Aug. 13--It's August, time for hotly contested competitive sports events, and we're not talking Olympics. We're talking back-to-school shopping -- parents and household budgets on one side, kids and cool-factor bragging rights on the other.

If you're putting off the experience because you just can't cope with the annual duke-it-out in the store aisles, good news. Things could be easier this year.

In the pre-teen and teen departments, layering is hot -- which means fewer demands for midriff-baring Britney looks and more opportunity to mix in old separates with new purchases.

Over in the kids' section, mismatched clothing is no mistake. Recognizing that children are going to wear stripes with dots and plaids with prints (regardless of what Mom says), manufacturers are offering coordinated yet purposefully mismatched looks.

Green (as in environmentally aware) is the new black. Graphic T-shirts are staples, plaids are cool, slinky is out, boxy is back, denim never left, tie-dye returns and, thanks to the layering trend, covering up is in style. This season, revealing camisoles and tank tops are paired with hoodies or graphic T-shirts. And dresses or tunics, topped by cardigans or shrugs, are layered over leggings or pants.

Don't expect to pass off last year's looks on this year's student shoppers. Experts say consumers, from elementary-school-age to teens, are sophisticated consumers who know what they want. New fashion trends -- driven by music or by TV shows like " Gossip Girl," " The Hills" and " Hannah Montana" -- spread with almost viral speed and intensity on the Internet and on My Space, Facebook and other social-networking sites.

That feeds into 'tweens and younger teens' desires for their favorite celebrities' clothing brands, says Michael Stone, CEO of the Beanstalk Group, an authority on celebrity licensing who developed the Olsen twins' fashion brand when they were young TV stars.

"It's all media-driven," Stone said. "It's about girls seeing celebrities on TV shows, movie and concert tours, and now they get to communicate about clothing on social-networking sites. More communicating tools are available ... to spread the word about fashion a celebrity is wearing. That drives 'tween fashion."

Susan Macko, co-owner of My New Wardrobe, a children's and pre-teen's clothing boutique in Avon, agrees.

"Seven is the new 14," says Macko. "Little girls want to look like 'tweens. 'Tweens want to look like teens. Teens want to look like television and music stars. They're all very fashion savvy and very sophisticated. Some moms are even waiting until later in the season to shop, so their kids can get back to school and see what everyone else is wearing before making any choices."

Apparel sales for the 13- to 17-year-old set were nearly $30 billion for the 12 months ending May 2008, according to market researcher NPD Group's consumer tracking service. Add 'tweens and near-'tweens (7- to 12-year-olds) and college-age kids (18 to 24), and that figure soars to nearly $70 billion.

To capture a piece of the shopping-dollar pie, department and smaller stores are struggling to compete with discounters like Wal-Mart and specialty merchants like Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, PacSun, Aeropostale and American Eagle Outfitters -- which typically feature darker lighting and throbbing music to welcome teens.

"We're in a very challenging time period," said Allison Levy, merchandise manager for menswear and children's wear at the Doneger Group, which advises major stores on what fashions to buy. "We have to work harder to get them in the door and satisfy them. ... It's about capturing their attention."

So what items will teen girls be looking for this fall? Popular colors include gray, red and purple. Kelly Cole, president of Halls Department Stores in Kansas City, Mo., says there are five pieces that will take teens right into winter: a boxy cropped blazer, pants or a skirt that accentuates the waist, a chunky cardigan, a feminine blouse and boots in any height.

"If not a boot, go for a platform shoe or one with a peep toe," Cole said. "As for accessories, bangles worn in multiples and an oversized handbag are the two biggest trends we like.

Macko sees such details as embroidery, ruffles, jeweled accents and other embellishments as a big statement in girls' fashions this year. In boys' wear, dragons, tie-dye and skull-and-crossbones graphics are in, as are muted colors such as gray, cocoa, stone, olive, sage and cranberry.

"Layering shows up for boys as well as girls," said Macko. "A popular look is the "two-fer," a T-shirt with contrasting body and sleeves made to look like you've layered one shirt over another."

Renee Guida, spokeswoman for Bob's Stores, says plaid shorts, a staple of summer, will carry over to back-to-school wardrobes for both boys and girls. Fleece and hooded sweat shirts in printed motifs are other essential wardrobe elements.

"Team logos, action sports brands and graphic T-shirts and skate shoes -- these are the looks that guys want as they return to the classroom," says Guida. "Girls are looking to extend their colorful summer wardrobes into 'wear-now' color for fall. They're pairing the bright colors of summer, such as pink and purple with gray and black. The menswear influence such as the 'boyfriend' sweater is big; denim jeans remain the No. 1 must-have wardrobe staple."

Even the teeniest shoppers are showing their independence. In response to the kindergarten set's demand for personal expression, manufacturers have created separates featuring dots, plaids, prints, stripes, florals and geometrics, all tied together by color, not pattern.

At The Children's Place stores, fall fashions include fashion palettes of reds, oranges and pinks or blues, greens and grays. Pick one of those palettes and stock with it throughout the outfit.

"The clothes are coordinated from a color perspective and that's a really important distinction," says Andrea Harmon, director of color and concept for The Children's Place.

Macko says the trend offers an economic edge for budget-minded parents.

"We're getting away from mentality that 'this top has to go with these pants,'" says Macko. "If you buy pieces that are coordinated by color, everything goes with everything. I've got a dress in stock that has print on the body and stripes on the sleeves. It coordinates with polka dot leggings and it's adorable."

While Harmon says there are no rules, there is a certain taste level when it comes to scale. If you have a large-scale stripe, you probably don't want to see it paired with something on the same scale. It's just too busy. She suggests the large stripe with a smaller dot or floral for girls, or a sports motif for boys.

Whichever choices end up in your shopping cart, Bob's Stores' Guida advises parents to match this year's trends with wardrobe staples.

"Kids love to have the latest brand names, but that doesn't mean you have to buy an entire new school wardrobe each and every year," says Guida. "Opt for a reasonable selection of top brand apparel and footwear to please the kids and your budget."

McClatchy News Service and Associated Press reports were included in this story.

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Story Source: The Hartford Courant, Connecticut