BACK TO SCHOOL BUYING BASICS

2016 • Staff Education

What’s big for back to school? From parents’ purchasing trends to hot styles in kids’ eyewear, here’s what you need to know for fall 2016.

Tip: Watch what famous kids are wearing. “27% of parents report they recently bought a fashion item for their child after seeing it worn by a celebrity child.”

The best news? With more and more millennials now the parents of school-age kids, back-to-school spending is going to hit near record levels. According to research conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, Americans will spend a whopping $75.89 billion this year before school begins.

SCHOOL-SHOPPING BASICS

Here’s are some of the biggest back-to-school stats and trends.

• ANNUAL FALL SPENDING: Buying has risen an impressive 55% over the past decade. And, if you have college-age kids in your practice, you’ve likely benefited from the overall 18% increase in back-to-school spending for the college crowd since 2009.
• BUSINESS FORMATS: The biggest beneficiaries of back-to-school dollars will be discount and department stores, though 16% of parents surveyed say they plan to frequent local small businesses for their fall needs.

* STRONG CYCLE: The National Retail Federation (NRF), which sponsors Prosper’s research, points to 2016 as a strong “stock-up” year as opposed to last year’s “make-do” purchasing pattern.

* SUMMER START: Unlike 2015, when parents waited until the last minute to shop, three out of four families reported starting their back-to-school shopping in July this year.

FALL FASHIONS FOR KIDS

From celebs to styles, here are a few of the fashion trends for fall among the younger set.

• CELEBRITY LOOKS: More than most other years, according to Rakuten Marketing, famous kids are influencing what parents buy. In fact, 27% of parents report they have recently bought a fashion item for their child after seeing it worn by a celebrity child. Two of this year’s biggest young style icons are North West and Suri Cruise.

What about eyewear? The Vision Council’s Eyecessorize.com points out several of this fall’s hottest back-to-school looks in frames

Boy Basics

• COOL COLORS: Greens, from pale to lime. All shades of blue, from electric to navy. Bright neons, especially orange. Fire-engine red. Earthy browns plus tortoises of all tones.
• THE DEETS: Plaids and stripes. Color blocking and matte touches. Camouflage and dual-toned looks. Zigzags and standout browlines.
• SUPER STYLES: Classics–from Clubmaster- to Wayfarer-like looks. Rounds and rectangles. Aviators and wraps.

Girly Girls

• HOT COLORS: Pastels–from barely-there blushes and lavenders to light blue and minty green. Brights—reds, pinks, turquoise, and fuschia.
• FINER POINTS: Sparkle, whimsy, gloss, and glitter. Polka dots, florals, wanna-be diamonds. Scalloped edges and cool fabric and pixelated finishes.
• SWEET STYLES: Cat-eyes to aviators. Rounds to rectangles. Plus uplifted temples. All with a feminine flair.

What are you seeing in terms of popular trends among your youngest patients? Join in the conversation on Facebook here.

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