Tampabay.com
JULY 31, 2009

Back to school trends that won't make you panic

It's the first day of school. You are locked in a cold panic, sweat beads landing in your eyeshadow. You accidentally inhale aerosol hairspray.Your entire closet is strewn about like a scene from Soylent Green. Your mother glares at you with intense scorn.

Putting together a first day outfit is rough.

You can't look too fresh, like a guy who gets a hair cut on his wedding day. You can't look like you were up all night plotting with whiteboards and pie charts. You also also can't look dirty and sick, like you had a Slurpee bender all summer.

To aid our young readers in the awful process, Deal Divas present our top five back to school looks. Pick up a few of these pieces and pair them with stuff you already have. You'll look expertly balanced and confident, ready to focus on more important things, like getting to the cafeteria YooHoo cart before it's sold out.

Bohemian

I feel like boho has been a "trend" every season since 1967. Alas, it's 2009 and here we go. It's still awesome, though, mostly because you can eat eight Pop Tarts and no one will notice the bloat. And a one-piece sack is the nicest thing you can do for yourself at 6 a.m. when you are up, but legally might still be considered asleep. Try this one, $24.99 by Xhilaration at Target. Throw on a denim jacket for dress code.

Targetdress

Distressed denim

Your mom will hate you for this, but when has that ever stopped you? Ripped jeans are hot right now, seen on everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Rachel Bilson. Try pairing them with a crisp top and bold jewelry so you don't look totally transient. These Decree boyfriend jeans are on sale for $24.99 at JCPenney. Or, make your own at home by doing knee skids down the driveway.

Destructed jeans

Scarves

We know it's like 99-point-schweaty degrees out, but these fringed dohickeys are showing up everywhere. If you can stand the stuff on your neck, a lightweight summer scarf is a simple way to bring an old white tee into this millennium without spending a ton of money. This one is only $8 at Dillard's department stores, and look how cute this chick is. Yeah, we hate her, too.

Scarfdillards 

Plaid

You no longer have to work on a dude ranch or herd sheep in Scotland to sport plaid without looking dumb. It's everywhere right now, from lumberjack prints to vintage western styles. Guys, try one of these cool, button-down plaid shirts from Old Navy, $15.25. It's inexpensive, and it'll woo the ladies better than your smelly Rays jersey.

Westernshirt 

Oversized bags

Backpacks are gross, aren't they? I always forgot vanilla sandwich cookies in the bottom of mine, and my (incomplete) math homework got covered in yellow sugar dust. Around 11th grade, I decided to switch to something more sophisticated to hold my cookie dust -- an oversized shoulder bag. They add a pop of fun to your school look without saying, "I'm going hiking in northern Vermont!" This awesome Deux Lux Pintuck Satchel is on sale at Urban Outfitters for $39.

Peachbag

Happy shopping!

~ Deal Diva Stephanie

Photos: Target, JCPenney, Dillard's, Old Navy, Urban Outfitters

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Looking for shopping deals in Tampa Bay? The Deal Divas are on the prowl, sniffing out hot fashion finds that won't leave your wallet in ruins. Now you never have to miss a shopping deal! Sign up for weekly Deal Diva Alerts by e-mail. by e-mail. And check in often for the lowdown on local bargains, as well as fashion advice, fun photos and style news. Because shopping should be all about the Washingtons!

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Emily Nipps As a sullen teenager, Emily Nipps refused to wear anything but black, olive green or burgundy, preferably ripped. She has since added color to her life but still experiments with her dark streak. A product junkie, she has tried tons of overpriced face creams and hair products but loves drugstore brands that work the same. She's an Aries and a bassist in a punk band. She has a pet pig, seven chickens, three cats and a rabbit. And just as many lip glosses. She can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or nipps@tampabay.com.

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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