Sep
19
For the last couple of months I’ve been doing some community management work for Cherokee USA, which is a fancy way of saying I’m in charge of the stuff that appears on their Facebook page. For all my complaining about Facebook (seriously, would it KILL them to add an edit function? Does this not exist because of the fear that someone will post “I LOVE puppies, don’t you?” and 10,000 likes later, swap out puppies for “child pornography”? Because okay, that WOULD be sort of funny, not that there’s anything funny about—anyway, all I’m saying is I hate that I can’t fix a typo without deleting the whole thing and starting over), I’ve really been enjoying the gig. I’m basically just there to try and make the page a non-sucky place for parents to visit, so it’s pretty low-key and conversational—much more fun than the sort of corporate brand-bot weirdness where the writer attempts to pretend they actually ARE the product, not that I’m pointing fingers, BIZARRO-LAND MIRACLE WHIP TWITTER ACCOUNT.
Cherokee and Cozi have teamed up to offer up some Target gift cards to blog readers, and today I’m jumping on the giveaway bandwagon. I’ll get to that part in a minute, but just so everything’s all up front and tidy: not only is this a sponsored post, it’s sponsored by a client of mine. I’m just saying, if I was selling out any harder right now I’d have to launch an eponymously-named fragrance.
The general topic for the giveaway is back to school clothes—specifically, first day of school outfits, and how parents choose to capture the moment. This isn’t a subject I’m much of an expert on, frankly. On Riley’s first day I mostly looked for an outfit that wasn’t wrinkled or stained, and while I’ve seen plenty of inspiration for first day of school photos, I sort of phoned it in with a last-minute printed speech bubble:
So I didn’t exactly knock it out of the park creativity-wise for his first day photo, but I think I’ll try this idea from Kim (aka Miss Zoot): I’ll take the exact same photo—same outfit and all—on his last day, too. Check out how Kim’s first day/last day photo of her daughter turned out:
Cool, right? I would love to have a photo like that to see how Riley changed over the year.
I’m not super fussy about what he wears to school, but I do set out Riley’s outfit the night before. It makes things easier in the mornings, and also ensures that he’s not heading out the door in a pair of swim shorts with a Spiderman pajama top. My standards may be low, but they do exist.
Here’s my question for you, if you’ve got an opinion on the subject: what do you care about more, your kid’s outfit for the first day of school, or their first school picture day? I see by our calendar that our picture day is on October 21st, and I suspect I’ll be in a tizzy the night before trying to find a photogenic outfit for his FIRST PICTURE DAY OMG. Hopefully they have a different backdrop than the Infamous PenisTurtle Theme of ’07.
And with that unsavory image, on to the giveaway! The prize is a $100 gift card for Target, which you can of course use to buy a stack of new Cherokee clothes—or, you know, whatever else captures your fancy. To enter, leave a comment on this post (any comment will do, just be sure and include your email address). Contest ends . . . let’s say Wednesday morning, okay? Two days from now on the 21st.
Good luck!
PS: there’s another big giveaway going on where you can win a $1000 shopping spree from Cherokee and a $300 smart phone from Cozi. Contest info is here.
PS part deux: if you’re a Facebook user, I’d be super honored if you would visit Cherokee’s page and maybe even hit that Like button—only if you want to! No pressure!—if you’d like to see my updates appear in your, uh, stream-hole.
*** Contest now closed, winner to be announced soon ***
Comments
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School picture day – first day is for something they like to wear, picture day is for parentals.
Awesome giveaway!
Generally the first photo day. My son is excited enough to care about the first day of school the he picks out an outfit and could care less about the portrait. I am completely the opposite. So that makes for some very FUN discussions.
Thanks for hosting the giveaway–count me in!! Also, I am apparently a horrible mother, but thanks for giving me ideas! I love the picture bubble thing you did this year!
It is wonderful that some of the schools with pre-kinder classes take pictures of each child with their parents. The kids look adorable with their new outfits. The teacher displays the pictures on the walls, for the children to look and be connected with their families, while in school.
