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Community Corner

Back to School, in Style

Keeping up with the latest trends for this season.

There's nothing like planning that outfit for the first day back to school. It takes preparation, time and shopping to gear kids up for the next grade.

Girls want the latest fashions from Madonna's kid Lourdes' "Material Girl" collection at Macy's, and boys want a pair of funky Sketchers Hot Lights sneakers.

"I love the plaid and flannel shirts this season," says Sydney Fernandez, a 16-year-old student at Schreiber High School.  "I also like all the zippers and the lace and thick rubber bracelets are really popular."

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On her wrist is a blue rubber bracelet with Justin Bieber's name highlighted across it. She is an admirer of designer Jac Vanek, who started this recent band bracelet trend.

Fernandez – who admires celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Lauren Conrad for their fashion sense – likes to shop at Hot Topic, Forever 21, H&M and Urban Outfitters. But her favorite store of all is Bluetique, at 29 Main Street, where she works as a salesgirl.

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"I've been shopping here since I was a kid," she says. "My friends and I, we used to spend hours and try everything on in the store and mess it all up."

Well, now she's cleaning it up every day. And loves it. Halime Berkay, who has owned Bluetique for nine years, just received boxes and boxes of inventory for the new Fall 2010 season, which she will be unveiling over the next ten days.

A lot of the items on display throughout the store are currently 40 percent off, but expect an even bigger Columbus Day sale. Berkay's trend-spotting trick might be that she always uses local vendors and believes "we should all support each other," she says.

The shop is a revolving door of children and students shopping for back to school clothes with mom in tow. And the kids know what they want. 

"Kids are very fashion-oriented right now," she says. "There's lots of army type of clothing, lots of patches, lots of vests, crochet tops, scarves, lots of pockets on cargos. Bandeaus are also still big under sheer clothing. They come in all different colors."

"Also, there's lots of hanging jewelry," she says. "Any time we put a hanging necklace on an outfit for display, it sells. And rings are definitely huge. Big, chunky rings with flowers."

Jamie Lituthy is shopping at Bluetique with her mom and two brothers. She's looking for her first-day outfit for back to school. And she heads right for a yellow tunic. Mom purchases it. Now she knows what she's wearing. "Jeggings with splatter paint on them, this yellow tunic and my Keds," says the 7-year-old South Salem Elementary School student.

Jeggings – a combination of a legging and a jean – are still a major back to school trend, carried over from last year. So are graphic t-shirts, jumpers and anything with a peace sign.

Jocelyn Panameno, a 17-year-old Schreiber High School student is shopping for off-white Converse sneakers at Gail's Stride Rite at 9 Main Street in Port Washington. They would match perfectly with her first-day-of-school ensemble.

"I'm wearing a Hello Kitty crop tee that I designed along with other students, and denim shorts," she says, while texting away on her white iPhone – a must-have for kids these days.

Her sister, Karla Panameno, also knows what she's wearing."An Ambercrombie & Fitch t-shirt, capri pants and pink Converse sneakers," says the 11-year-old Weber Middle School student. (She really wants a Blackberry phone, but has to wait).

Both girls wear gold peace sign bracelets they bought at Bluetique, floral-designed Havaiana flip-flops and say they admire the style of actress Selena Gomez.

Frank Petriello, manager of Gail's Stride Rite, says that the high-button Ugg boot (at $139.95) is the hottest trend for back to school this fall. 

"The kids love them," he says. "And parents don't mind spending the money because the kids wear them every day."

Other hot trends are rhinestones, sequins and glitter, shown on Twinkle Toes Sketchers for the girls. A new high-top version with a peace sign (at $44) is a hit. And Merrell shoes for the boys (at $49) are always trendy "year after year," says Petriello. "It's probably the strongest shoe there is." 

Another shoe-in are the Nike 6.0's ($45), for both girls and boys. "They are always popular," he says.

Owen Gibbs, a 5-year-old St. Peters Catholic School student, must wear a uniform of sweat shorts and a blue polo shirt to school every day. But he can jazz up his outfit with a great pair of shoes. He runs right for the Sketcher Hot-Light shoes (at $50). He starts bouncing them against the floor to see them light up and can't wait to try them on.

He's excited for his first day of school, mostly to "ride the school-bus, play with the toys and learn how to read and write," he says.

And guess what?

He points to my reporter pad in hand."I can write my own name!" Nice. 

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