Fashion Smarts This Season Your Children Can Be In Style And Look Great, Too. The Classic Look Is Back.
In the perennial struggle between fashion and practicality, mother and child will be rummaging through closets in the waning days of summer to determine what’s “in,” what’s “out” and what’s missing.
Then comes the ever favorite back-to-school shopping trip where mother and child agree and disagree, ultimately coming to a joint resolution among the racks.
This year, parents will like what they see in the whimsical world of back-to-school fashions.
“There is a return to updated classic looks,” says Lucille Klein, fashion director for J.C. Penney. “The new school fashion rules for tykes to preteens signal the end of the oversized looks of seasons past.”
In other words, grunge is out. That alone may be cause for celebration.
“Instead, shapes slip in closer to the body for a leaner, more tailored look,” says Klein.
“The trend is definitely toward cleaning up,” says Peter McGrath, director of merchandise development for J.C. Penney’s children’s division. “Prints are neater and more symmetric. Patterns are simpler. Shapes are classic, clean, comfortable and discreet.”
Returning to the classics, however, does not mean a conventional look.
“This year, kids are designing ways to incorporate their individual styles to create their own uniqueness,” says Mary Kwan, divisional vice president of the children’s division at Sears.
The look is classic with a contemporary flair.
For example, denim remains the No. 1 trend, but the ways in which denim is worn have changed dramatically. Loafers and Mary Janes are the shoes of choice, but with decidedly ‘90s features. And the sweater sets of the ‘50s are back, but with new-fashioned styling.
This year, colors are moving away from earth tones to brighter teals, reds and purples. Layering is still the style, but with eclectic mixtures of texture, pattern and color. Look for new styles in classic fabrics such as corduroy, fleece, flannel and boucle.
For the girls
The look for girls this season is short and sassy. And retro.
“Tops are short and tight, the ‘baby-doll’ or ‘shrunk’ look,” says Ramona Patton, events coordinator at The Bon Marche in Spokane.
Ribbed knit tops or sweaters with faux fur collars and cuffs are the shirts of choice. Sweater twinsets are also popular: usually knit tanks or sleeved shirts worn under matching cardigans. These look great when paired with a short skirt and over-the-knee socks.
“Plaids define the newness this season,” says Klein of J.C. Penney. Plaids are seen everywhere: on jumpers and skirts, vests and parkas, sneakers and backpacks.
Plaid skirts are pleated, or as skirt wraps with buckles or buttons. “Skorts” or “skooter” skirts (shorts disguised as a skirt) are another classic hit for girls, in corduroy, denim or plaid.
Look for the coordinating two-piece outfit: a knit top with a collar that matches the skirt.
These are short and flippy skirts; just as popular is the ankle-length floral skirt made of challis fabric, worn with a short-cropped denim vest. Of course, denim remains a school wardrobe favorite, because of its durability and versatility.
“Denim just stays and stays,” says Patton. “Denim vests are a key item, yet they’ll be cropped short above the waist. Vests have contrasting collars in velvet, corduroy or flannel to add a more feminine look.”
Denim jumpers are hot, too, sometimes spruced up with sunflowers and embroideries. This year’s denim jeans have slimmer styles, which offer an alternative to more traditional cuts.
Shoes for girls range from casual to dress, sneaker to hiking boot. While canvas Vans are still “in,” this year look for the new “retro-athletic” shoe: canvas on top with either a high-heel or lug bottom, in bone or black.
Chunky patent leather loafers are also hot footnotes.
“The shoe I’ve seen a lot of is the block heel penny moc,” says Patton. Also common is the traditional Mary Jane shoe with a contemporary buckle or button on the side, which looks great with knee highs and a short pleated skirt.
Top off a girl’s completed look with a hat, either an oversized paper boy cap or a neat beret for a classic touch.
For the boys
Boys traditionally have had fewer choices in fashion styles, but this year there is plenty to choose from in collars, cuts and colors.
The new banded collar on boys’ shirts is an alternative to the basic polo. Banded collar shirts are great looking in denim or plaid.
Denim jeans are a key back-to-school staple. “Even though everyone is wearing jeans, there’s still a lot of choice in the cut,” says Patton of The Bon.
Choose the classic straight leg or the loose jean with the tapered leg. Choose baggy jeans, with or without pleats. There is a zippered front or the button front. Some styles will even fit over cowboy boots.
Bright colors, stripes and plaids pepper boys’ wear on vests, sweaters and shirts.
“In addition to plaids, corduroy continues as a fabric of choice for young men,” says Joe Sapienza, director of J.C. Penney’s men’s division. “The wider wale is younger and hipper and definitely a factor in all silhouettes - pants, vests and shirt jackets for layering.
“Layering continues,” says Sapienza, “but expect to see it done in a more meticulous manner. Boxy vests slip over trim henleys. Denim shirts button over tees. Shirt tails tuck in.”
Flannel shirts in plaid work great layered over T-shirts. Henley tops (distinctive with no collar and five buttons down the front) are also great layering pieces in either solid hues or stripes. Henleys are popular this year in thermal, waffle-weave knits or polar fleece fabrics.
As always, sports continues to be important in boys’ wear. Look for authentic jerseys, shirts and jackets embellished with emblems and logos of favorite sports teams. Also remaining popular are T-shirts decorated with appliques, screen prints and bold graphics with “attitude.”
In footwear, boys’ loafers are a timeless classic, as are athletic shoes. Hiking boots this year are less chunky and more refined. Look for the boot with a Moc toe or lug sole to be particularly durable and stylish.