When you scan trade show aisles or conduct searches for merchandise suppliers to meet Back to School buyer demands, keep this short list of trends and sales strategies at the ready.
1. “Bling-i-tude” Rules Among Teen-Tween Girls this Fall.
The economy has dialed down unlimited allowances and high-priced impulse purchases … like $120 brand name wrist bags and T-tops purchased by the dozen in every color. But teens and tweens still demand new back-to-class clothes. This season mixes new clothes with an ongoing trend to glitter…shine…a bit of flash. Also known as Bling-i-tude … BLING + Attitude.
Look for apparel that shows Blingitude.
· Silver, Gold or Bronze Detailing – buttons, appliqués, beadwork, jewelry findings sewn into blouses and sweaters, as well as jackets and jeans.
· Remember Ye Olde Hippie customized clothing following the Summer of Love (40 years ago). The show-stopping designs and patterns embroidered or screened on workhorse denim pants, skirts and jackets in 1969 … have gone brighter and blingy with metallic threads, shiny fabrics, new textile blends that shimmer or look 3-D with different hues from different angles. (Think hologram textiles with different naps. Or flip-action cards that tricked your eyes with motion.)
2. Hoodies and Graphic T’s On Display.
For Youth Apparel from high school classroom to college campus, see a search of wholesalers of Urban Wear Styles from Off Price Network. Hoodie pullovers, knit caps and heavy metal accessories still ride high. (Oooops, I mean still ride low at least on the waistband.)
Hot this Season: Graphic T-shirts screen printed with lifestyle and music designs, attitudes and slogans, brand names, elaborate “tattoo” patterns — without the skin ink – manga-style graphic cartoon characters and lots of Peace Symbols. (The Peace Symbol has a 50th birthday this year.) See also peace symbol jewelry and accessories from: wholesaler Cool Jewels Fashion Jewelry and Macy’s department store, which dedicates entire floors to displays of the Summer of Love .
3. Value-price Discount Buyers Find Closeout / Overstock / Below-Wholesale Deals at Trade Shows This Month.
Buyers stocking Back to School and Fall Season merchandise – hoodies and graphic T’s, student laptops and electronics, dorm room storage cubes, personal housewares, fashionable backpacks – will find exceptional deals at Las Vegas trade shows in August and September.
· ASD Las Vegas Las Vegas from August 9-12.
· Off Price Specialist Show Las Vegas from August 28 to September 1.
· ASAP Global Sourcing Las Vegas from August 30 to September 2.
Upside of a Down Market. The reason this year is best for discount deals on youth apparel, classroom and dorm accessories is the upside of a down market, or silver in the gray economic clouds. Several popular retail chains that target tweens, teens and the college-aged have boarded up their mall stores and outlets since last December. Some location shutdowns were driven by corporate desires to staunch the flow of red ink; others resulted from system-wide bankruptcies.
But chain reseller shutdowns mean more deeply discounted merchandise hit the overstock, closeout, surplus and liquidation resale markets. Look for value-priced lots of merchandise from Steve and Barry’s (every known graphic T, Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Bitten” design line, casual urban wear); Pac-Sun Wear (hoodies, T’s, jeans, beachwear, outerwear) and both Circuit City and CompuServe liquidated inventory (school supplies, computer and consumer electronics).
4. Fitness Footwear. Casual footwear that doubles for fitness activities is always a strong seller.
· Source the most popular, searched wholesalesuppliers of Athletic Shoes. 
· Top 5 “sneakers” brand searches from Google-assisted AOL at the beginning of the summer season included: 1. MBT; 2. Adidas; 3. Converse; 4. New Balance; and 5. Nike.
MBT footwear is designed with a negative heel and a positive arch, which is supposed to burn more calories, improve posture and exercise and tone body muscles with every step. Brands like Adidas and Nike crossover wearers who want support for running and sports with wearers who simply want to display an athletic fashion persona.
· FitFlops ™ 
and Clogs like Crocs 
and EVA clog shoes, are molded to provide arch support to student feet. Some claim to exercise, strengthen or slim the wearer’s leg and thigh muscles.
5. Plan a Tax-Free Shopping Event.
Many U.S. states launch Tax-Free Holidays timed to the back-to-school buying season … August. The waiver on sales taxes for a one-to-three day tax break focus on school clothing, shoes, school supplies (backpacks, book bags, office supplies) and electronics for discount-driven parents on back-to-school buying missions.
· One example is a tax holiday in Missouri from August 7 to 9 that exempts over $3,000 in computer equipment purchases from sales tax … potentially up to $150 in a tax discount.
· Another example is tax-free clothing purchases in North Carolina, everything from coats and jackets to baby clothing, boots and shoes.
What of value-driven parents who need back-to-school clothing and supplies, but miss the narrow window of a tax-free holiday? Or what of buyers in tax jurisdictions like Washington, D.C. where a budget squeeze cancelled tax-free days this August? (Other revenue-strapped states have considered canceling as well.)
An independent discounter of electronics, jewelry and housewares in my region cleverly times a “We will pay your sales tax” one-day event … weeks after New York State’s tax-free holiday … for anyone who missed the official tax-free days.
If you’re a merchandise reseller who sources the lowest prices through wholesale search directories and at discount trade shows, why not stage a tax holiday for your customers? “We pay your sales tax on back-to-school essentials” has stronger marketing appeal than offering “10% off your purchase.” Or, “20% off *select* items.” Or, the even less specific claim: “Our prices can’t be beat.”
Savvy customers have a very specific idea of the sales tax they have to pony up on major clothing or electronics purchases. Offering them a tax-free holiday is cash-in-hand help for back-to-school buyers.
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. Some extend almost to the knee, as thigh shapers. And other body shaping lingerie covers trouble spots, such as stretchy slimming “girdles” or abdomen wraps.
Fashionista advice to women is to Never Wear Sports Lingerie Under Street or Party Clothes. (The athletic lingerie is for restriction and low-stress exercise; but it does not produce a flattering figure under a slinky party dress!) 
. . . with higher-margin health and comfort sports bras. See 
