Going back to school was always exciting when I was a kid — not for the tedium of hours spent caged by four walls and closed doors, but for the promise of new togs, the only time my mom went clothes shopping for her five children.

I could always count on a couple of pairs of shoes, a trio of dresses and a few separates, which seems meager compared to the way most people want to dress. By 11, I was supplementing my wardrobe with pieces I sewed, adding about one garment per week.

These days, those with means can, and often do, shop anytime, anywhere. If the stores are closed, just browse online.

But with my school days long past, I can now see the beauty of my mom’s system and how it fit so nicely with the fashion calendar, where the fall season starts around August and the spring season in February.

For those on a strict budget, it makes sense to follow that back-to-school notion of buying once, buying well, and — barring sudden growth spurts — avoiding the impulse to buy for the next six months.

Try it and see how smart you look.

Make the grade in these ensembles.