That first walk down the hall as a middle schooler can be a stressful experience for many teens. No teenager wants to hear murmurings of “that is so last year” in her wake as she looks for her locker. Worse, the response to a middle-school premiere can set the tone for the entire year! Feeling any pressure yet? Don’t. We’ve assembled trends that are certain to give your junior-high student the confidence to own the first day of school.
Back
pack
So you think a backpack is a place to store books, pens and unfinished homework assignments, right? Think again. Your teen (like everything else she wears, carries, applies, talks into and rides in) sees a backpack as a reflection of her personality. And the prominent personality trait every teen wants to put out there is coolness. To achieve this, we suggest any Roxy backpack. Yes, Roxy is proud of their brand, but the sassy designs and funky logo are what your teen is after. Watch your teens eyes widen in surprise when you suggest shopping for one of these.
Sunglasses
Let’s get one thing perfectly clear. Kids don’t care about UV rays, and they are too young to worry about getting wrinkles from squinting. All they care about is looking good. You’ll recognize this latest trend in sunglasses as Risky Business meets Top Gun. Since these movies pre-date your teen, they think plastic aviators are a fashion original. They’re inexpensive, so don’t be surprised if you get hit up to buy a couple different colors.
Purse
Many moms buy purses based on utility. How many diapers will fit in the middle compartment? How heavy can this bag get without the straps breaking? Is it big enough for bug spray, sun screen and a first aid kit? Your teen daughter is rolling her eyes when you purse shop with her. She wants her purse to look like something an heiress would tote around. Try not to get too exasperated when she brings you the tiniest one in the store (hardly big enough for lip gloss). It had better be metallic and have at least one embellishment hanging from it. It also better be a “cute” accent to at least one pair of her shoes.
Silver ring
We don’t want to leave boys completely out of the trend loop, but frankly, boys have it so much easier. As long as their jeans hang just right, their hair is shaggy and their shoes are sufficiently hip, they are good-to-go. One accessory that separates the boys from the “dudes” is a silver ring. Dudes like to rock these on their thumbs, index and middle fingers. And they are CAH-OOL! The rule of thumb here is to just get one, or one per hand at most. A dude who tricks out his whole hand looks a magician. Unless your son is walking the streets of Vegas and his name is Chriss Angel, this look is to be avoided.
Peacock feathers
Yes, this look has resurfaced, which means the peacock feathers that you mocked at garage sales a few years back would make your teen daughter DROOL. Whether they are dangling from her ears, suspended from her neck, or woven into her headband, you WILL see peacock feathers adorning your middle school daughter on some level. When this trend dies, hang on to her feathered cast-offs and sell them at your next garage sale!
Owl jewelry
Again with the bird accessories! Owls especially! Most of us can remember scary owls glaring at us from our grandmother’s lampshade or canister set. Young girls are CRAZY for owl accessories, proving that old adage of what is old is new again… and again… and again.
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Accessory trends for girls
Shoes that dress up a uniform
Shopping checklist for girls
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