Back-to-school fashion hits the runway at Columbia Place mall

There are plenty of ways to make a good – or bad – first impression on the first day of school, and, as many kids and teens know, your outfit is one of them.

Local school-aged models, with help from the racks at Macy’s and DTLR, put back-to-school fashion on the runway Saturday at Columbia Place mall, showing off some of the big trends this upcoming season.

A solid outfit makes 11-year-old Trinity Davis feel confident, she said.

A rising sixth-grader at Summit Middle School, Davis said her personal style is a mix of sparkly, glam items and tomboy-like fashion. Her go-to outfit to make her feel cool and comfortable might look something like a pair of cute shorts, a crop-top with an undershirt and a pair of colorful Jordan sneakers.

Davis was one of the models showing off back-to-school trends Saturday.

Her advice for clothes shopping:

“Look for what you want,” Davis said. “Don’t let anybody tell you what you should wear. Don’t let anybody put you down and say, ‘You should wear this.’”

Many of the looks on display at the Columbia Place fashion show featured trendy, tribal-like Aztec prints for girls, both on top and on bottom. A printed top could be paired with jeans or leggings in a coordinating color, or a solid shirt could top off printed shorts or wide-legged, trouser pants.

Other styles on the runway Saturday:

▪ Jumpers, both long and short, are in for girls. They could be layered with a jacket or worn alone to show off arms and shoulders. Jumpers are a versatile style that can dress up or down for school, work, church or fun.

▪ Leggings, zipper details and olive green are trends girls should look for this season.

▪ Plaid is in for both girls and guys, as are graphic-printed tees.

▪ Colored jeans, ankle-cinched jogger pants and Adidas sweatpants are in for men. Polish off the look with a pair of colorful sneakers or urban boots.

▪ Mixed patterns are encouraged, as long as they’re in complementing colors.

Some additional fall fashion tips from Diane Shaw, of Shaw’s Model and Talent Center in Columbia:

▪ Try everything on.

▪ Look to the past for trends, such as Aztec prints and jogger pants, making their way back into current style. “Everything is a blast from the past,” Shaw said.

▪ Make your look your own. Take cues from trends in media and the fashion world, but always put together your look your own way. “Everything is not for everyone,” Shaw said.

This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 4:43 PM.