Got that new term feeling? Here are 29 back-to-the-grind buys to refresh your wardrobe, desk and routine

Does that back-to-school feeling ever fade? As someone who spends an inordinate amount of time in stationery shops, I’d posit that no, it doesn’t. There’s just something about September that feels like a fresh start – whether that’s cracking the spine of a new notebook or jamming your feet into shoes without toe posts for the first time since May.

Admittedly, going back to the office after a summer spent corralling children, drinking canned cocktails, or some chaotic combination of both is less thrilling than heading into a new class when you’re a kid. But it still brings that same mixture of trepidation (emails) and excitement (new shoes).

Of course, you don’t have to buy new – and of course, if you don’t need a new bag or loafers, you don’t have to buy anything at all. But a wardrobe or stationery refresh can help you feel more prepared for whatever the new (school) year throws at you.

So if you’re in need of some new-term bits and pieces (or hoping to refresh your existing ones), read on for our favourite back-to-the-grind buys for all ages. The perfect bring-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink bag? A planner that won’t prove completely useless come January? We’ve got you.

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Everything you need to get back to the grind

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Womenswear

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The back-to-school blouse

Pleated blouse

£75 at Arket

There’s nothing like the promise of a new white shirt to lure you back to the office – let’s be honest, none of us are rushing back for the interminable commute and the terrible coffee machine. This waisted poplin shirt from Arket makes for the perfect low-maintenance outfit: just add jeans and a pair of flats, and call it a day.

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The ludicrously capacious bag

Suede-top tote bag

£130 at M&S

Every woman should have in her arsenal a ludicrously capacious bag – or at least, one big enough to fit a laptop and a lunchbox. This soft, suede tote from Marks & Spencer is a serious upgrade to the greying canvas kind you probably lug your gymwear in. It holds its shape thanks to a structured base, the top handle sits comfortably on the shoulder, and it goes with just about every outfit imaginable.

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The wear-forever trench

A-line trench jacket

£159 at Arket

I’ve been on the hunt for a good transitional jacket since last autumn, and I’m now convinced the best ones sell out by late summer. You don’t always have to buy new – see Vinted and charity shops for great trenches that you can have altered to fit just right – but my money’s on this short cotton jacket from Arket. It hangs beautifully, can be worn for both work and weekend plans, and is heavy enough to last into the winter when layered over knitwear. (Plus, it’s brown in a chic way, not in a “why is Dad wearing that?” sort of way.)

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Refresh your knitwear

Sweater stone

£13 at Toast

If there’s one item on this list that’s truly indispensable, it’s this recycled glass sweater stone. Yes, it’s more primitive-looking than those £30+ electric fabric shavers, but it does just as good a job at depilling and reviving tired knitwear. I’ve used it to smooth bobbly merino wool and cashmere, and I’m positive it would work just as many wonders on school jumpers and cardies.

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The perfect pumps

Split suede ballerinas

£35.99 at Zara

I recently sprained an ankle from walking too far in ballet flats, so you think I’d have learned my lesson. Yet here I am, pining for a new pair of back-to-work ballerinas to smarten up jeans and replace the hideous gorpcore sandals that have been glued to my feet all summer. What this suede Zara pair lack in arch support, they make up for in good looks. Dress them up with a pair of tailored trousers, or down with indigo denim.

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The goes-with-everything shirt

Classic striped shirt

£95 at With Nothing Underneath

Generally, you want to avoid difficult decisions early in the morning – such as working out what to pair with a print. But stripes are an exception. A blue striped shirt will go with everything (except further prints – sorry!). I like the classic from With Nothing Underneath – it’s neat in the shoulders, has a round hem short enough to tuck, and washes like a dream. I bought mine on Vinted, so keep an eye out on resale sites for similar styles.

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Resole and repair

If your loafers or ballet flats have seen better days, extend their life by getting them resoled. Timpson does a good resole service at a reasonable price (you can get that emergency key cut at the same time), while most local high streets will have a cobbler ready with repair advice.

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Add interest to an old bag

Stay Sharp key fob

£8 at Ark Colour Design

Thanks to Labubus, the plush monster dolls that have inexplicably become a fashion sensation, joyful bag charms are getting their due. If a brand-new work bag is out of budget – or your current one is still going strong – a charm can add a bit of fresh interest. Cambridge-based Ark Colour Design make beautiful ones in every shape you can imagine, using leather that’s a byproduct of the meat and dairy industry.

