FROM RUNWAYS TO HALLWAYS
Back-to-school fashion gets playful
Pens and paper? Check. Notebook and computer? Check, check. Cool new threads? Working on it ...
No matter the age, one of the most fun parts of back-to-school shopping is undoubtedly getting new clothes. And student style for the 2016 school year is shaping up to be a statement-making sartorial exercise in colour and prints, which means it may well be one of the most fun years to shop for yet.
“The whole whimsy and play thing is getting bigger,” Jenny Cooper, head of design at Crewcuts, the children’s division of J.Crew says of the school fashions ahead. “From patches that allow you to customize your clothes, to bags shaped like a doughnut, or a creature.”
While girls will likely see lots of florals on the racks in stores as we head into fall, for boys it’s all about classic cuts and wardrobe staples — such as Vans high-tops, chinos and white T-shirts — with a few playful updates mixed in for good measure.
“Stretch chinos or jeans and a great striped shirt, for both boys and girls,” Cooper says, adding that this is a fail-safe first-day-of-school ensemble. “Girls can get a great printed shirt, too.”
Popular prints, in addition to the aforementioned florals, include plaids, dots and stripes.
“In prints, the botanicals feel right, evocative of growing things,” Cooper says. “(And) we always love a classic stripe, but other colour combinations are taking off, too, like an intense blue with a red.”
In terms of colour, black and navy will be making their typical top-of-the-class appearances, but there will be a few surprises, too.
“Khaki or army green worn with brights like neon persimmon or neon citron,” Cooper says are the more surprising shades expected to hit hallways this school year. “And shades of pink — for both boys and girls.”
The year ahead will be full of experimentation with style. Patches will be making appearances on book bags, jackets and even jeans, which are set to get comfier than before, according to Cooper.
“Denim is getting slimmer, softer and stretchier,” she says. “And there’s more emphasis on customization — rip and repair, paint splatters, ironing on patches.”
If you’re working on a tight budget, updating last year’s clothes with eye-catching embellishments is a great way to make old garments feel new again. You can even make the application process part of a fun summer project with kids to help them get hands-on — and creative — with their clothes.
“I’ve even seen some amazing things that kids have done themselves,” Cooper says of the DIY designs. “It’s important to remember that it should look like you did it yourself, so embrace those irregular stitches and messy splatters.”
Cooper says another way to save on back-to-school shopping is by investing in the one or two pieces that can be worn all year and will endure the abuse, rather than picking up multiple cheaper garments.
“I buy things that last, so I need to buy less of them,” she says. “Three good pairs of pants gets them through a year and then they can be passed on, maybe with a patch on the knee.”
Students who wear uniforms don’t have to feel left out of all the fun. Cooper says uniforms present the perfect opportunity for students to experiment with accessories.
“It probably varies from school to school, but I think backpacks and bags would be a great place to add patches and charms,” she says.