Good old-fashioned rain boots are all the rage this season, and the selection of colors and styles is as varied as the wearers. Sure, you can pick up a pair of ridiculously expensive Juicy Couture, Jimmy Choo, or Burberry rain boots, but they’re pretty boring. For the price of just one designer rain boot, you can buy a pair (or two!) for each member of your family — just visit your local Target or shop Target online. Every one of the styles shown below is under $25… some are only $15!

Princess Di wore the Original Hunter rain boot.  Hilary Duff (left) wears Burberry Wellington rain boots.

Check out this fun assortment to wear with jeans, leggings, skirts… or whatever you fancy!

Boys-Disney's Cars

Upton Fireman

Ulan Camo

Ula Polka Dot

Upala Polka Dot

Udelia Butterfly

Women-Allison Floral

Merona Zasha

Barbie 50th Ann.

 

You can find just about anything on a school backpack. Cute kids will see themselves coming and going with bags featuring iCarly, Team Jacob, Transformers, and Disney Princesses. A lot of these trendy packs are cute but useless. Some are too big (your preschooler can only bear so much), others are too small (your middle school kid needs enough room for books, her iPod/cell phone, etc….)

Some of the “pretty” ones are too delicate to withstand the daily wear and tear — set that pastel-pink pack on the floor of the bus just once and see what happens. And the newest thing — a clear, see-through backpack — is just too much temptation for little thieving classmates.

Jennifer Garner didn’t cave in to the fads. Violet sports a variety practical school backpacks. The bag shown here (at right) is just the right size for her. It doesn’t have a bunch of confusing zippers and pockets to frustrate the little preschooler. And it’s made of a durable, printed nylon that’s easy to wipe off.

Check out these smart choices online:

The LL Bean Original Book Pack (left) has been a customer favorite for 22 years. Designed for ages 7 and up, the Original Book Pack is great for young students carrying light-to-moderate loads.  Built from durably nylon, the pack has a padded back panel and shoulder straps. As an added bonus, the 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material makes your child visible at night. It’s available online in a variety of prints for just $27.95.

The Heart Backpack at Walmart (right), just $15, is a sturdy, good-looking backpack. It features just enough compartments and organizer pockets to meet the average elementary-schooler’s needs. The bag measures approximately 12″W x 18″H x 7″D, so it’ll hold those larger textbooks and projects. Buy it at your local Walmart or online (just 97 cents for shipping & handling!).

Target’s  Three Backpack (left) boasts a multicolored, floral/paisley pattern in your choice of pink, blue or purple. Young and old kids alike will appreciate the multiple compartments (including one that’s insulated) as well as interior accessory and cell phone pockets. Made of waterproof polyester, the Three Backpack is built tough for everyday use. It can be cleaned, just hand wash with mild detergent. Originally listed for $29.99, it’s now on sale for $23.99.

Okay, so my first-grader has a Hello, Kitty backpack… but it’s black, and it’s the right size for her, and it’s not too complicated, so I think it’s a smart choice. What famous character graces your kid’s backpack this year? Sponge Bob? Spiderman? Hannah Montana? Tell us!

They’re ba-a-a-ck!

Leggings are alive and kicking.

Jennifer Hudson, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and other have been spotted with what fashionistas now refer to as “liquid pants.” Celebs pair them with bubble jackets, sequin tops, T-shirts, and mini-dresses. We’ve seen these abominations in spandex, leather, see-through sheer, and even denim. So does that mean you should to step into a pair of stirrups? Please don’t…

While we abhor the thought of wearing unflattering leggings ourselves, we love them on our children. They’re comfy, practical, and so easy to for kids to wear. Whether your little girl is an infant or a tween, you can find leggings to go with just about every outfit. You’ll find the adorable rose pink leggings shown here at Bella and Gracie’s Online Boutique for just $7. Or check our more fun styles from these retailers:

The Children’s Place
When it comes to mix-and-match kids fashions, The Children’s Place is the place to go. You can always find a colorful array of tops, bottoms, socks, and shoes that look great separately or together. This year’s selection of leggings is fab — solids and patterns, capris and ankle-length, embellished with bows, lace, and ruching. And there are dozens of pieces to match each pair! Pick up a bunch of different colors and styles at prices as low as $5.99 each!

Land’s End
Land’s End is known for high-quality comfort. With sizes ranging from toddler to big girl plus, Land’s End offers a fun variety of leggings made of a stretchy cotton/Lycra blend (”no baggy knees”). Choose from tight-fit capris, regular fit ankle-length, or yoga flare styles. Prices range from $12.50 to $18.50, but if you buy three or more pairs, you can save up to $2.50 each!

Target
With affordable brands like Xhilaration, Circo, Champion(R), and Mossimo, Target gives us an enormous selection of leggings for infants, girls, and teens for as low as $2.50 each. Pair them with a coordinated sundress or fun tunic for an instant ensemble! Check out metallic lace trim for infants, French terry cloth for girls, and boot-leg cut for tweens.

EarthMoment
Want to shop for leggings and fight global warming at the same time? Buy through EarthMoment, a no-cost online portal partnering with more than 1,000 retail companies, and a portion of your purchase will be dontated to the fight against climate change. Through EarthMoment, you’ll find dozens of leggings from Zutano and Patagonia. For every $12 pair sold, EarthMoment donates nearly 40 cents — at no additional cost to you!

Children of the 80s and 90s, ‘fess up: Were you a leggings junkie? Are you still…?