Must-Have Fashion Trends of the School Season

The first week of school may be over, but the search for the latest fashion trends is an ongoing process. Before the school year began, animal shaped rubber band bracelets called Silly Bandz were the must-have item for all children. That trend, according to tweens, teens and the retailers who serve them, is now old news.

Replacing that trend are Domo character items, cell phone charms and jeggings. These are just a few of the fashion accessories your kids will see a lot of at their schools. If they haven't already asked for them, they will.

"[Silly Bandz were] popular six months ago. Not anymore," said Justin Chi, owner of Lil' Thingamajigs, a novelty shop in Annandale on Little River Turnpike known for having a wide selection of kid-centric items and accessories. With Silly Bandz now a fad of the past, Chi says cute items such as decorative pencils and food-shaped erasers such as ones that look like miniature ice cream cones are what kids are looking for now.

"They like cute stuff they can't find anywhere else," said Chi, adding that anything with Hello Kitty or from Mario Bros. on it will appease the children if nothing else in the store does.

"[L'il Thingamajigs] has really cute accessories," said Chita Luong, 19, who stopped by to pick up a birthday present for a friend. "I like it here because they aren't like other stores around," said Luong, ticking off a list of popular items carried in the store like headbands, necklaces and "anything girly."

"The Domos are really popular," said Luong, referring to the stop-motion character that is the mascot of a Japanese television station. Stuffed animals and merchandise with the creature's face on it are a big hit with kids of all ages.  "Even my 11-year-old niece wants one," Luong added.

Cell phone charms such as the ones that match up two pieces of a heart are favorites among teenage couples and BFFs (that's best friends forever for the uninitiated), says Hannah Yoon, 18, a sophomore at George Mason University, and her friend Anna Jung, also a GMU student.

"If you go to Staples or Office Depot, it's plain with no designs. Everything's so cute and different (here)," said Jung, who stopped by L'il Thingamajigs to buy a decorative planner.

Even with these new trends, Silly Bandz haven't completely dropped off the radar. The silicone bands are still a big hit with the younger crowd of students, particularly with elementary school students.

"I have 52 silly bandz," said a proud Leslie Nellson, 7, of Springfield during a recent shopping trip to K-Mart in Annandale with family friend Norma Bonilla. "I have the coolest tie dye one."

"My kids are crazy for them," added Bonilla.

Celebrity clothing lines are also influencing what's hot this season. Ernest Boyd, store manager at K-Mart in Annandale, said Disney Channel star Selena Gomez's line of clothing, Dream Out Loud, is so popular that family members are hounding him for her merchandise. "I have nieces calling for her line of clothing," said Boyd.

He added that Bongo, the line by Audrina from MTV's "The Hills," is also in demand. For boys, Protégé athletic sneakers, an affordable line of footwear created by New York Knicks forward Al Harrington are a must-have. "Those have been flying off the shelf," said Boyd.

Other popular fashion trends include skinny jeans and jeggings, form-fitting leggings that are made out of material similar to the denim used for jeans.