Atlantic City Weekly

WITHIN A FEW DAYS, the familiar sights and sounds of school buses and bells ringing will be everywhere. It is the annual September ritual -- millions of children bidding farewell to summer and heading back to the classroom for another year of learning.

According to CNN's Money magazine, parents will spend an average $483.28 on their children's back-to-school items, approximately 7 percent more than last year. The majority of those purchases will be clothing, and shoppers will spend about 76 percent at discount stores.

Experts disagree whether it is the European adult fashions that influence youth styles, or the media, movies and television. For whichever reason, preteens and teens will spend big money to be stylish. A National Retail Federation study reveals that kids will spend a projected $884 million of their own allowance and summer job money this year "just to be cool" when they dress.

Many popular 1980s fashions will reappear, with an updated styling. Preppy pleated skirts give a "school girl" look, but they are designed with a 1980s post-punk flair.

Girls want to imitate their current favorite stars who are dressing more subtly. Popular celebrities including Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan have set a trend towards more sophisticated, flirty, but modest, apparel. Girls will cover their midriffs, but wear short skirts in bright colors, plaids or denims.

Sandy Venzie of Ventnor Heights is thrilled that styles provide more coverage. She has had more than one "discussion" with her 14-year-old daughter Caroline, a freshman entering Atlantic City High School in September, about what is appropriate for a girl her age to wear.

"It is often very difficult for parents, because many of today's fashions are really designed for much older girls. I understand that Caroline wants to dress more maturely, but I make sure she still looks like a teen," says Venzie, "I like the Hamilton Mall, and we shop at the Charlotte Russe store. They are half preppy and half funky, with very reasonable prices. We also like the sales at Boscov's and Kohl's."

Pleated skirts are big, and the preferred cover up is the poncho, whether striped, hooded or crocheted. The tweed blazer, popularized by the Olson twins, will appear in shades of pink and magenta, royal blue, violet and chartreuse.

Denims have higher waistlines than the hip huggers of the past few years.

With jeans, girls are wearing high heels. Caroline Venzie says, "Out of everything I buy, shoes are the most important since they make my outfits," In addition to stiletto heels, sneakers and running shoes are in vogue, with an almost infinite number of styles for both boys and girls.

Boys' clothing for school is similar to last year. Vintage T-shirts with corduroys, jeans or khakis are standard items for the young boy's wardrobe. Sneakers such as running shoes and high tops in different colors make their own fashion statement.

Older males, from 15 to 25, may be drawn to the urban looks, including hip-hop clothing and T-shirts that have become almost like a message board, making a statement.

Maria Luisi of Hammonton says she buys more conservative clothes for her eight-year-old twin boys, Chase and Matt. "I want my boys to look like third graders. I don't dress them in hip-hop clothes that make them look much older. Since they are in public school, they do not have a dress code. I look for khaki and darker pants, along with nice polo-type shirts in quieter, more subtle colors." For footwear, Luisi buys sneakers for the boys. Luisi says that Old Navy is her first choice for selection and price.

As a sign of the times, almost every store has its own website where teens can scan the merchandise and purchase the items from the comfort of their own homes. However, that would take all the fun out of the mad rush to get the kids dressed. Also, since Mom and Dad would see the outfits as soon as they arrive, and may want to immediately return them, it may cause less hassle if they all go out to shop for the clothing together.