Celebrity-inspired looks, bright colours, bold prints get top marks for back to school

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Denim ranks top in the apparel category during the back-to-school shopping season among teens 13-17. (CP)

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TORONTO -- Students no doubt had a tough time blending into the background when they headed back to class last week as the wave of brights that saturated spring and summer styles continues to ripple into fall fashions.

"Now more than ever they've got lots of coloured bottoms to choose from,'' said Gap Inc. spokeswoman Victoria Kirk. "It's a trend that's carried over from last year, but now they've got a huge assortment of colours to choose from, from pink to rose to turquoise to yellow to seafoam green. They've got everything under the rainbow.''

Kirk said animal prints are also seeing a re-emergence, with cheetah, leopard, zebra and snake prints punctuating apparel as well as accessories from shoes to socks and backpacks.

While kids may have more of a licence to be whimsical when it comes to combining prints and patterns, Kirk said some may want to be cautious when heeding the call of the wild in updating their fall style.

"I would say have fun, but at the same time... having animal print from head to toe might be a little bit overly ambitious,'' she said. As an alternative, she suggests teaming a graphic top that complements the colours featured in the bottom versus wearing a top and pant pairing all in the same print.

A recent study from market research company The NPD Group finds that denim ranks tops in the apparel category during the back-to-school shopping season among teens 13-17.

Winners fashion expert Sarah Smithers said the perennial fall style favourite cuts across all age categories. But for teen girls in particular, new denim offerings will deliver stylish updates to standard basic blues.

Smithers said much of the coloured denim available during spring and summer have re-emerged for fall with highlighter brights among the offerings geared towards teen girls. Their male counterparts will likely favour darker, more autumnal hues such as green, burnt orange or perhaps rusty red, she noted. Distressed washes are also big for boys, said Kirk.

Smithers calls printed skinny jeans "the new kid on the denim block'' for September. What's more, young, emerging stars of stage and screen are leaving a stylish blueprint that is being reflected in fashions likely to be coveted by tweens and teens -- and printed denim is no exception. Country music sensation Taylor Swift has been spotted out in a polka-dot pair while actress Dakota Fanning has been seen sporting star-printed denim.

Kirk said the slouchy, skinny jeans favoured by homegrown superstar Justin Bieber and British boy band One Direction are also being embraced by boys. And while a more slender silhouette remains on-trend, she said it all boils down to comfort, with the roomier boot-cut fit also on offer.

Smithers said the "denim addiction'' extends beyond jeans with kids looking to incorporate and layer pieces such as vests, button-down shirts or jackets with other items.

The collegiate style embraced by homegrown hip-hop star Drake -- known for his love of the letterman jacket -- remains a familiar presence on the fashion frontlines for teen boys.

"While sweatshirts and hoodies are always going to be popular with this age group, this fall, there's also room for great cardigans and sweaters,'' said Smithers. Sleek sweaters for boys also feature cable knit details, while layering the look with a brightly-hued polo offers a bold pop of colour, she noted.

Smithers said apparel items for girls also encompass preppy, pretty pieces infused with personality. Blazers are a "big story'' for teens and younger kids, doubling as a statement jacket and a stylish, light outerwear option for the first warm weeks back to class. They're also being diversified with colourful contrast panels and trims, she noted.

"It gives it that sort of a ladylike look that a lot of teen girls are going to be going for this September,'' said Smithers, pointing to blouses punctuated with playful prints like horses, unicorns, dogs, hearts and stars. Teamed with skinny jeans or a pleated skirt, it will give youngsters the Gossip Girl prep-school look popularized on the hit teen drama, she noted.

Kirk said classic wardrobe staples such as hoodies and tees are not only great for layering but can also add a lot of mileage to school wardrobes in their ability to be threaded throughout a variety of looks. Leggings are another investment piece that can add longevity for girls wanting to extend the wear of a dress beyond September, she noted.

While sneakers remain popular footwear options for boys, Smithers said those for an eye towards polishing off their collegiate look may want to seek out a preppier alternative such as a suede desert boot.

Smithers said a heeled bootie remains a fail-safe style option for girls, but there are plenty of other options for those favouring flats, including the moccasin. Other tried-and-true favourites are getting an update, with Kirk pointing to sparkle detailing and colour-infused animal-print on ballet flats and colour-blocking on high-tops.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 11, 2012 D1