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The bad-hair-day hack

Oversized stripe hair scrunchie

£14 at Anthropologie

Enough time has passed since the great scrunchie resurrection for us all to agree that they’re no longer a passing fad. From couture iterations at Celine to the ubiquity of Ganni’s cotton leopard hair tie, the scrunchie is here to stay – which is good, because it’s the most useful accessory around. Throw unwashed hair into a low bun for the school run or rush to the station to style out a bad hair day. (Wear at the nape of your neck to avoid looking like an eight-year-old dance prodigy.)

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The slip-on-and-go shoes

Gathered leather moccasin

£89.99 at Mango

Whether you’re pining for a pair of Clarks light-up trainers or black leather loafers in Mango, the thrill of new shoes for the new school year never goes away. And loafers really are a wardrobe staple: invest in a comfortable pair and you’ll make your money back tenfold. (I’m told that that’s what they call “girl maths”.)

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Iron out the kinks

Russell Hobbs handheld clothes steamer

£22 at John Lewis

I begin every school year with the resolve to become the kind of woman who irons her clothes. But as I’m still waiting for this to happen, a quick go-over with a steamer in the morning has saved many an outfit from looking as if I slept in it. I’ve just bought the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie: it heats up almost instantly, does a good job of getting out creases, and is cheaper than most.

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Hair up, head down

Hand-painted Big Apple claw hair clip

£28.12 at Solar Eclipse

A novelty hair clip isn’t exactly what you’d call a new-term essential, but you’ve got to admit: it is fun. Solar Eclipse’s hand-painted acetate hair claws are designed by an all-women team in New York, and are great for keeping fringes and stray hairs out of your eyes when it’s time to get down to some serious business.

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Menswear

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The smart shoe

Suede derby shoes

£169 at Cos

Loafers can look a little Hooray Henry on men (although if that’s the look you’re going for, by all means crack on). Derby shoes are a much more stylish alternative – a good halfway house between casual and formal, without looking too city trader. This chunky suede pair from Cos can be worn with everything from denim to tailoring. (Invest in a leather protector to make them last.)

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Pull your socks up

Cotton-rich socks, seven-pack

£7 for a pack of seven pairs at M&S

To misquote Allen Ginsberg, I have watched some of the best outfits of my generation destroyed by a bad pair of socks. Yes, they should always match. No, the tops of them should not be visible when your trousers ride up. In terms of bang for your buck, this super-soft M&S pack of seven is pretty much the best there is.

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Down to a T

Ecru textured organic cotton T-shirt

£45 at Wax

Does the perfect white T-shirt exist? Well, the perfect ecru one does. There’s something about an off-white tee that looks that little bit more office-appropriate than blinding bright white (possibly because it’s less likely to go grey after a few too many washes). This boxy cotton T-shirt is cut from a textured heavy-weight cotton you can wear well into the autumn under an open shirt or jacket.

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Smarten up your knits

Milano ribbed cardigan

£39.90 at Uniqlo

Some men’s cardigans can look a little X Factor circa 2010, but this collared Uniqlo knit has the structure of a jacket, and is smart enough to be worn as one, whether that’s over a poplin shirt or T-shirt (see above). Be warned: it’s hand-wash only, but like most knitwear, a decent spot clean every so often should do the trick.

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Stationery and accessories

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A pencil case for grownups

Small sage pouch

£16 at Community Clothing

A pencil case, but for adults in denial about owning a pencil case. Made from dead stock cotton, this Community Clothing pouch would make a nice addition to any cavernous work bag – just add pens, keys, hand cream and any other miscellaneous bits that are always falling to the bottom.

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The high fashion lunch bag

£19.95 at Black + Blum

Carting around last night’s stir-fry never looked so stylish. More micro-accessory than lunch box, Black + Blum’s roll-top mini cooler is leakproof, light and considerably more chic than a balled-up bag for life. Given that metal hardware, I wouldn’t be surprised if people thought it was a handbag.

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The bring-it-all backpack

£65 at Eastpak

If you’re lugging heavier-duty fare, then a backpack is much more practical than a tote – staving off shoulder pain, and allowing you to pile in everything from a laptop to a gym kit. Eastpak’s medium roll-top bag is a good size: big enough to fit what you need; not so big as to look like you’re running away from home.

