(StatePoint) It’s no secret that kids have strong opinions when it comes to style and that their tastes are always evolving. With 38 percent of parents spending between $100 to $249 per child on back-to-school clothing, according to statistics from online retailer zulily, parents and kids alike should feel confident in their purchases.
“It’s never a good feeling to buy your child new clothes, only to find a favorite color, pattern or style has changed,” says Shawn Redman, senior buyer and kids’ fashion expert for zulily.com. “This back-to-school season, our ‘Kids’ Trend Report’ uncovered that now, more than ever, it’s important to involve kids in the shopping process to lessen potential power struggles and inspire smiles on the first day of school.”
Redman recommends planning ahead to avoid stress. Start by cleaning out your kids’ closets so you can see what still fits and create an accurate checklist of needed items. Then, look for the best deals to help you stay within budget. Online retailers like zulily.com can be a go-to destination to discover great deals on back-to-school shopping, including a variety of shoes, apparel, accessories and school supplies. Daily, the site features a new assortment of unique looks at great prices.
To help parents shop for kids, zulily is offering key survey findings from kids ages five to 12, in its inaugural “Kids’ Trend Report.”
• Girls go against gender norms while embracing the combination of comfort and style, with their top look being athletic (40 percent), followed by boho (33 percent). Boys, however, are looking to a more adult-influenced approach for fashion inspiration, preferring city chic (48 percent) and preppy (33 percent) for their back-to-school wardrobe.
• The classic, yet cool, color of blue is the top choice among all kids (26 percent). However, for girls, pink (29 percent) and purple (25 percent) reign supreme. Boys still prefer blue (42 percent), with red (15 percent) and black (12 percent) coming in as second and third choices.
• Sorry Mom, girls say you are not their number one style icon. While many moms use their own style as the main source of inspiration when shopping for their kids (38 percent), girls are more likely to turn to friends (41 percent) first for inspiration, then to Mom (26 percent), followed closely by television (22 percent). Boys continue to go with the flow and frequently turn to parents for style inspiration first (38 percent), followed closely by friends (34 percent), with television being the smallest source of their style inspiration (14 percent).
• Style inspiration isn’t the only thing moms and daughters may not see eye-to-eye on, with 36 percent of moms admitting to disagreeing on clothing choices with their daughters. To beat the wardrobe wars, a majority of moms (58 percent) recommend giving their children choices and letting them ultimately pick their own outfits.
“The back-to-school season is a perfect opportunity to inspire kids to express their individuality and boost their confidence,” says Redman.
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