Bright times

Children encompassed by world of color

by TAMI BICKLEY

Amid the sun-scorched brown desert foliage we call home, you might see occasional flashes of vivid colors. No, they're not heatstroke hallucinations. They're our children, dressed in the hues of the rainbow and beyond during the season in which our eyes most welcome bursts of yellows, greens and oranges.

"Children's clothing is all about vivid colors right now," says Natasha Kelly, manager of The Children's Place in Phoenix's Desert Ridge Marketplace. "We're seeing a lot of turquoise, bright magenta and yellows."

Also in the mix are citrus colors that include variations of orange, yellow, pinkish-red and green, says Alicia Butt, owner of The Dapper Child in Scottsdale.

"Greens are big. Lime green, light green or mint green is in just about everything," Butt says.

If there are no limits to how bold colors can be, there also are no boundaries to the types of clothing that feature intense hues. Retailers are displaying striking colors on just about everything for girls, from dresses and skirts to shirts and shoes. Interestingly, they say, the same goes for boys' clothing.

"Bright orange and lime green in boys' tops is huge," says Wende Katz, owner of Petite Chateau in Phoenix. The children's apparel store, which carries infant sizes to children's size 14, sells long walking shorts for boys and girls with striking, unconventional plaid patterns. The plaid of the moment might be orange paired with light aqua, or olive green with royal blue, yellow, green and white.

Other patterns dominating girls' and boys' wardrobes are florals. But these aren't the flowers that prompt the question, "Did you get that from your mother's curtains?"

"The florals now have a tropical theme," Kelly notes. "Hibiscus flowers (for boys and girls) and daisies (mostly for girls) are on a lot of things."

A sundress, for example, might have a continuous, brightly colored hibiscus pattern throughout, while a boy's shirt may have a single tropical flower on a chest pocket.

"Some of the shirts for boys have that washed-out look," continues Kelly, "and there might be a tropical palm tree with a sunset."

The distressed shirts pair well with long cargo shorts and Bermuda shorts, which have been the most sought-after shorts styles for boys and men for years.

Additionally, gingham and stripes are two popular patterns that, while traditional, are updated with a twist of color. Rather than the basic red-and-white gingham, for example, children are wearing gingham with an array of pastel colors that crisscross.

Stripes come in virtually every color and pattern from thin to thick, single-colored to multicolored. A garment's stripes could even include a mix of colors that may once have been thought to clash.

Katz says that many of the dresses she carries are striped or solid in color, with fabric and cut that give them a versatile edge. Whether a dress is empire-cut or A-frame with a tank top or spaghetti straps, most dresses can be worn for almost any occasion, including trips to the beach or swimming pool. "We have some terrycloth dresses by Juicy that can be worn as cover-ups," Katz says.

Dress lengths are longer than in recent seasons, Butt says, adding that most clothing for girls tends to be "a little more appropriate, the way little girls should look, with midriffs covered and hemlines a little longer."

That's a relief to a lot of parents who have sorted through racks of children's clothing emblazoned with adult themes, skulls and blaring phrases that youngsters cannot even read, let alone understand, say retailers.

This season, designers are softening the look of children's clothing, particularly for girls, Butt notices.

"Our tank tops might have crowns with bling," she says. "There is also a (rock star) look that is pink and sweeter (than in the past). We have one tank top with a Harley (design), but no words. There are tanks with butterflies, and there's one with a pink cat with big eyelashes."

Bejeweled and embellished tank tops are a must-have for girls this season. Petite Chateau carries some top-selling designer brands, such as Lemon, Bejeweled and Juicy Couture. The store also has Ed Hardy-inspired, colorfully embellished shirts for girls and boys .

Though hardcore skulls are fading out of clothing for girls, pirate-inspired designs are still in style for boys, says Shay Herndon, a sales representative for Hissy Fits, a store in Phoenix that sells new and consignment clothing for children.

"Anything with a skull on it (the boys like)," says Herndon, who also points out that an affinity for punk-rock designs, classic rock-band logos and peace signs is also evident among young males.

Many of the popular designs for boys are printed on torn, worn, distressed T-shirts. Sleeves are not too tight or too loose and sleeve hems hit right at the midline of the upper arm, Butt explains.

While boys may eye edgier, masculine designs, girls this season tend to favor dresses, skirts and bling. Plus, they like to take the aforementioned floral trend to another level. Oversized fabric flowers are sometimes affixed to shirts, skirts, dresses and shoes. The Dapper Child stocks gauze tank top and matching pants sets that show off one attached big flower, reminiscent of that worn by actress Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie Bradshaw, on the HBO series "Sex and the City." The clothing sets were designed by a local mother.

Designers, whether local, national or international, don't limit children's clothing trends to tops, dresses and shorts, however. Bling, flowers, skulls, stripes and vibrant colors extend to accessories and shoes as well.

"There are shoes to match every outfit," Butt says of her merchandise. Flip-flops for girls are often decorated with Swarovski crystals, fabric flowers, and some with polka dots. She stresses that the ergonomics of such shoes should be considered, and therefore, she carries shoes that offer proper arch support for children.

Petite Chateau sells crystal flip-flops, as well as Robeez baby shoes and Vans with crystals. The Children's Place has flip-flops in a variety of bright colors for girls and boys as well as Converse-like sneakers with various designs for girls and boys.

"It's rainbows and butterflies (mostly) for girls, and the girls' flip-flops can be paired with outfits. The boys' flip-flops go along with the tropical theme," Kelly says.

For boys who don't wear flip-flops, Butt suggests Velcro open-toe shoes she carries that come in a popular camouflage design. For dressier occasions, she touts brown leather fishermen shoes that have a Tommy Bahama, tropical look to them.
Girls, meanwhile, can slip on decorative, colorful flip-flops and head to just about anywhere.

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