Whilst it’s not a requirement to dress up for the school run, it can be a great opportunity to still look your best and feel great to start your day. Because women are always short on time, having a selection of items that you can mix and match and just throw on in the five minutes you have spare to yourself in the morning. Think of it as a capsule wardrobe of sorts, with pieces that feel casual and comfortable – the perfect school run outfits for the drop-off.
3 Top Tips for Styling School Run Outfits
Choose Items That Fit Your Body Well
It’s all well and good having a packed wardrobe, but if you grab the same twelve items all the time, what’s the point in keeping the rest? You deserve to have a wardrobe filled with items that fit your body well and that you feel confident and comfortable in. It could be that you’ve had a change in job or lifestyle, such as moving from the city to the country, or it could simply be that your tastes in fashion have changed.
Stick to Neutral-Coloured Bottoms
The more patterns you wear on your bottom half, the harder it is to style them. You have to think about avoiding both colour and pattern clashes, and it just requires too much thought for the morning! Instead, trousers and skirts in black, grey, navy and khaki mean you can wear just about any colour or pattern on your top half. It also gives you more school run outfit options because most tops go with most bottom-half pieces then!
If You Can, Plan Your Outfits
Whether you plan a week’s worth of outfits on a Sunday evening or spend 10 minutes every night getting your outfit out for the next day, it can save time every morning when you’re likely to have much less time. Outfit fatigue is a real thing when you’re overwhelmed with choice, so by taking ten minutes to pick an outfit, you get that time back tomorrow. That’s a win-win in our eyes!
Our Top Five Country-Inspired School Run Outfits
If you’re looking for some inspiration for your school run outfits, then look no further. We’ve come up with five outfits that will make you feel and look confident, but also be comfortable enough for the school run. They’re quick to style, and you’ll be able to head out the door knowing you’re wearing a stylish outfit.
A Floaty Blouse & a Tweed Skirt & Driving Loafers
If you want to feel the most put-together, a tweed skirt is a great bottom-half item to start with. However, wearing a blazer and a structured shirt for the school run might be a little too formal. Instead, switch the fitted shirt for a floaty blouse. They’re much more roomy and still dressy without feeling uncomfortable for getting the kids in and out of the car.
Adding a pair of driving loafers keeps the look casual but feels very country chic. They’re perfect for spring and summer when you want some fresh air on your feet but without having your toes out in a pair of sandals.
A Collared Shirt & Slim Fit Jeans & Chelsea Boots
On cooler days, this is a great outfit to pop on with five minutes to spare. Dark wash slim fit jeans go with just about every top, but to dress them up a little, a collared shirt is a great option. It will make you feel put-together, but it’s not formal. It’s a lovely outfit if you’re heading out to run errands after the school run or for lunch with a friend.
Adding a pair of Chelsea boots makes the outfit streamlined and ladylike. They’re comfortable, but if you keep them clean, they make any outfit look instantly dressier.
A Rugby Shirt & Denim Shorts & Canvas Trainers
This is probably the most casual of our outfits, but it still looks stylish whilst also being the comfiest. Oversized rugby shirts are in fashion right now, so you’ll be the trendiest person on the school run. A long-sleeved shirt with denim shorts is a great look to feel summery and cool without having too much skin on show.
Canvas trainers finish off the look, but try to keep them as clean as possible. Dirty trainers don’t scream ladylike chic, so just give them a quick wipe after every wear and leave them by the front door to dry.
A Polo Shirt & Cotton Shorts & Deck Shoes
Another school run outfit on the more casual scale are cotton shorts and a polo shirt. This will keep you cooler than a pair of denim shorts, as cotton is much thinner. This is a perfect outfit in the lead up to the summer holidays when, typically, it’s always hotter than the six-weeks the kids have off school!
Deck shoes are a casual shoe, but they still look and feel classy, especially for a school run. They’re comfortable enough to drive in, but also keep your feet feeling cool.
A Sleeveless Shirt & a Chino Skirt & Loafers
If you’re looking for a dressier outfit, maybe if you’re heading into the office, a sleeveless shirt and a chino skirt could be a great combination for you. Chino skirts are perfect for more casual office environments, and a sleeveless blouse still feels smart but will keep you much cooler during the summer.
A pair of loafers is the ultimate ladylike country shoe, so adding them to a business casual-style outfit will keep the look streamlined.
The beauty of these school run outfits is that even if you don’t have all the pieces, it’s so easy to switch them for another. A polo shirt can dress down a tweed skirt, whereas a sleeveless shirt can dress up a pair of denim shorts. With a country capsule wardrobe, just having five bottom half items and five tops in theory makes 25 different outfits.
School run outfits don’t have to mean wearing a jacket over your pyjamas or a tracksuit (although that’s perfectly understandable sometimes). But allowing yourself just an additional five minutes to pick out an outfit will make you feel much more confident!