Very fashion-forward

There comes a time in every girl's life when she and her motherdisagree about such matters as clothes, hair and makeup.

Mom wants to keep her baby in buttons and bows, but the daughter'sready to move on to zip jackets and miniskirts.

The time for this inevitable clash is a highly individual matter,but it seems to be coming at an earlier and earlier age.

Like 8.

Girls are jettisoning the sweet jumpers and smocked blouses theirmothers have chosen for them. Influenced by everything fromtelevision to the Internet, they want to dress like their oldersisters, in denim jackets and embroidered jeans, animal prints andCapri pants. They might wear Mary Janes - but only if they're onplatforms and come in a cool fabric or color (and hold the patentleather, please).

Designers, manufacturers and retailers are racing to meet theneeds of "tweens," children ages 6 to 12 who typically wear sizes 7to 16. They've outgrown the children's department in a figurative, ifnot literal, way.

Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Donna Karan are among thedesigners pitching new products for the size 7 to 16 crowd. Chainssuch as Abercrombie & Fitch are creating merchandise geared to asmaller and younger customer. Nine West is launching a girls' shoecollection for fall. Gymboree this year launched Zutopia, a retailconcept catering to "generation Z."

Nordstrom is experimenting with a department geared to tween girlsin stores in Seattle and Utah. Adjacent to the children's department,the area features bright green carpet and colorful panels that canchange seasonally. The clothing is a more fashion-forward mix thanthe store typically features for children.

"We wanted to see if a new atmosphere and a broader range ofmerchandise would attract customers," said spokeswoman Bonnie Junell.

As for the clothes, juniors styles are trickling down tochildren's wear, Junell says. Clothing designers used to take onedesign and size it 7 to 16. Now, they're interpreting juniorsfashions and modifying the design and pattern to fit size 7 to 16.

"The market has realized there has been a total shift in attitudewith this customer," Junell says. "Mom used to make a lot of thedecisions about what the child would wear, but now it's more the girldoing it. She's willing to try a lot more fashion and is comfortablewith herself."

Shrugs are an example. "We were selling them simultaneously withjuniors. It's no longer six months after they've been introduced injuniors," Junell said. Such 1970s revival items as patchwork denimsare "blowing out of the store," she added.

Nordstrom is also having clothing made under its private labelprogram and is carrying such designer labels as Ralph Lauren and DKNYfor kids. "This is such a big market that every price category isbeing covered," Junell said.

While designers are creating clothes to appeal to the children,they're aware that parents still are footing the bill. So issues suchas age-appropriateness come into play. Mothers don't want their youngdaughters wearing items that are too tight, too revealing or too"adult."