Denim, Boots, Animal Prints in for Back-to-School

You've gotten your teacher assignment letter in the mail and called your friends to see who's in your classes. All your forms are filled out, your pencils are sharpened and your lunchbox chosen. The next step? Deciding what to wear the first day of school.

Whether you're in second grade or seventh, a back-to-school outfit requires some consideration. After all, you know your wardrobe will be immortalized by your scrapbook-happy mom and scrutinized by your discerning classmates as you take that initial stroll down the school hall. 

Patch asked St. Louis Park retail experts what kids are choosing for their back to school attire:

Judy at sees these trends for the elementary-school set:

1. Denim. The skinny leg is still big, with the flare on its way back in.
2. "Boarder" look t-shirts and hoodies for boys.
3. For girls, cute jackets, hoodies and stylized tops, with less glitz than last year. 
4. Scarves and shoes coordinated with the outfit. 

Leslie Butler, the vice president of merchandising at , recommends these footwear styles for older kids (junior high and up):

1. Minimalist footwear that makes you feel barefoot, like Vibram FiveFingers and the New Balance Minimus group. 
2. Boots, boots and more boots, especially the equestrian look, described as a knee-high riding boot with a flat heel usually with a belt around the ankle. 

And to make any outfit complete you need accessories, such as these recommended by Trina Setterstrom, the manager at in :

1. Plaids and argyles in earth tones
2. Knit scarves and arm warmers
3. Nature, especially animal themes and animal prints, from fuzzy animal backpacks for little girls to zebra and leopard acrylic nails for big girls
4. Feather earrings and other feature accessories
5. Crackle nail polish 

After the all-important first day, it’s back to wearing what’s comfortable and concentrating on what really counts—hitting the books!