Yay for uniforms. Although picture day is the only day they can wear something different and I almost always forget until the morning of, so it’s good times.
Picture day! Every mom saves those forever.
I sweat the picture day outfit, but don’t care what the kids wear on the first and last day of school.
I will never get tired of seeing that 2007 photo of Riley. Love it.
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
I think kids mostly care about first day outfits more than parents do.
Hahaha, I love your upfront sell-out disclaimer, and I would totally buy your eponymous fragrance.
As a kid, I was definitely more nervous about first day of school outfits — they’re going to determine who I’m friends with for the rest of the year?!?! — but I bet as a parent I’ll be way more neurotic about the photo day clothes.
No advice for school clothes, my boy is only 8 months old–BUT as it’s starting to get cold up here already, (I’m in northern WI) I would love the gift card to purchase him some clothing for winter, especially in the bigger sizes!
Thanks!
Kelly
Last year was my my daughter’s first school picture (in PRESCHOOL no less), and I totally obsessed over what she would wear, and especially how to do her hair. Because, her hair… she has LOTS of it. In the end her picture turned out AWESOME, so I’m glad I took extra time to figure everything out.
I’m still hung up on the fact that some person is trying to *BE* Miracle Whip.
My stepson moved in with us at age 15, as a sophomore. He’s now a senior and I have YET to see one. single. order form for school pictures. Not a single one. He conveniently “forgets” to bring them home, and I’ve found that high schools aren’t quite as good at communicating these events to parents.
It’s probably a good thing, though. He never smiles in photos, so I’d probably be wasting money on something that makes him look like a tool.
So we really don’t stress about picture day at our house. Senior portrait time is approaching, however, and I’m predicting MASSIVE war.
And just in case something gets screwy, my e-mail address is jennifergreene09 [at] gmail [dot com].
Your kids are adorable, by the way.
I stress way more about 1st day of school outfits!! I’m all about the first impression!
Woot! Here is my comment and stuff.
I’m gonna go with 1st day of school. I think it makes a first impression that I wouldn’t want to ruin. Not that teachers should care what clothes their students have on…but I’m guessing they can tell a lot.
i LOVE that pic of riley!!
That photo of Riley by the gate is precious.
I love Target clothes. We have been back to school for 6 weeks in my area and picture day has come and gone. My kids wear their everyday clothes. I want my picture memories to be what they were everyday, messy hair (by the time of the appointed pictures it will be messy no matter how I combed that morning) and clothes they picked out, not some over dressed, over pressed variety.
As a kid, I was always about the first day of school outfit. Now that I am a parent, I stress more about the picture day. I want her to look good for posterity!
School photo day is way more important because that’s the photo the entire family gets.
LOVE target for the kiddos clothes as well as useless crap for me, too!
I have totally given up on the clothes battle. I let my Kindergartner pick whatever he wanted (within reason, meaning something in addition to underwear). I did take the photo and am afraid that I’ve started one of the traditions I’ve hated most while growing up. Let the torture begin! I guess we really do turn into our parents!
Oh that picture from 07′. Poor kid :)
My kid wears a uniform, and not only did I fail to make sure the one from last year still fit (it did! sort-of!) I also didn’t take a picture. Although I like the IDEA of taking a picture.
I think the school picture day outfit is way more important! I don’t even have a picture of my son on his first day of school from this year or last year. Bad Mommy.
I have a friend that posted her kid in front of the same door beside a tree each year on the first day. Was cool to see the kid growing taller and taller beside it. Picture day in my book would be more important though…your kids photos are just the funniest!
I think both are important, but we live in the land of uniforms, which I love.
Picture day was always the more important of the two, although my daughter always had a cute ensemble for the first day of school. This year she didn’t even participate in picture day, because she has to have SENIOR pictures professionally done. I can still remember her outfit for the first day of kindergarten, cute little turtleneck with black leggings, her hair pulled back in barrettes. Sunrise, sunset…
I care so much more about picture day than first day. I don’t even take a first day photo…what? School photo goes on my refrigerator, so that outfit gets chosen carefully…since I’ll be shamed by it daily if I don’t take some care.
