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Schools

Send the Kids Back to School in Style

Here's a look at some of this year's popular fashion outfits for children and teens.

It's that time again, the time of year when children jeer and parents cheer. It's back-to-school time! 

The school bus will soon be rounding the corner in your neighborhood to pick up wary children, so it's time to start thinking about back-to-school shopping.

Aside from the obvious stuff like socks and backpacks and school supplies, the kiddos might also need a couple of new outfits.

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While it's not completely necessary, it might be fun to get them a couple of things that reflect this fall's trends, and since I've done the research, I'll share it with you so your little ones can get to matriculating in style.

For girls, this year is all about the ruffles. You can find them on pretty much everything from vests to dresses and skirts and even tank tops.  If it's ruffled, it's in. Also hot for girls are cotton cardigans, tule skirts and colorful tights or leggings. 

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Color is definitely in. From those colorful leggings to graphic T-shirts and hoodies. Bright colors and patterns will be the rage this fall.  Luckily, the skinny jeans and leggings are still "in," so kids can rewear the ones they already have.

As far as shoes go, faux leather boots as well as sparkly flats and moccasin shoes are the trend. The perfect outfit would be a sparkly and colorful graphic T-shirt paired with a ruffled skirt over leggings and flats.

When it comes to the boys, the big trends are graphic T-shirts and long-sleeve plaid shirts of all colors. Skinny jeans are still in, but try them in the a different color, like gray.

Skater shirts and pants are hot, as are hoodies. The hoodies can be colorful or a plain gray on a denim jacket. The faux leather also applies to the boys, but in a sneaker rather in a boot. Also, comfortable slip-on sneakers will be big for boys this fall.

Layered looks will be good for boys. Try a plain T-shirt under a long-sleeve plaid shirt with a hoodie jacket over that paired with some skinny jeans or even cargo pants and some slip-on sneakers. 

As far as backpacks go, colors and patterns will be very popular. Backpacks in metallic colors with beading or graphic prints like polka dots, flowers and zebra prints are a hit for girls. Boys will like skateboard or graffiti-inspired backpacks along with graphic prints like camo. Also, for little kids, the zoo packs are all the rage.

Remember, even a few items can be mixed and matched in order to create a trendy fall 2011 style without spending too much money, and you can find many of these items just as easily at a department store as you can at Kmart, so it pays to mix and match and find the best deals. This way, the kids can look their best without breaking the bank.

Happy back-to-school days!

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