Back-to-School Shopping Ritual Is in Full Gear : Economy: Parents and youngsters hit area stores to get the right things for class. Holiday weekend gives more time for browsing.

Browsing the Buenaventura Mall on Thursday, Andrea Van Allen and Melissa Donahue admitted that they started their back-to-school shopping in June, when classes ended.

“We’re still looking for the right thing,” said Melissa, an 11-year-old Ventura resident who starts sixth grade next week. “As soon as school ended, we started shopping because we’re going into middle school.”

“We’re kinda nervous and need to look better in middle school,” 11-year-old Andrea chimed in.

The annual back-to-school shopping ritual is in full gear, with a holiday weekend providing a number of browsing days before school starts for most students next week.

Ventura County retailers are reporting solid sales of back-to-school clothing and supplies.

“We started selling earlier than last year,” said Jamie V’Soske, an assistant manager at the Ventura Target store. “It’s a challenge to keep binders and other items on the shelves, and clothing is selling well, too.”

Students are searching for popular items, including denim, baggy pants, mini-backpacks, surfing-style brands, Nike shoes and accessories, skirts, dresses and Vans canvas shoes.

Parents aren’t always happy about shelling out the bucks to keep their children dressed in style and using the popular school supplies, but they are doing it.

“It’s frustrating to keep up with the styles and changes,” said Mary Goldberg of Camarillo. But “then you realize it’s back to school and you have to get stuff for them.”

Marcy Jones of Simi Valley was out shopping for navy-and-white school uniforms for her 6-year-old daughter Thursday. “My daughter’s going to wear both uniforms and regular clothes,” said Jones, holding up a navy jumper with white cotton shirt. “This isn’t so bad. I think she’ll like it. And she’s very picky. She’s 6 going on 15.”

Her daughter, Malorie, will be a first-grader at Garden Grove School in Simi Valley, one of three Ventura County schools that have instituted optional dress codes.

Another school, Oxnard’s Emilie Ritchen School, will begin a mandatory uniform policy in January. Uniforms are being sold at Mervyn’s and Target.

“It’s good, so the children don’t make fun of each other,” Jones said. “It’s better to start them young.”

Baggy clothes, which have made a huge splash in school wardrobes, are popular again.

“Big and baggy,” said Judy VonRueden, a Moorpark mother describing the shorts sought by her sons. “I was hoping the trend would end, but it doesn’t seem to.”

Chris VonRueden, 15, a freshman at Moorpark High School, said he is a fan of denim pants, denim shirts and plain T-shirts. Gone are last year’s plaid and striped shirts, he said, adding, “I didn’t really like them anyway.”

However, plaid and stripes are in style for some age groups, including that of Chris’ younger brother, 10-year-old P. J.

Becky Finsten and Molly Gorman, both 12-year-old Thousand Oaks students, were also out Thursday shopping for denim shorts and “plaid stuff.”

Students seem to know what’s in style instinctively.

“If you like how something looks on someone else, you say that’s what you want,” said Molly, clad in denim shorts and toting a mini-backpack.

* SLOW SALES

National retailers report lackluster sales in August. D1