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It’s that time of year again. From preschool to high school, children will soon be packing their bags and heading off to class.
PRESCHOOL
TOTE TREND: Cartoon characters. Think Hello Kitty, SpongeBob, Pokémon, Barbie, the hottest kiddie flick, Cars, and, of course, the entire Disney cast.
Name: Aleeya
Grade: Senior kindergarten
Schoolbag: “I like my pink backpack with Tinkerbell on it. Pink, purple and yellow are my favourite colours.”
What’s in your bag? “I take my doll, Cassandra, to school. Or my panda.”
What’s on your mind? “Mamma Mia” [the song by ABBA]
ELEMENTARY
TOTE TREND: Superheroes. Jordan, below, nailed the big sellers for little boys. For girls (and sometimes boys), Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez count as superheroes.
Name: Jordan
Grade: 3
Schoolbag: “I like regular old backpacks, with like Batman or Spiderman on them.”
What’s in your bag? “I usually bring my Pokémon cards, but my mom says I’m not allowed to trade.”
What’s on your mind? “I love Justin Bieber, and one day I want to be famous like him.”
MIDDLE SCHOOL
TOTE TREND: Skater style. If your youngster is into hoodies and jeans, go for big brands like Nixon, West 49, Billabong and Hurley. They resonate with the hipster crowd – for both guys and gals.
Name: Dylan
Grade: 8
Schoolbag: “I have a dark grey backpack from my fave skater store.”
What’s in your bag? “My iPod. My favourite bands are Bruno Mars, Gorillaz and Green Day.”
What’s on your mind? “I like playing video games and playing guitar.”
JUNIOR HIGH
TOTE TREND: Canadian cool. Being from Canada is totally hip. Let your pre-teen show his or her patriotic colours or favourite sports teams. Country flags, such as the U.K.’s Union Jack, are also “acceptable.”
Name: Solomiya
Grade: 9
Schoolbag: “I have a red and white backpack. It’s been to a lot of places; I take it on almost every trip... Ukraine, USA, Mexico and any camping trips my family and I go on.”
What’s in your bag? “I always have my iPod, because no matter what the situation, music always gets me through anything that is happening.”
What’s on your mind? “I’ve been dancing for eight years now. I do Ukrainian dance, contemporary, ballet, jazz, and I’m getting into competitive dance starting this September.”
HIGH SCHOOL
TOTE TREND: Prints and patterns. Everything from geometric shapes to army camouflage can say a lot about your young adult’s personality. Let them choose the one that best says who they are.
Name: Allison
Grade: 12
Schoolbag: “My backpack is green with a circle pattern and a silky fabric on the inside. What is cool about it are the labels on the inside that give you ideas about what each compartment or pocket can be used for.
What’s in your bag? “I wear lots of hair accessories, like headbands and decorated bobby pins.”
What’s on your mind? “My laptop is always on, because I like to check my e-mail frequently, watch TV shows and stay connected with my friends.”