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Strawberry sleeves for ever

Strawberry laptop sleeve

£30 at Baggu

I’m a big believer in double-bagging your laptop: that is, putting it in a case and putting it in the protective pocket of your backpack. (Mainly because I’ve learned the hard way how expensive they are to repair.) Made from recycled ripstop nylon, Baggu’s envelope-shaped sleeves make the dreaded Monday morning power-on just that little bit sweeter.

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The fancy pen

Rollerball pen

£12.99 for a pack of five at Ryman

Granted, they’re more expensive than your bog-standard stationery cupboard pen, but these Uni-ball fine liners really are the best. Do always keep one of those ballpoint pens nearby, though, should a colleague ask to borrow a pen.

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The waste-free planner

Undated week planner

£14 at Asobi

If your well-intentioned resolution to keep a 2025 diary has gone out the window (honestly, who has either plans or inclination to fill one in January?) go for an undated planner that lets you map out your week in a more slapdash way. Margate-based Studio Todd makes beautiful planners with dyslexia-friendly coloured paper and 52 blank weeks to fill at your leisure.

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The fancy notebook

Classic notebook

From £15.90 at Leuchtturm1917

When someone whips out one of these in the office, you know they mean business. Well, that or they’ve just had a birthday and a relative didn’t know what else to buy them. If you’re looking for a fancy notebook to kick off the (academic) year right, Leuchtturm1917 is pretty much the best it gets. Think sewn pages, a pocket at the back, a choice of hard or soft smooth covers (note: it’s not leather) and a wraparound elastic closure. FYI: if you’re feeling especially fancy, you can use a fountain pen on its pages and it won’t bleed through.

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The everyday notebook

A4 notebooks

£4.95 for a set of five at Muji

Sadly, a £16-a-pop notebook habit is unsustainable – at least for me. These are the ones I use come October when the fancy notebook runs out. With 30 faint-lined pages in each A4 exercise book (they come in a pack of five) and minimal bleed-through, they’re a decent everyday option to keep in your bag should inspiration – or your line manager – strike.

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The throwback pencil case

Storage container pen case

£13.46 at London Graphic Centre

This Japanese brand is the stuff of a stationery lover’s dreams. Is this hardshell pencil case the most practical item in this edit? Not quite. Is it big enough to fit a lip balm and a couple of pens while, crucially, being chic? You got it.

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Kids

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The big family planner

Family week planner

£8.99 at Butler and Hill

To some indispensable, to others tyrannical, the rise of the big family planner shows no sign of abating. And why should it? It’s a useful way of mapping out the week ahead while keeping hold of your sanity. This wipe-clean version from Butler and Hill will help you keep track of any after-school and evening commitments, without wasting reams of paper.

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The distinctive lunch bag

Pack a Lunch bag

£13.50 at Frugi

If you want to make sure you see your kid’s lunch bag again, get a distinctive one with a label. Aside from being adorable, this rainbow lunch bag from Frugi has an insulated foil lining, and a small front pocket for snack storing.

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The raincoat

Shower Resistant Mac

£20 at Sainsbury’s

It’s September, which most likely means that your child will cycle through four seasons in one school day. This gender-neutral mac is shower-proof but light enough to run amok in.

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The best budget water bottle

Kids’ stainless steel water bottle

£14.99 at Ion8

There’s nothing like a fancy bottle to incentivise your kid to drink water. The adult version of Ion8’s stainless-steel water bottle was chosen by the Filter as the best budget bottle around (no small feat, given we tested 42 of them). The kids’ version is no different: leak-proof, dishwasher safe and small enough to slot into their school bag without weighing them down.

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The double-zip pencil case

£10.19 at Small Kins

If you’re a parent, chances are you’ve already been shepherded through Smiggle, getting the full disquisition on which pencil case and why, and who is likely to have the same one, and what this all means in the scheme of classroom politics. If not, though, this embroidered Forest Friends pencil case from Little Dutch has two handy compartments and is made from sustainable – and durable – material. (NB: if a new pencil case isn’t on the agenda – or in the budget – use a nail brush and some warm soapy water on last year’s, before laying it flat to dry.)