Gymboree is one of the biggest names in quality clothing for children, so it should come as no surprise that they have a great catalog of school fashions (and Halloween costumes- yes, already).

Gymboree has fun and playful couture for kids that are fun and playful. Convenient, don't you think? Like many of the other popular retailers of kidwear they understand the value of the the classics, and as such build upon them. The result is a solid line of timeless clothing and clever accessories.

For example:

As was mentioned earlier, Gossip Girl kicks of with a new season on September 1st. While most of us will never be reared in super-exclusive private schools or live in lush New York apartments like our favorite television frenemies Serena and Blair, that doesn't mean we can't look as if we did.

Ralph Lauren's younger label, Rugby, has just opened its online store and it's full of preppy garb like polo tops, blazers, chinos, buttoned-down oxford shirts, berets, and luxe knit sweaters. One can even customize their very own rugby with bold stripes or a regal crest.

So you can make your own prep school uniform without having to take any exams, which is always a good thing. Now, just don't get into any trouble like Serena and Blair because, well, there won't be any juicy plot to bail you out.

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

We'd like to introduce you to designers Rachel Six and Joleen Rumsey of Flutter LLC. They create feminine knit tops and jackets that are perfect for both work and weekend.

A couple of years ago, Jessica Simpson had a reality show on MTV and had successfully managed to win the hearts of several impressionable young adults, which led the Texas singer to create a edible beauty line, you know, to capitalize.


Unfortunately, though, the products didn't taste as good as was advertised and caused us to have a really bad stomach ache after our trip from Sephora.

Cream of the Crop, New York's new cool tee label, promises its scented shirts will have you looking adorable and smelling sweet these last few days of summer, and unlike Jessica and her bath sprinkles, they're actually telling the truth.

The saccharine t-shirts come emblazoned with a series of adorable graphics and will freshen up the air in scents like vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, just to name a few. So, if you're into smelling like fresh fruit or sweet treats, and who isn't, Cream of the Crop is a treat you can't say no to.

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The Children's Place is a one stop destination for the shopping parent of school-aged children. Hence the name.

They carry everything from shoes to underwear and everything in-between. Their clothing is cute and classic, sticking to seasonal influences more than those of pop culture. The result is a timeless quality that will look great on kids now and their younger siblings later.

See for yourself:

Whit Honea is a slacker, a borderline degenerate, and a daydream believer. He's also our resident expert on casual chic. If it's comfortable, and not heinous, he's all over it. He's quite charming, really.

Junk Food Clothing makes t-shirts for everyone, man, woman and child, but they aren't for everyone. They are for the true connoisseur of t-shirt art. Their shirts are soft and weathered, creating a comfortable feel with a retro aesthetic. They combine eras of pop culture and original design with a result that is equal parts geek-chick and contemporary hipness.

Today, in the spirit of school (hey, school spirit!) we're looking at the prints for kids:

Ah, the Gap. We fell into you so long ago that we've forgotten what it was like to be free of your charms. We can scarcely recall life before you- there was a crowd and a food court and rows of glass doors that led to a warm place with a bright orange light in the sky. We don't miss it.

That's why when it was time to dress our family in corduroy and denim for the start of the school year we took our spawn to yours: GapKids.

We found you something. It's Maryink.

Maryink is an Etsy shop that sells t-shirts, jewelry, tote bags, candle holders, and more. They are run out of Nashville and have a terrific Scandinavian fairy tale meets punk rock vibe, resulting in designs that are retro-cool and playful. According to Mary, yes, the Mary, one of their items was even inspired by Sesame Street! (Blue Russian Nesting Dolls Tote, click here.)

Here's a link to a great video about the designers, Mary and Chris.

Whit Honea is a slacker, a borderline degenerate, and a daydream believer. He's also our resident expert on casual chic. If it's comfortable, and not heinous, he's all over it. He's quite charming, really.

Worn any good books lately? Want to accessorize your book report? Do you like people to think that you are well read, literate and intelligent, not to mention fashionable? Then here are the shirts for you.

Straight from Supermarket comes Mnkr Clothes, an independent maker of "stuff."

The stuff we're focusing on consists mainly of conscience and t-shirts.

Whit Honea is a slacker, a borderline degenerate, and a daydream believer. He's also our resident expert on casual chic. If it's comfortable, and not heinous, he's all over it. He's quite charming, really.

Not much is bigger in the way of popular culture right now than superheroes, which makes geeks chic and true-believers the toast of the party (which we're finally invited to). It's time for us to blow the dust off our stash of comic books, take a deep breath and shout to the world, "I told you so!" After that it's best to drop it.

As goes popular culture, so to the world of t-shirts. While the superhero has been something of a mainstay over the years, the demand for cool shirts featuring the stars of comic and screen is now amazing (also: mighty, incredible, fantastic, spectacular, and uncanny).

Whit Honea is a slacker, a borderline degenerate, and a daydream believer. He's also our resident expert on casual chic. If it's comfortable, and not heinous, he's all over it. He's quite charming, really.

We have just discovered what could possibly be our favorite t-shirt yet, which is really saying something. Really, it is.

EndangeredWear has brought together the timelessness that is the clever t-shirt with the shining awesomeness that is The Princess Bride. Classic.

They have other shirts, too:

Whit Honea is a slacker, a borderline degenerate, and a daydream believer. He's also our resident expert on casual chic. If it's comfortable, and not heinous, he's all over it. He's quite charming, really.

Ve'cel Clothing was founded by Chester Bennington of the band Linkin Park to "promote individuality and uniqueness through different forms of fashion." You know, t-shirts (and one sweet hoodie).

The first thing you might notice on the ShopBarbara site is the "$5 Shipping" banner at the top. Yay! If you live in the United States, it's $5. DON'T COMPLAIN, EUROPEANS, or we'll pelt you at an exchange rate of 1.6.

We ordered a couple items and they came fast! So, that's a good start.

Let's talk about what they're selling: Flattering casual wear, dresses, bras and panties, and accessories.