Sears launches tween style contest

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. Sears announced that it has launched an online contest to search for the most stylish tweens.

"Our 'Crush Your Style' digital contest experience for back to school allows tweens to showcase their unique style creativity and win amazing prizes," said Melanie Henson, chief marketing officer for Sears Apparel. "Our winning combination of top brands, hot trends at a tremendous value and a reinvented store experience gives tweens a completely new fashion-forward style destination in our stores. We're looking to see how kids use and mix their own style 'crushes' to find back-to-school looks they love that reflect their unique personalities."

Participants can visit the website, www.crushyourstyle.com to enter challenges issued by the elite Style Crush Panel of online movers and shakers, including teen celebrity Kylie Jenner, YouTube fashion and beauty celebrities and sisters Elle and Blair Fowler, and fashion blogger and upcoming jewelry designer Diamond Downs, Sears reported. To kick off the program, Jenner will be featured in a series of Sears Crush Your Style TV ads airing this fall. According to Sears, the Crush Your Style website will host a video-based Style Room, weekly style challenges delivered by the Fowler sisters and Downs, and an interface for girls to submit their photos and videos into the competition -- with their parent or guardian's approval.

The contestants with the most creative outfits will be selected by the Style Crush Panel of Experts to become a finalist to compete in the final challenge for the ultimate grand prize -- the title of Sears Style Maker plus $50,000 and a family trip to a global fashion destination of their choice. Plus, every week one finalist will be chosen to win a family vacation for four worth $10,000.

"In today's budget-conscious economy, everyone is looking to pull off savvy style without spending a lot, which is what the Crush Your Style program celebrates," said Henson, "We are looking to tweens across the country to set the fashion pace by showing that if you use your creativity, you can get stylish, versatile pieces that can be remixed into multiple looks that are fresh, fun and reveal your unique personality."