Fashion fears delaying back-to-school shopping

Fashion watchers say polka dots and plaid skirts are the hot trends this year for back to school. But a new report says a lot of people are putting off their purchases to track trendiness.

The National Retail Federation said less than 10 percent of families have completed their back-to-school shopping, the lowest figure in four years.

Many families are waiting to make sure they don’t show up with something out of style. Becky Graftstrom of Marysville tells KING 5 it’s sound advice.

“The girls will go back to school and say ‘Oh shoot I wanted that’.”

The delay is worrying retailers, who say back-to-school shopping is their second strongest season behind Christmas, according to The New York Times.

But KIRO radio co-host Tom Tangney argues this isn’t anything new. The father of two now college-age daughters says they always waited to make sure they stayed fashion forward.

“Everyone wanted to see that first week, ‘Oh my God this is what’s hot and this is what’s not,’ so it makes a lot of sense if you’re the slightest bit fashion conscious,” says Tangney.

Analysts say retailers are worried that kids won’t return to the stores to buy all those trendy new items. If the Grafstrom’s are any indication, they don’t need to worry. The family tells KING 5 they plan to spend about $500 on their two daughters on everything from clothes to supplies.