Op-art influenced backpack

I told you about the retro look in London fashion. Today, I saw it again in the featured JanSport backpack in the Target Circular. And, hey! The same backpack appears featured on eBags. Hats off to JanSport for jumping on a trend and adapting it to their products. The pattern's called "chocolate chip bubbles" and the color palette is spot on. Look for plenty of this pattern in schools come fall.

Universal tweens

While in London, I visited a family in Hammersmith Barnes: 11-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister--lovely, sociable kids living with a single Anglo-Guyanese mother.

They were perfect tweens. The boy loved his Wii, the Simpsons, soccer stars, and Playstation.The girl loved her iPod, Ashlee Simpson, Brittany Spears, Jamelia and Hannah Montana.

I offered them an Edgar & Ellen "Rare Beasts" Book. The boy's eyes lighted up. "I LOVE them!" He said. He had found Edgar & Ellen's "Under Town" and "High Wire" in his school library.

Now I'm crossing my fingers that Edgar joins Bart in his heart. And that his mainstream tastes predict that the twins will catch the big tween wave.