Which Back-To-School “Essentials” Are This Year’s Stanley Tumblers?

When I texted my 12-year-old niece to ask what the cool kids want when they head back to school, approximately one millisecond elapsed before her three dots popped up, indicating a speedy response on its way. “Everyone wants an Owala,” she declared, and I read it in Miranda Priestley’s “oh, you sweet summer child” tone reserved for when she’s speaking to Anne Hathaway’s Andi. In a world where Stanley cups dominated popular culture just last year and an entire industry cropped up around accessorizing them — bags, charms, straw toppers, and more — it seems the mercurial youth have already decided on a new water vessel du jour.

It’s the nature of trends: They move fast and baffle older generations. If you can’t keep up either, we asked teens and tweens around the country what they and their friends want the most for the upcoming school year. And many fellow Scary Mommies shared their kids’ wishlists as well. This isn’t a mandate that you have to buy these items for your kids or they’ll be uncool — it’s just fun to compare notes and see what they’re all into. And this way, if your kid asks you for a Labubu, at least you’ll have heard the word before and not think they’re just using weird slang. (In this, the era of skibidi toilet, one can never truly know.)

An Owala-Brand Water Bottle

The tweens were very clear that Owala water bottles are the “it” beverage container for this year. Frankly, teachers and parents alike will probably appreciate the switch — the lids on these bad boys make them much less likely to spill than tumblers with straws. Sorry to you if you already went broke buying multiple brands and colors of exactly that.

Labubu Keychains

Look, your kid can miss out on this trend and live to see another day (ask those of us who nearly got trampled in line waiting for Beanie Baby releases). So if spending $30 on an off-putting keychain is all a bit much, just… opt out. That said, when you see the toothsome little guys on your kids’ classmates’ backpacks, just know they may come home asking for one too.

Birkenstocks (With Crew Socks)

Students are all about rocking the ‘stocks ‘n’ socks, apparently. Some want clogs and some want sandals, so if your kid just wrote “Birkenstocks” on their list, do clarify.

“My teenager had to have Crocs last year or the world would end. This year he wants Birkenstock Bostons,” said one Scary Mommy. “Apparently all of the old lady shoes are making a comeback with the teen boy crowd (though tbh, I have several pairs of Birkenstock sandals, so for old ladies, they have never gone out of style).” Speaking of…

Crocs & Pajama Pants

In some places, Crocs are still (somehow) the shoe. As one mom told me, “I have teen boys, and the answer is Crocs — more specifically, white Crocs. Every. Single. Day. Rain? Crocs. Snow? Crocs. 100+ degrees? Crocs, with tall socks, ALWAYS. Never mind those expensive Jordans sitting in the closet. Crocs always win.”

Another parent said her son’s school doesn’t prohibit pajama pants in their dress code, and it’s what all the teenage boys there wear. Every day. With their Crocs. Hey… at least this ‘fit is cheaper than a pair of Birks.

Sprayground Backpacks

My niece said this is the cool kid backpack of the year, which lines up with two sure signs something is cool: 1. the fact that I had never heard of them, and 2. they run between $65 and $200, which is enough to make us groan “back in my day we picked a $15 backpack off the rack at Walmart and were thankful!”

That said, they do have some pretty cool designs — everything from ‘90s cartoons to anime-inspired designs, a SpongeBob backpack with various pop-on eyes, and simple solids with their signature shark mouth motif. Whether your kids end up with one, well, that’s up to you.

Pastel Pencils

Pastel wooden and mechanical pencils came up a few times during our survey, and honestly, why wouldn’t they? The yellow No. 2 pencil was due for a makeover, and these colors are so cute, you’ll want to buy a box for yourself. One Scary Mommy shared an excellent tip, too: Buy an extra box of your kid’s favorite supplies, like these pencils, to use as stocking stuffers later. Winter break restock: done.

As Flo-Rida Would Say… The Binders With The Straps

I… had never seen one of these things before. If my kid asked for a binder with a strap, I would’ve told him he must be misusing the word “binder.” But no — a few Scary Mommies said their kids love these things. Once they have a locker to leave their backpack in, they cart one of these around from class to class (it has a laptop sleeve inside and everything).

Anything Lululemon

My niece, and many kids apparently, are leaning toward oversized fit tops that hit above the waistline and are plain in color. A lot of them also want “anything Lululemon,” and they happen to carry a lot of the aforementioned styles. One mom said her daughter also requested the wristlet as an easy thing to grab out of her backpack and carry to the bathroom.

Vintage Tees, Graphic Tees, Band Tees, All The Tees

The Lululemon clean girl aesthetic may be in for some, but many kids are leaning into grunge style — and parents are loving it, honestly. “My son is starting middle school. He is more into his personal wants and not trends. He wants band shirts and Converse. Never thought I would have a kid who wanted to dress in my teen looks of grunge,” said one.

Truly countless parents said their children want graphic tees, vintage shirts, and tops repping their favorite bands. As someone who wears tees like these like they’re my personal uniform, I love seeing a timeless trend among the youth.

Converse, Because Obviously

My niece rocks the hell out of her high-top pink Converse, and apparently, many kids are. Because the grunge aesthetic wouldn’t look right without some Chuck Taylors. Many parents we polled said their kids were either asking for Converse for the first time or opting out of new shoes altogether. “She said she’d just gotten her pair ‘dirty enough,’” one explained. We get it, kid, and we love you.

North Face Backpacks

So many parents (like, seriously, so many) said their kids are asking for North Face backpacks for school this year. The brand has a small collection of non-hiking backpacks, and the Borealis is the most affordable. The positive side of this purchase is that North Face gear tends to last a very long time. And because it’s certified by the American Chiropractic Association, you know the backpack will still be comfortable on your kid’s back no matter how much they stuff inside.

Sol de Janeiro Body Sprays

So many moms said their daughters are asking for Sol de Janeiro body sprays to wear to school (nope, Sephora’s reign of terror hasn’t ended yet). They have a wide range of fragrances to choose from, but having personally smelled the Cheirosa scent, I can attest to the fact that it’s light and sweet enough to be tween- and teen-appropriate.

One note: The teachers in our comments said they wished parents would make their kids keep body sprays at home. As one put it, “They spray it everywhere. It’s borderline assault and battery! Keep it at home!” A bunch of teachers also said deodorant is a must-have. They can only do so much wrong with that, so maybe send some deo with your kid instead of sprays if they need a midday refresh.

Maybe your kid asked for a ton of things on this list, or maybe they asked for absolutely none. Either way, you don’t have to buy them anything that’s going to put you under any financial stress. But it’s a fun peek into their sense of style, and if they ask for Birkenstocks at Christmas out of the blue, well, at least you’ll have some context.