It’s a late summer ritual: heading off to the mall to crank up your wardrobe for back-to-school time. You stock up on jeans and shirts, try on cold-weather wear and bring home shoes so new they squeak. How could anyone dread this yearly spree?
KidNews Scoop Trooper Ariage P., 15, of Chicago says she couldn’t care less about making a trip to the mall before school starts. “I don’t take too much pride in having new clothes,” she says. “I guess I’m just not too much into clothes.”
A jeans and T-shirt girl, Ariage says she wears whatever she “feels like wearing” when she wakes up for school. For her, back-to-school shopping is more like back-to-school struggling–with her grandma and aunt. “We usually argue on what I’m going to get,” she says. “The usual argument is … about me getting skirts, and I don’t want to get them.”
Too bad for Ariage that the dreaded skirt, especially the mini, is everywhere this season. “The fashion message is the mini,” says Alexandra Cohan for Old Navy. “Preppy is strong this season … plaid pleated skirts and denim pleated skirts.”
Preppy might be in, but fashion industry experts say spending wads of cash is way out. Kids will buy the same amount of clothing as last year, but they’ll spend less money, says Marshal Cohen of the NPD Group, a market information group.
Instead of spending cash on clothes, Cohen says kids are more interested in going high tech. “Getting a cell phone is more important than getting the right pair of jeans,” he says. “Fashion isn’t as important as it used to be.”
Kid consumers also have become more shopping savvy. Cohen says kids are “doing their homework” and know what they want before they hit the mall.
Scoop Trooper Husna K., 12, of Mt. Prospect makes “at least four or five trips to the mall” for back-to-school stuff. She says she already knows what she needs: “more shirts, more tops and more long-sleeved shirts.”
Scoop Trooper Jordan C., 10, of Northbrook also makes several stops at the mall with his mom. He says taking more than one shopping trip lets him think about something before he buys. This year, he’s picking up sweaters, track pants and jeans. “I like to look good, but most importantly … I don’t like things that are uncomfortable,” he says.
Looking good in the beginning of the year is important to some kids. Jordan says kids at his school reserve their best clothes for the beginning of the year so they can make a good impression with teachers and other students. “Later in the year, they wear clothes that are not as nice,” he says.
The best Husna says she’ll wear is a good pair of jeans and a new top. “I don’t get dressed up too much,” she says. “I don’t go by what’s in style.”
Ariage also wears her own style instead of following the trends. She says she can’t stand the Britney look. “The girls wear really short shorts and tops that look like they belong to their little sisters,” she says. “I don’t like that too much.”
The Britney look may still be around, but it’s not really in stores this season, Cohen says. He says girls already picked up their belly-baring shirts and low-rise jeans a few seasons ago, so stores know they aren’t likely to buy more.
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Later, Britney bellies
Skin, we’ve heard, is no longer in.
“We’ve gone about as far as we can go with peekaboo, provocative fashions,” says David Wolfe, creative director of the Donegar Group, a New York-based fashion consulting firm.
Teens and other fashion followers are “over Britney Spears,” Wolfe and others say.
There still will be shelf space for micro-minis, camis and low-rider jeans this fall, but designers have added more fabric to hemlines and necklines.
The idea is to look pulled together and ladylike. That means ruffles, bows and ribbons as well as ponchos, sleeved blouses, cardigans and suited pieces.
“We’re seeing hemlines come down to the knee or below,” says Ava Battershell, special events director for Dillard’s department store.
Jana Pettey, publisher and editorial director of Justine, says the fall clothes featured in her magazine are “real clothes that I see kids wearing. Skin is showing, but skin isn’t the focus. The focus is on color and fabric.”
–Lisa Townsel, KRT
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Trend watch
What’s in this season? Everything–just not all at once. “Wearing head-to-toe one trend is not in,” says Tara McBratney, fashion director for CosmoGIRL! Magazine.
