Back-To-School Essentials From Palm Angels, We11done, And Thom Browne

August 14, 2020 author By Ann Loynd Burton Fashion Writer
Back-To-School Essentials From Palm Angels, We11done, And Thom Browne
Back-To-School Essentials From Palm Angels, We11done, And Thom Browne

Back-to-school season is upon us, and whether you’re looking at distance learning, in-person classes, or you graduated years ago, late August always calls for a wardrobe refresh. This season, we’re focusing on statement shirts and bucket hats to flex from the waist up on Zoom along with school-day favorites like tracksuits and backpacks.

Below, we’ve rounded up our favorites from designers including Palm Angels, We11done, and Thom Browne.

Patterned Button-Downs

Last season was all about bowling shirts. Short-sleeve button-downs are back for fall, but the latest editions feature all-over, tongue-in-cheek patterns to retro color blocking. Since Zoom meetings don’t appear to be going anywhere, stand out from the grid in one of these eye-catching prints.

 
Brain Dead Caricatures Hawaiian shirt.

Graphic Hoodies

Early fall calls for layering, and nothing is more versatile than a comfy hoodie. This season, styles leave normcore behind and take it up a notch with ironic graphics. Pair with crisp jeans or rock with track pants or joggers on casual Friday.

Palm Angels Black Bear Cotton Hoodie.

Bucket Hats

Aside from maybe your face mask, bucket hats are the accessory of fall 2020. This throwback from the early aughts makes any look more stylish, and it’s perfect for covering up your long overdue haircut.

We11done bucket hat.

Tracksuit Style

Tracksuits were the champ of quarantine style, but this fall they are ready to leave the house. The latest looks favor a tailored silhouette that can be dressed up or down. For a transitional look, pair comfy track shorts with classic crew socks and your favorite graphic tee.

Thom Browne track pants.

Backpacks and Shoulder Bags

No back-to-school roundup is complete without a pack to carry all your stuff. With more to haul than ever these days (sanitizer, masks, a bagged lunch), we prefer utilitarian styles that can get the job done. Think military influences like hunter green and sturdy canvas in pared-down silhouettes.

Bellwoodmade Green Large Shoulder Bag
Shop the collection here.

Read these next

Neighborhood Spot: Graphic Tees for a Greater Good

Complex SHOP is kicking off a wide-reaching and ongoing partnership with Neighborhood Spot to help support local NYC small businesses and charities during this dire pandemic period. The story of Neighborhood Spot, and its resilient and resourceful founder, William Grand, bears all the markings of a quintessential NYC narrative. Growing up in the city, Grand dabbled in the skateboard and punk rock scene and admittedly owned “too many” t-shirts. He eventually bought a one-color press to make tees with a friend, and grew it into a small business with a studio on Eldridge & Canal Street. Fast forward to 2012, William’s career evolved into DJing and spinning records in Japan and t-shirts took a back seat. Then 2020 rolled around, Covid hit and everything changed. “Many of my friends had businesses that were affected,” he says. “I now had zero work, so I thought this was the perfect time to get back to t-shirts, but with the intention of giving proceeds back to help these businesses navigate shutdown.” Instead of waiting for help from someone else or even the state, Grand took the initiative and got to work. “One hand washes the other and both wash the face,” he says. “The government is a faulty faucet.” The first drop of the Complex SHOP X Neighborhood Spot partnership consists of t-shirts made for several businesses and charities including: Army & Navy Bags, Regina's Grocery, Cheeky Sandwiches, Takahachi, Green Top Farms, the Harriet Tubman Museum, NYC Food Bank, and more. All profits from the sale of each t-shirt will be donated to the respective business or charity. Included also in this drop are 2 exclusive colorways that can only be found on the Complex SHOP.   View this post on Instagram It’s HERE! Complex SHOP welcomes @NeighborhoodSpot in an ongoing partnership to help support local NYC small businesses and charities during this COVID-19 pandemic period. All the profits will be donated to the respective NYC spots. Pick up a tee and show #NYC some love @armynavybag @reginasgrocery @cheekysandwiches @greentopfarms @harriettubmanmuseum @foodbank4nyc @takachieastvillage @warriorsinthegarden and @btfacollective . #complexshop #iloveNY Credits: T-shirts designed by: @neighborhoodspot @roachi @jakexkent Appearances by: @henryyao3 @romangrandinetti @jacknyi @roachi & Din Yates Video footage: @newyorknico Video edits: @complex A post shared by Complex SHOP (@complexshop) on Sep 16, 2020 at 7:57am PDT   Below is the list of the different NYC spots featured in the first t-shirt drop with Complex. Regina’s Grocery is a cute, Lower East Side, family-owned gem that offers authentic Italian treats like the delicious, prosciutto and fresh mozzarella sandwich dubbed Uncle Jimmy. William Grand: “Regina’s Grocery was one of the first on board. I’ve been friends with Roman Grandinetti for over 10 years and we actually shared that studio space on Eldridge St. Plus his mom, Regina, is a sweetheart.” Army & Navy Bags on East Houston is a downtown NYC landmark, and the place to go for finding the best military and surplus clothing. The store has been around for over 40 years, and its manager Henry is one of the nicest New Yorkers you’ll ever meet. WG: “Army & Navy bags has been my go-to spot for winter gear over the years and the owner Henry Yao is the nicest guy. So when Nico revealed his business was struggling we put it together quickly with Roachi and Co.”   Cheeky Sandwiches is a New-Orleans style sandwich joint on the Lower East Side that makes up for its diminutive square footage with tons of bold, unforgettable flavor. For lovers of cajun spices, Cheeky’s is a must-vist. WG: “I've known Din Yates at Cheeky Sandwiches for over 10 years. He's the best dude and the chicken sandwich with a side of beignets is a piece of food coma heaven.” Takahachi is a no-frills East Village sushi spot that’s popular with both the local regulars and the cool celebrity set. Its owner Jack and his team are known for using only the finest quality ingredients and never cutting any corners. WG: “Takahachi was also one of the very first on board in March. Anyone who knows Jack, loves him, he's a positive staple in the neighborhood.”   Green Top Farms is a local NYC establishment specializing in fresh, farm-to-table, locally-grown food. They also deliver healthy plant-based meals and wholesome groceries. WG: “I aligned with Green Top Farms through the best NY shirt contest in April. Proceeds from Kyle Earl’s shirt benefited the farm and we ran some goods for them.” WG: “NY Gritty from Roachi was another one I met through the best NY shirt contest. We helped bring his incredible design to life and he's been a massive help to Neighborhood Spot ever since. Proceeds from these support the NYC-based Warriors In The Garden.” WG: “Tubman Twenties was based off an existing stamp made by Dano Wall after this inept administration delayed the release of the real Tubman $20’s until 2028. There's a new Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May NJ and we're channeling all the proceeds to help them finish building. WG: “NYC Rent Relief Lottery was an idea I had just before August 1st to help pay a NY'ers rent with proceeds from this ongoing capsule. Many businesses are struggling but so are a lot of New Yorkers.” WG: “Loving you is easy... is designed by Jake Kent. He already printed these in Berlin but I saw it, loved it, and reached out to bring these to life in the US and outside Europe. We're channeling funds to the Black Trans Emergency Fund in the US and KOP in Berlin.” For the future, Grand plans to connect with more businesses in NYC before expanding to other cities around the world. “There are countless places within the 5 boroughs, but our focus is on the family-owned gems that are the real DNA of each neighborhood.”. Now that you’re familiar with all these spots & charities, pick up a tee and show NYC some love. Shop the entire Neighborhood Spot drop here. Read more

