Mixing plaids and stripes, preppy and punk, and colors that clash used to be looks sure to elicit jeers on the playground.
But back-to-school fashion this year is more about the mix than the match, which should make getting dressed for the classroom an easy task for both kids and parents.
It’s the way young children instinctively dress — no one has told them you’re not supposed to pair a polka dot shirt with madras shorts or that it’s taboo to wear a party dress with sneakers.
The trend has trickled down to school-age kids from their older siblings, who have been mixing it up in their wardrobes for several seasons. Nothing should look too studied, too coordinated, even if it took some work to put an outfit together. The idea of jumbling eras also has appeal, whether you’re channeling the 1960s or the 1980s.
But it all starts with the basics.
“For us, it’s really about taking classic preppy looks and giving them a twist,” says Nicole Stier, public relations manager at Old Navy. Among the key pieces, she says, are printed cardigans and grosgrain-ribbon trimmed shirts for girls, and one-piece rugby polos that look like a polo layered with a long sleeved shirt for guys.
Many retailers are offering bright colors more typically associated with warm weather than cold. Preppy pinks and greens are among the key colors at Old Navy, as are botanical and butterfly prints.
It makes sense because when school starts, it still won’t feel like fall for a while. “And it can make your money go a lot farther if purchases you make in one season can be worn throughout the year,” Stier says.
Other retailers are introducing lines with a designer or celebrity touch for fall. At J.C. Penney, shoppers will find Fabulosity by Kimora Lee Simmons; at Sears, hip-hop icon LL Cool J’s lines for children, men and women will debut; Target is carrying Shaun White’s line for boys and young men and Kohl’s has Tony Hawk sportswear for boys.
Here are some key items for updating wardrobes for back to school:
• Skinny jeans in dark or gray rinses
• High-waisted, trouser-style jeans
• Plaid shorts
• Shirts layered over Ts
• Leggings worn under dresses for girls
• Vests with an ’80s flair
• Printed hoodies and cardigans.
Suzanne S. Brown: 303-954-1697 or sbrown@denverpost.com
