'Back to school' shopping guide

'Back to school' shopping guide

By Michael O’Connell
Special to Metromix

The joy of learning pales in comparison to the thrill of buying. New clothes, new shoes, fresh notebooks, sharp pencils… back to school shopping really is the silver lining around that dark, end-of-summer cloud.

Whether you find yourself returning to the classroom or if you’re just looking for an excuse to buy some new stuff, we’ve gathered a list of the greatest, weirdest and even a few of the most unsettling items you won’t want to find yourself without.