Welcome La Femme - The look is soft and feminine for the fall/winter 2004-2005 season. Even military looks are softened with a ruffle or frayed hem. Schoolgirl plaids are sweet, silk ribbons replace belts, floral appliqués lighten the mood even further - it's a great season to be a girl! Boys are rough-and-tumble in military looks or nostalgic in tweedy separates and knits.

TRENDS

FLIRTY SCHOOL GIRL - Plaids in short or just-above-the knee A-line styles. The sweetest looks replaced belts with silk, ribbon ties and sported taffeta underskirts. Plaid jumpers looked classic and refined.

LITTLE IMP SCHOOL BOY - Loose, sometimes cuffed, plaid pants. Tweed pants and bomber jackets. Chunky sweaters and vests. Plaid shirts.

BOMBS AWAY - Bomber jackets for boys and girls. Cargo pants are still going strong. Cargo styling on girls' skirts. Double-breasted pea coats. Camouflage prints. Leather.

WORKING IT OUT - Hooded, zip front jackets with web trim and matching skirts with drawstring waists. Ballerina looks in taffeta skirts and leg warmers for girls.

LAYING IT ON - Appliqués on everything - folkloric felt florals, patches, sequins, lace. Topstitching adds textural detail.

SILHOUETTES

SKIRTS - Toddlers to juniors flaunt their gams in A-line minis or above-the-knee styles. Cargo looks for casual dressing appeared in infant to junior lines. Juniors look great in longer, sometimes tiered styles.

JUMPERS - Lay it on! A-line jumpers with underskirts and coordinating t-shirts for little girls; bigger girls look sleek with simple, straight jumpers or wrapped looks.

PANTS - Cargo looks in loose, sometimes ankle-tied styles were the "It" trend. Denim collections still showing low-rise, boot-cut styles. Boys in loose tweed, straight-legged styles or cords.

COLORS

In the Pink - Pink, pink and more pink. For fall, pinks are dusty and blue-tinged and mixed with red-tinged wine, brick red and light beige. For a bit of neutral relief designers mixed the warm tones with dusty sage or cocoas in pale to deepest hues.

Plum Compote - Plums with a mauvy not blue cast pink, mixed with soft pinks and cocoas, made an appearance in upscale lines.

Pumpkin Patch - Oranges, yes, again. This season they're heathered and softer in brown-tinged tones, and make a comeback in deeper, redder oranges. In lighter shades the dusty pumpkins are mixed with a grayed-blue and cream; in deeper casts they're mixed with dark cocoa and olives and deep khakis.

The Greening of Kids' Wear - Military colorations in gray tinged with green, light khaki, beige tinged with green and olives. Designers mixed in a pop of red to enliven the look. Bright apple green looked fresh when used in tandem with dark charcoal and khaki plaids.

Infant Elegance - Last year's gold-toned camels have been replaced with light taupe, beige, pale cocoa mixed with bone and off white. Classic neutrals never go out of style.

PATTERNS

-Plaids. Big plaids woven in soft wool for girls' skirts and boys' pants. Also important for outerwear, boys' shirts, knitted into sweaters and accessories.

-Patched prints. On t-shirts sometimes overlaid with athletic numbers; (and) on dresses and skirts.

FABRICS

BABY CORDUROY - Thin is in.

SOFT WOOL AND WOOL BLENDS - for skirts, jumpers, pants.

KNITS - big, chunky sweaters, scarves, and hats.

TWEEDS - huge in boys' wear.

SUEDE - Faux, washable versions at lower price points; the real thing in upscale collections. Ditto for leather.

FLEECE - Soft and not too heavy for zip-front jackets; heavier for vest and coat linings and in funky hats to warm little ears.

SWEATSHIRT JERSEY - hooded, zip-front jackets for girls with matching minis; on loose tops for boys.