Bell rings on school fashion

Whitney Quick

Jaden Williams, 11, of Summerville; Mo’nae Ravenell, 11, of Moncks Corner; Hannah Tutela, 10, of Mount Pleasant; and Khalil Ravenell, 13, of Moncks Corner are ready for school.

Like most 13-year-old girls, Jessica Woolwine isn't afraid to experiment when it comes to fashion and knows exactly what she wants, and doesn't want, to wear.

"Remember when little girls are in your life and they let you dress them?" says her mother, Heather Woolwine. "Well, it's wonderful, and then around age 11 or 12, that all goes away."

Woolwine says she doesn't even attempt to buy her daughter clothes anymore unless Jessica is with her to save herself the trip back to the store to return things.

The Charleston mom has learned to compromise because it can be difficult to find clothing they agree on.

With school starting soon, many area parents are braving the fashion battle with their kids. And in clothing and discount stores around the Lowcountry, youths, moms and dads are trying to find common ground between what kids think is on trend for the classroom, what's acceptable and what won't break the family budget.

"I might hate the color. I may hate the plaid, whatever it is, I may not like it," Woolwine says. As long as the clothes aren't too revealing, however, Woolwine says she's happy.

"I might think they're ugly as sin, but if they've (shorts) got more than half an inch inseam, then I'm a happy camper."

Sharmane Ravenell is in the same situation.Her daughter, Mo'nae, 11, has just recently started caring about how she dresses and now requests skinny jeans and shorts that are "the shorter the better," and only name brand.

"She now likes a lot of glitter, shiny stuff on her shirts, too," Ravenell says.

But what surprises the Moncks Corner mom even more is teen son Khalil's sudden interest in fashion. She also could dress Khalil in whatever she wanted and he didn't care. But now that he's 13, things have changed.

He plans his outfits from top to bottom.

"He wants only name brands, skinny jeans, skinny shirts, tight shirts and everything has to match perfectly. He could go shop for shoes every week and be happy. I never thought he'd be like this," she says.

What's different

"We have seen a ton of neon and tie-dye and that will carry through, but when I think of fall 2011, I think of everything vintage and Jackie O. inspired," says Rachel Florio-Urso, TV celebrity trend expert. "Last year's look was more 'chill' and 'grunge,' and this year, it's a more polished look with a relaxed vibe."

Florio-Urso tells her teen daughters the most important part about fashion is feeling comfortable in their own skin.

"The best-dressed person in your school won't look well-dressed if she doesn't hold her head up high. Fashion and inner beauty really do co- exist," she says. "If you're feeling good, you're usually looking good!"

No-no's

Teens should not wear sweat pants with words written on the backside, Florio-Urso says.

"Your backside shouldn't be a walking billboard," she says. "You should also be well-groomed. Chipped nail polish and that rolled-out-of-bed look isn't going to make the grade anymore."

Boys should wear fitted jeans and belts. Gone are wide-leg, loose, stonewash denim worn below the belt.

"No one wants to see your boxers," she says. "They're called 'under'wear for that reason, and that reason alone. You wouldn't see classic Ralph Lauren models wearing their pants that low. Follow their lead. "

Season's must-haves

Mix-and-match bangles and long necklaces are in this season, Florio-Urso says. Colored denim jeans, the simple white T-shirt and a navy blazer are also this year's staples.

Another huge teen craze is RadRingz, which are two-fingered rubber rings with interchangeable words such as "princess" and "rockstar," a throwback from the '80s brass knuckles.

Hair accessories are big as well, including feathers, Florio-Urso says.

Dyed rooster feathers are applied to hair with a crimp bead near the scalp and last around six weeks.

Kim Coleman, owner of Vanity Salon in Mount Pleasant, says she can't keep them in stock.

Snappies, colorful removable hair extensions, also are popular and last six weeks. They are available in a variety of colors. Coleman says teens often get them in their school colors to express themselves.

Earlier this summer, Jessica Woolwine got a removable hot pink hair extension.

"Actually, they looked really cute and she got a lot of compliments on it," mom Heather Woolwine says. "Now we're considering letting her get a color highlighted into her hair."

Jessica researched it before approaching her parents.

"She's looking into this, seeing how much it costs," Woolwine says. "So I feel like if we're trying to teach our children to be independent, confident beings who are also unique and can assimilate at the same time, then this kind of feels like a good compromise."

Girls can wear the same pair of jeans and white T-shirt and get a different look every day by accessorizing.

Fun handbags, scarves, shoes and jewelry make bold statements.

Some examples:

For girls: Accessorize a pair of jeans with a white tank top and a colorful scarf, tall boots and stack on the bangles. Grab a big bag (recyclable bags that say something about being green make cool purses and backpacks) to complete the look for day.

For evening, simply remove some of the bangles, swap the scarf for a long necklace (or two), put on a fitted blazer and replace the boots with decorated flats or a pair of pumps. And don't forget to switch the big bag for a chic clutch.

For guys: Let your hair show and lose the backward cap. Wear the "rockstar" RadRingz and a wide band watch (go for bright colored watches or stick to classic silver) and you have added an instant style factor.

Earrings and bandanas are a fad, and that trend is fading. Graphic T-shirts show off your attitude.

Source: Source: Rachel Florio-Urso, TV celebrity trend expert, producer and on-air talent and CEO of www.RachelFlorioPR.com

For girls

For boys