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Kids' back-to-school styles put a functional twist on adult trends

By Kristyn Schiavone, Source: Tribune Media Services

The ritual of shopping for back-to-school clothes is universally practiced and, at least for girls, quite a bit more exciting than buying pencils and a box of Kleenex for the classroom.

It’s also important for helping a child establish his or her identity, even as early as elementary school, says Macy’s fashion director Abbey Samet.

“You want to define who you are by how you put yourself together each day,” Samet says.

This year, kids’ clothing styles come with a retro spin, closely following adult fashion. For boys, Samet says, bold, graphic tees with vintage screens like Atari and Star Wars and plaid shirts are paired with slim denim in dark washes.

“They see lots of celebrities and musicians wearing them,” says Samet, adding that the retro images are still fun and relatable even for today’s generation.

For girls, Macy’s is kicking off fall fashions with what Samet calls a “varsity” look. It includes pieces like striped collegiate cardigans with crests, varsity tees and anything with a preppy feel. Later in the fall, Macy’s will introduce girls’ and juniors’ pieces that take a cue from women’s 70s-inspired designs, which were huge for summer and continue to be a dominant trend for fall collections. The looks include faux fur vests, novelty prints and wide-leg or flared jeans, and Samet predicts these styles will trickle down to younger girls.

Particularly for boys, it can be difficult to strike the right balance between style and comfort, so Samet recommends natural fibers like cotton and making sure kids dress in layers. This can be helpful throughout fall as the weather turns, and it can also make sure they’re ready to sit in the classroom as well as run around in gym class. Those vintage-inspired tees, for example, are perfect to wear alone and under sweaters or jackets.

“I think overall, when you’re talking about boys it’s all about layering pieces,” Samet says. “If they get hot, you want them to be able to take off a layer.”

Shopping with kids and teens can also be a test parents’ powers of persuasion and compromise, but Samet says at a store like Macy’s, they try to make sure the fashion choices offered are things that kids and parents can agree on.

“It’s about constant negotiation and letting them have one or two things they’re really excited about,” Samet says.

© 2011, Tribune Media Services