Back To School Fashions Make the Grade at Woodfield
Released: 08/04/03
Media Contact: Andy Perez or Bonni Pear
Miller-Pear Public Relations
(312) 649-0466 or info@millerpear.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Schaumburg, Ill. (August 1, 2003) - The three ring notebooks and the Hello Kitty pencil case might have been purchased, but are the kids dressed for back to school? Woodfield makes the grade with dozens of junior and children's apparel retailers - more than any other shopping center in the Chicago area. This year, visitors to the center's Web site can get a sneak peak at the season's hottest styles and choose their favorite looks for girls and guys.
The 2003 Shopwoodfield.com Back To School Survey is available to Internet users by logging onto the site from August 1 - 24, 2003 where they may win a $100 Woodfield Gift Certificate redeemable at any of the mall's merchants. Users will be able to click on a link from the center's home page to view and vote on four distinct styles for girls, and two for boys. Looks for girls this year include Military Mojo, Naughty and Nice, Varsity, and Pretty Nice. Guys will turn heads with Street Cred and Joe Cool styles. All merchandise featured in the survey is available at Woodfield merchants while supplies last.
Sophisticated teens will want the season's hottest colors such as greens that lean toward teal, warm sophisticated browns, reds with a blue undertone, pinks, grays and blacks.
The Military Mojo and utilitarian looks sported by Beyonce and J-Lo are strong this season as seen in camouflage prints for skirts and tops, and khaki bottoms and jackets. Cargo pants are the fastest growing trend in youth retailing as both guys and girls love the bottoms with extra pockets that hold cell phones and keys. Cargos can be found at most retailers including Abercrombie & Fitch, Wet Seal and American Eagle Outfitters.
Blame it on rocker Avril Lavigne if you must, but the Naughty and Nice look is here to stay. The rocker from Canada has made this bold anti-fashion look wildly popular with teens, according to junior and young contemporary retailers. Stores like Zutopia, Hot Topic, Gadzooks and Contempo Casual offer menswear-inspired button tops in solid colors accented with pinstripes, matched with lightly washed denims or cords. The look is completed with a cool cabbie hat.
Pretty Nice, the epitome of youthful, feminine style as worn by actress Hilary Duff and pop sensation Kelly Clarkson, can be found at center merchants like Express, Limited, Banana Republic and delia*s. Soft, flexible cords or plaid pants, all featuring wide-tab belt loops and flare legs, are matched with crewneck sweaters or feminine tops that feature floral patterns, Asian prints, flutter sleeves or lace trim.
School spirit shines through in Varsity looks this fall, as feminine sporty style continues to evolve for teenage girls. Puma recently opened its first Midwest sport boutique at Woodfield and carries a variety of performance sport and couture lines. Faux vintage screenprint tees and three-quarter sleeve crewnecks, featuring icons like Felix the Cat, city names, slogans and sports teams, are worn underneath hoodies in a variety of fabrics. Screenprint tees can be found at nearly every clothing retailer in the center including Marshall Field's, Pacific Sunwear of California and Hollister & Co. Rounding out the look, girls wear jeans, cargo pants or tracksuit bottoms in velour, nylon and cotton.
For boys, the Street Cred look inspired by rapper Nelly and superstar Justin Timberlake feature hooded sweatshirts matched with dirty denims or tracksuit bottoms. Joe Cool style, a la skateboarder Tony Hawk or funnyman Tom Green, shows off Western style shirts with snap buttons and plaid designs and workman-type short-sleeve shirts. Underneath these shirts, which are worn open or with only the top button closed, teenage boys wear solid or screenprint tees.
While denim designers have begun to pull back from the extreme washes seen a few seasons ago, new ways of washing and making jeans stand out have kept the teen market buying. Natural looking denim is a strong trend as seen with Silver brand jeans, available at Nordstrom, while the Children's Place has introduced authentic denim that features faded spots throughout the pant. Quiksilver Boardriders Club's most popular line of jeans is a one-of-a-kind distressed denim that features holes throughout the pair. Back pocket designs such as smiley faces, rainbows and patches are strong fashion statements for girls. Boys, who also like the variety of washes, are now wearing their jeans less baggy than in past years.
Teens aren't the only ones who are style-conscious these days. Their younger siblings or tweens, who range in age from 8 to 12 years, want to look their best in and out of the classroom. The Rockabilly look at Zutopia recalls the James Dean era with a new millennium touch. Pink, blue and white plaid shirts are paired with chain-belted jeans or pink plaid skirts similar to those worn by rocker Gwen Stefani. Tween boys want to imitate their older brothers by wearing the same plaid shirts and utilitarian pants which keep kid-appeal by zipping off at the knee to create instant shorts. Boys who idolize skateboarders love Quiksilver Youth, as many of their clothes are designed by professional skateboarders.
Teens and tweens will definitely be spotted at Swedish apparel retailer H&M, opening this fall at Woodfield. H&M specializes in fashion and quality at the best price for teens, children, men and women.
Woodfield is the premiere one-stop shopping experience in the Chicago area with nearly 300 of the world's favorite retailers including dozens that can't be found anywhere else in the Midwest. Located at Route 53 and Golf Road in Schaumburg, 25 miles from downtown Chicago, Woodfield welcomes more than 27 million visitors annually and is the top tourist destination in Illinois. Anchor stores include Nordstrom, Marshall Field's, Sears, JCPenney and Lord & Taylor. Dining options range from burgers and salads to sushi, seafood and steaks at sit down restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, Todai Seafood Buffet and John's Garage.
Shopping hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information on stores and center amenities, call (847) 330-1537 or visit Woodfield's user-friendly Web site, www.shopwoodfield.com. Shopwoodfield.com features an Interactive Mall map for planning easy shopping trips, downloadable coupons and a free, customized weekly e-bulletin roundup of sales, special promotions and just-arrived merchandise.