Want to catch the trends this season? Here are some of the must-haves:
Statement T’s. Tell everyone you’re a good egg or a homework dodger for the night. Statement T’s are cool because they “state your image without saying a word,” says market information specialist Marshal Cohen.
Bright colors. Purple, berry and turquoise are big for back to school, McBratney says.
Jeans. Patchwork, embroidered, colored or torn, jeans are big this season. But everyone is over the expensive ones, Cohen notes.
Tweed. McBratney says tweed minis, blazers and pants are huge.
Punk belts. The skater look is big and so are “rough and tumble” belts with metal, says Aaron Carpenter of Levi Strauss and Co.
Animal influence. Fake fur and animal prints are everywhere, from purses to hoodies, McBratney says.
Key chains. This fall, key chains are the hot item for decorating backpacks, according to Carpenter.
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Hot or not?
Love those knit ponchos? If you pick one up, don’t spend too much money on it. Marketing specialist Marshal Cohen warns they’ll be “over in a week.”
Trench coats also are back, but Cohen says they too will be gone in a flash. Other carryover styles will stay hot, though.
Girls who picked up the “boy look” last season can wear it again this year. And guys who stocked up on polo and striped shirts can bust them out of winter storage.
Skater gear, too, is still hot, and so are boys’ cargo pants, according to Old Navy’s Alexandra Cohan. “I would not be getting rid of my cargo pants anytime soon,” she says.
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Gear up for school with these fun supplies
By Janis Campbell and Cathy Collison, Knight Ridder/Tribune newspapers.
This year, back-to-school basics are anything but basic. Notebooks, pens, pencils and folders all have plenty of personality. Many supplies also are designed to make your study chores easier–and more fun. Take a look at some of the trends.
A flair for fun: Paper Mate has been providing kids with pens for years. This fall, the company has added sky blue, tangerine, magenta and lime green to their ink colors. We wouldn’t recommend these colors for most school assignments, but they sure make taking notes, and writing notes, more enjoyable.
Pack it: At the Gap, back-to-school bags seem like they could double as camping gear: rugged looks, bungee cord straps and camouflage prints in many colors. One pack even includes a compass in case you need directions. If you have a lot to carry, you may want to get a backpack on wheels. And Ogio even has some awesome bags that will haul your skateboard and gear too.
Bag your lunch: There always will be traditional lunchboxes, but this year lunch bags are the rage. Some come with water bottles attached; others, made from fabric or soft plastic, look almost like purses.
Take cover: Many teachers require that you protect your textbooks. Instead of paper book covers, you’ll see lots more easy-to-slip-on fabric covers. Book Sox are covers made with stretchable, washable fabrics in a variety of colors and patterns.
Showing character: Favorite characters–especially from movies and television–regularly show up on all types of school gear. This year, expect to see plenty of items featuring Sponge-Bob and Spider-Man. Crayola even has a new product called Spider-Writers, special drawing pens that let you squeeze out some Spidey fun when you write. Longtime favorite “Hello, Kitty” also is the cat’s meow this year. For girls, supplies with girl-power messages like “Chicks are cool” are big. And look for stuff with your favorite basketball star: The NBA has a new line of school supplies.
Make it your own: Magnetized picture frames, mirrors and accessories can make your locker feel like home. The Magnetic Poetry Co. has kits that are perfect for personalizing your locker. The Klutz book “Decorate Your Locker” has great tips and “make ’em yourself” magnet sheets. And you need help organizing, the Lockermate company has loads of creative ways to straighten up your locker and make it more fun.
It’s a plan: Your mom and dad have planners, and now there are all kinds of fun planners for busy kids. These planners come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and include places to write down assignments as well as sports games, practice times and friends’ birthdays.
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Buy, buy, baby
We all know kids really influence decisions on what a family buys. Here’s a look at the percentage of 8- to 12-year-olds who said they make or help make family decisions on what to purchase:
VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS
97%
CLOTHES
93%
VIDEOS/DVDS
93%
GROCERIES
84%
VACATIONS
62%
CARS
22%
— The Washington Post. Source: Harris Interactive
