These 13 Back-to-School Outfits Are a Blast From the Past

First impressions count for a lot. You might think about that in your daily life now as you interview for jobs and go on first dates, but you learned the importance of that lesson when you were just a kid.

SEE ALSO: 15 Retired Back to School Supplies You Miss

After a summer apart, a killer back-to-school outfit was the best way to impress your elementary school classmates. Back in the 80s and 90s, that meant donning your coolest acid wash jeans, scrunchies, and rainbow-bright accessories. After all, you needed to look on-trend while toting your backpack full of glitter gel pens, Lisa Frank notebooks, and a Trapper-Keeper.

We rounded up some of the most nostalgia-inducing photos from the Mashable staff's first days of school throughout the years. Get ready to reminisce - and yes, in case you had any doubts, that is a New Kids on the Block sweater.

• 1. Side ponytail

  
  
  
  A New Kids on the Block sweater and a side ponytail go together like peanut butter and jelly

  2. Plastic lunchbox

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  Is this a photo from the first day of school or the set of Full House? You be the judge.

  3. Hair gel

  

  
  

  Between the hair gel and the fake college athletics t-shirt, this guy had the middle school "bro" look down