Celebrate Back-To-School With Fresh Sneakers

Remember when back-to-school meant you could pick out a new pair of sneakers? Well, you might not be able to get your mom to bring you to the mall this September, but you can still celebrate the changing season with a fresh pair. Our favorite brands are dishing up some pretty slick trends, from updated throwbacks to futuristic brights to bring a dose of optimism to 2020. Pick a pair (or a few) that speaks to you. High-Top Court Sneakers Take the high road this season with sneakers that pay homage to basketball’s many takes on the high-top court style. Think canvas and rubber models of the ’60s to the extra-cushy, supportive staples of the ’80s. Of course, today’s looks have been updated with the latest sneaker technologies and aesthetics. Style with shorts and calf-high socks to show off on warmer days, and pair with boot-cut jeans and a hoodie when the temps get cooler. Retro Running Throw it back to the ’80s and ’90s with old-school running shoes. Not only are these kicks incredibly comfortable, but they sport classic style with chunky silhouettes and color-blocked accents. Some might call them dad sneakers, but we aren’t mad at it. They go with absolutely anything from joggers to khakis. Neon Brights If your shoes aren’t stopping traffic this season, you’re doing something wrong. This year may have been challenging, but we prefer to look on the bright side—literally. Pair neon yellow, pink, and purple styles with jeans and a neutral tee for a flash of color underfoot. Luxe Lows With a slim profile, these tailored low tops aren’t reinventing the wheel. They offer an understated look that can double as dress shoes, so you never need to step into a wing tip again. The keys are their neutral colors and sophisticated materials like suede and calfskin. For more styles shop our latest additions to the SHOP. Read more

THRIFTCON: MERGING VINTAGE AND STREETWEAR

At Complex SHOP, we’re all about shining a spotlight on the unique and dynamic facets of streetwear culture. The vintage streetwear scene is an often slept-on lane for unearthing one-of-a-kind grails, so we’re definitely excited to be partnering with a respected name in this category, ThriftCon. So what exactly is ThriftCon? It’s the nation’s premier vintage clothing and collectible selling event where vendors from all over the country come together for day-long celebrations of all-things vintage. The founders of ThriftCon (David Bywater, Mario Conte, and Ken Meade) noticed a void of quality street and casualwear on the vintage scene, so they set out to change that. “ThriftCon originated out of the necessity to cater to the growing vintage community of resellers, collectors and streetwear enthusiasts. We wanted to bring that community together under one roof and give vendors an opportunity to have their pieces in front of thousands of buyers and educate people on a more sustainable way of living.” The most recent ThriftCon socially-distanced event was held in Denver at the end of August—even with current COVID constraints, it was a successful outing.     View this post on Instagram Still dreaming about ThriftCon Denver 💭💭. Thank you to our hometown for trusting us to host an event during these times. Even w/ COVID regulations the vibes were still right and the selection or vintage was crazy. 90+ booths worth looking through. See you guys soon 😘 🎥: @michaelkirton_ A post shared by ThriftCon (@thrift_con) on Sep 1, 2020 at 1:35pm PDT   “Our partnership with Complex SHOP is an effort to allow collectors and vintage enthusiasts who can't make it out to events a chance to purchase some of the pieces that were in the building that day,” the co-founders explained. “Each of these tees in this first drop was sourced by us and came from ThriftCon vendors.” Some of the highlights included in this first drop include a rare 1979 Peter Tosh Bush Doctor Tour Tee, a Mosquitohead Bob Marley Tee, a Dead Kennedys Tee, and an '87 Momentary Lapse Pink Floyd Tee. Next up, ThriftCon is planning to host their next in-person event in LA before the end of the year. They will also continue releasing bi-weekly episodes of their podcast, Tee Time, which covers stories of their favorite brands and designers. The entire ThriftCon drop on the Complex SHOP is available now.   Read more