New Year = New Clothes?

Retailers are kind of freaking out right now because many young people are waiting to see what everybody else is wearing before they buy back-to-school clothes.

I could say that’s the reason we have yet to purchase a single clothing item for school this year. But really? It’s because I have three boys who don’t give two beans about fashion.

But clearly someone is shopping. One minute after reading that New York Times article, I logged on to the only place we ever really shop for back-to-school clothes -- oldnavy.com -- and all of the non-graphic, regular tees are sold out.


I’d rather bring them to the dentist than to the mall, so it looks like my boys will walk into school in a few days wearing -- gasp! -- something they’ve worn before.

Is that so bad? Will a lack of new clothing set them on a course of bad grades and disciplinary issues during this school year? Probably not, but for someone who, as a teenager, treated back-to-school shopping as an olympic sport, this doesn’t seem right.

Perhaps buying myself a new outfit and maybe some boots will make me feel better.