B A C K To
CH L
The elementary
school set is just
as fashion
conscious as the
rest of us.
BY STEVE HARTZ
hen school bells start
ringing this fall, stu-
dents will be literally
warmed up and ready
for class. Not because they spent all
summer reading Thoreau, but
because they've been shopping at
some of Detroit's hottest clothing
stores for the latest classroom
fashions — nylon warm-up outfits.
Stores like Peanuts and Guys and
Gals, both in West Bloomfield, say
that the warm-up outfits, which once
were marketed just for adults, have
become a big fashion trend for
children.
Students will also brighten up their
schools — with their clothes — as the
neon colors survive the hot summer
and make their way into Mrs. Meyer's
sixth-grade homeroom. The
lightweight transitional fabrics are
perfect for fall days.
"Ninety-eight percent of our outer
wear is neon or neon trimmed," said
Marc Shindler, manager of Brody's in
West Bloomfield. "We carry a lot of
stuff by Ocean Pacific which trims
neon on everything to match its shirts,
jackets and gloves."
Practically all of the outer wear at
Baby and Me in Farmington Hills has
neon trim. "We're also going back to
nature, selling the earthy shades like
tan and rust, accented with some of
the bright colors," said Rita Neff, co-
owner of Baby and Me.
Lois Levinson, owner of Guys and
Gals, is seeing trends of a different
color. "We couldn't even give brown
away last year. Now we're selling all
different shades of brown; it is the
biggest color of the season," she said.
The jewel colors — purple, red,
royal, black — are selling like gems at
Loretta Lorion's Les Enfants in
Bloomfield. While the muted pastels,
smokey blue, burgundy, navy and
rose hues are big commodities at
Laura Ashley in the Somerset Mall.
What else will students be wearing?
Jean jackets with fringe, bike pants,
leather skirts and leather bomber
jackets are still a hit, according to
Loretta Lorion, owner of Loretta
Lorion's Les Enfants.
Ultra suede is also becoming very
popular. "It has the feel of suede, the
look of suede, but it's machine
washable," said Jan Gitlin , who owns
Peanuts.
And denim is bigger than ever, said
Guys and Gals' Levinson, who is also
selling a lot of cotton lycra stretch,
body conscious clothing.
Brody's is selling a lot of black
Cavirucci-style pants: high waist,
baggy seat and thigh with a tight
bottom.
Because of the popularity of the
Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja
Riftles and Dick Tracy, Detroit-area
stores are also stocking up.
Bart Simpson and his family can be
found hanging around Guys and
Gals, Peanuts and Brody's, which even
carries Simpsons' socks. The Turtles
are coming out of their shells at
Loretta Lorion Les Enfants, Peanuts
and Brody's. And crime fighters can
detect Dick rfracy at many area stores,
including Baby and Me.
With these latest back-to-school
fashions, students this fall will be
dressed for success — in the
classroom. And if teachers are
surprised to see the Simpsons on the
shirts and jackets of their favorite
pupils, they should follow the advice
of one of the most recognized
students in the world — Bart Simpson,
who says, "Don't have a cow!"
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