Back to school shopping is one of those adolescent things that adults yearn for. You don't know a great thing until it's gone (like home-cooking, or advanced metabolic function) and there are few things greater than balling out at dELiA*s with mom's Visa debit. But time makes you bolder, children get older, and suddenly, you're working a 9-5 job and "summer vacation" is an oxymoron.
Indulge me for a second: What if, instead of unceremoniously tumbling into fall, we celebrated the end of summer with a little back to school shopping? Channeling the fervor and excitement of 12 year-old you in the School Supplies aisle at Target, all while exercising one of the greatest permissions of adulthood—buying whatever the hell you want. Just, you know, remember when your credit card bill is due:
Want Les Essentiels De La Vie Piper Backpack: Your middle school Jansport studied abroad in Paris and is now the Creative Director of an obscure knitwear brand. You can hardly recognize her, but something about her—the tone of her voice, maybe—brings you back to a place of warmth and nostalgia. You think, "Hold on...backpacks can't talk." And yet this one speaks volumes.
Tom Dixon Cog Pencil Flare And Sketchbook: Some people might consider spending over $70 on stationery excessive—they are wrong. Imagine walking into your Q3 status meeting with a Tigonderoga #2 pencil! How embarrassing for you. Spring instead for Tom Dixon's objets d'writing and assert your professional and stylistic dominance.
Archi Desk Pen Cup: Gentrify your desk with tiny loft façade pen cups and become the mayor of a tiny eclectic downtown neighborhood. Soho is unafforable, but desk accessories aren't.
Soma Water Bottle: Moisture is the essence of wetness, and Soma is the essence of chic hydration. Get your recommended daily fluid ouncage from this beautiful vessel—your body is crying out for it.
Susanne Kaufmann Hand Lotion: My colleague Eva Alt describes the scent of this hand cream as "luxuriously fragranced bananas," which is a ringing endorsement. If fragrance doesn't seal the deal for you, it's also supremely moisturizing and a price-conscious extravagance for your deskscape. Just share with caution.
—Brennan Kilbane
Photo via Getty.
Next up: Five Cool Things to spice up your bathroom. Or read more ITG shopping guides this way.
