys 1969 Stitch deconstructed Jeans |  J.Crew Boys Suede McCalister Boots

We love this classic look that demonstrates how a great pair of jeans and a simple white tee can still be the basis for an edgier look. Just pair it with accents like a lightning bolt hoodie or funky chukka style shoes (they're huge this fall!) in a surprising color like red instead of the browns or blacks you might normally buy.

Pro styling tip: If your kid has growing feet, spend a little more on really good, solid shoes with durable soles and good support. Spend a little less on basics like tees and jeans.

Fun With Texture

Old Navy girls graphic tee | J.Crew girls puffer skirt | Tea Collection pointelle leggings | Converse Knit high-tops at FootLocker |  J.Crew girls tulle backpack

As you can tell, we're all digging the mixes of textures and fabric that are cropping up in fall collections for kids and adults. This combo of quilted skirt, funky lace tulle dress, ribbed leggings and textural knit shoes feels fun and spirited, but not like it's costume day at school.

Pro styling tip: If you're experimenting with fun textures or mixing and matching patterns, create some unity with a single accent color, like the oranges here, and try to keep the rest to neutrals like beige, white, black or navy.

-Don't forget to visit RetailMeNot.com before you shop! - 

Eclectic Throwback

Appaman puffy sparkle coat in eggplant at Black Wagon | Gap girls printed cat flippy skirt | Hanna Andersson Very Gud Organic Turtleneck | Dr. Martens kids blip engineer boots at Zappos | Wildkin lunch bag at Target

Are a few of these items ringing an 80's/90's bell for anyone? From the animal prints to the puffy coat and Doc engineer boots, it's deja vu all over again and our kids dig it. But then we see that photo-realistic print skirt or the sparkles in the coat, and there's no doubt we're in the 21st century. Pro styling tip: If you're going to invest in a kids' coat that's not a neutral, first consider the colors in the rest of your child's wardrobe. We deal with this alllll the time around here. That purple sparkle jacket looks amazing on the rack, but if your daughter lives in neon leggings or long earth tone dresses, you might be better off with something more basic. If she's still begging for something purple and sparkly, instead look into a fun accessory like earmuffs, a scarf, or even a backpack or lunchbox.   Thanks so much to our sponsor RetailMeNot.com for saving parents a ton of money for back to school shopping and really, any kind of shopping. Visit their site and be sure to download their app to save big on must-have items and want-to-have items of all kinds.  Also check out their (Throw) Back to School campaign or share your own discounted finds with the hashtag #tbts