I have four boys and the older two don’t really dress up for anything…first day of school and picture day was a new t-shirt and nice(r) shorts. Because *they* won’t dress up for that stuff my younger two also don’t think it’s cool to dress up. I’ll try again when we go for family pictures I suppose.
Picture day, for sure. In my family, those are the photos guaranteed to be looked back on as a typical ‘moment in the life’ at any given age. Which is why I make sure my kid’s hair is not sticking up and then pretty much back off and let him pick out whatever outfit he feels brings on the awesome. This year (4th grade) he wore a pastel green/blue/melon plaid button down over brown/navy/hunter green plaid shorts.
First day, definitely. The fall photos (yes, they do school photos twice a year) never turn out well, so I’ve given up caring about them too much. I just make sure they’re wearing a collared shirt and have combed hair.
Spring pictures, on the other hand…well, they’re adorable! At least they were at another school we went to. This is our first time here, and I hope they turn out cute. SO, I’m amending my vote: spring school pictures!
I am going to do that whole same first day and last day picture idea as well… should’ve done it last year, he grew an entire pants size so the last day pic would’ve been kind of funny. :)
I remember that picture of Riley, lol, poor little guy!
As a homeschooler, some (er…most) days we’re lucky to be out of pajamas by lunch and we have no official “first day”, so I’m going to have to say picture day. I make sure we get some good pictures done at least once a year and I definitely stress over the outfitthe night before.
This is DS’s first year in preschool and I still haven’t gotten over the feeling that he has to look perfect everyday. Do those pants read hipster or dorky? If he wears shorts and a sweatshirt, will he be too cold? Hot? Look dorky?
Apparently I’m just concerned about him being a dork. sigh.
I think I’ll care more about the first day of school–first impressions and all that, but also *I* get to take the first-day photo and make sure it’s to my liking as opposed to whatever the hell circus hoops they employ to make kids look like disjointed mannequins in their official school photos.
I know it’s stupid. but I control 1st day of school outfit and iron it and everything since I always sets the first impression – then by the scond day I don’t care so much – then by the second week, my daughter is going to school in a plaid skirt, a striped shirt and completely different coloured striped tights – so I don’t know why I bother so much. I am clueless about how to dress for picutre day, so each year has been pretty crappy – this year I hope to get it right. Would love the Target card!
I wish I’d thought of a creative plan for 1st day photographs. I just have the typical snapshots of kids in backpacks. Maybe next year!
And now I’m totally freaked out by the thought of school photos. Excuse me while I tear apart the kids’ closets trying to figure that all out.
I actually just bought some Cherokee pants for my kid, and was happy to see that they have an adjustable waist. As the parent of a tall, skinny kid, that is awesome in my book. I also had to throw a Dapper Snapper (which I learned about from your blog) on them for good measure so they wouldn’t fall off, but hey. (Yes, we do feed him! ; )
Ooh Target :)
Can both be an option? I’d go for a nice outfit for the first day of school and something cute for picture day, too. (I’d have to resist letting my kid choose a superhero costume for picture day, though. I’m not a fan of the posed photos, so going with a slightly crazy outfit appeals to me.)
I have to admit that I am a little over the top with the whole picture thing. I do let them pick out their favorite outfit (or a new one) for first day of school. For Picture Day, I pick the photogenic one-mine is a family where our school pictures are still available for easy viewing and we are all in our 30s! I am also a big fan of last day of school picture-something to show how much they change is so fun!!
Me!
Thanks for including me.
Wow, nice turtle. Seriously who puts the photo backgrounds together?
I would love a target gift card. :) pick me!
Also, we use Cozi as our family calender and love it.
I just hope my kids don’t grow to loathe having their picture taken.