Back To School Fashion Trends

Although barely mid-August, clearance racks of shorts and tanks, shelves of flip-flops, and even rows of sunglasses are being replaced with the latest styles of cargo pants, velour sweat suits, and that classic staple, jeans.

According to trend forecaster Maria Vrachnos of V Trend Research, sports will be a dominant theme, with details such as drawstrings and racing stripes. Other styles, popularized by cultural influences from yoga, surfing, and skateboarding to J.Lo’s curve-friendly clothing line and the threads donned by the ladies of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, include glittery 1980s punk and sporty-chic looks.

Parents beware: super-short skirts are becoming all the rage again. Girls may also be drawn to the still-thriving Bohemian revival, a throwback to 1960s and 70s hippie styles, with flowing peasant blouses and vintage-lace embroidery. This fall, faux-layered tops that give the appearance of two shirts are emerging, with added fabric sewn to the sleeves and collars of one shirt.

Denim, a perennial fashion standard, will be especially popular this season in vintage and antique washes that use dyeing techniques to create a specialized worn look on a darker shade of denim. Patches and inserts on the lower leg seam are also abounding.

Boys can depend on many of last fall’s jeans styles and clothing related to extreme sports. Convertible pants, which unzip at the knee to make shorts, are also likely to be popular. Urban brands will continue to be popular with both boys and girls. Some may opt for a more retro look of the classic preppy style of khaki pants and polo shirts.

Generally, says Dr Wanda Cheek, assistant professor of apparel, textiles, and merchandising at Mississippi State University’s School of Human Sciences, this year’s fashion diversity will ensure that few clothing or accessory items will be considered outdated. She warned parents shopping for children ages 4 to 6 to expect to be surprised when they look at the racks this year. Many designers have been producing clothing, many celebrity influenced, that some might deem more appropriate for teenagers.

“Fashion is really the style accepted by the majority of a group at a given time,” she said, “so fashion is really defied by the students who are wearing the clothes. Parents will want to make sure they are buying clothes their children will actually wear so that their money is not wasted.”