Here's what's hot this year for teen trends

To some teenagers, it may seem like adults are always telling them "no, no, no" when it comes to fashion.

No short shorts.

No beer T-shirts.

No low-hanging jeans.

But this fall there's plenty to say "yes, yes, yes" to for fashionable teens who don't want to break their school dress codes.

Yes to bell-shaped, almost maternity-style tops.

Yes to wide-leg pants.

Yes to retro, sporty styles.

Mari Morsch, owner of the Three Sisters boutique in Lake Forest, says fashion-forward girls should definitely focus on retro for fall.

"High-waisted jeans and wide-leg jeans are definitely coming back," Morsch said. "It's not about the low waist anymore."

Kristen Dean, the owner of Serendipity and Latitude boutiques in Libertyville, adds that the skinny-pant style will still be in, too.

"I would say the straight-leg are still in," Dean said. "You're in between."

Dean's 14-year-old daughter Kendra, who sometimes helps her mom on buying trips, says there's another key fashion detail for this fall: side ponytails.

"You take a side, and it's just down low," Kendra said, noting it's best if the ponytail comes over the shoulder. "It's uncool if it's in the back."

Other hip details are 1970s-style colors like mustard yellow and bright orange, Morsch said.

"Definitely I feel like it's retro," she said. Teens looking to experiment can get their fix with colors. "My feeling on black is, we all already have it."

The hipper boys are looking at structured sporty casual for the fall, Dean said.

She said she's been surprised at how popular motocross brand clothes are, even for those who don't do the sport.

"You don't have to be a motocross bike rider to like it," Dean said. "Younger kids know exactly what that is."

Kendra said the most important trend for the fall is easy to remember: jewelry.

"A lot of bangles, like big bracelets, are in," she said, noting that even with T-shirts, "I always put (on) a necklace."