By Lauren Bishop and John Johnston
Enquirer staff writers

Take a high-schooler and one of his parents. Give them each $100 and a homework assignment: Pick out an outfit for the teen to wear on the first day of school.

The Enquirer gave that assignment to four teens - two girls and two boys - and their parents, then set them loose at area malls. Thursday, you saw the girls and the outfits they chose for themselves, plus the duds their moms picked out. The results were surprisingly similar - age and fashion gaps were not as apparent among the women as we might have thought.

Today, it's the boys' turn, and except for a few "mom-isms" ("Tuck in that shirt") there was once again little disparity in choices.

Now, about that allowance...

Rob Byrne

Who: Rob Byrne of Colerain Township, a 15-year-old sophomore at Colerain High School, and his father, Dave, of Westwood.

Where: Northgate Mall.

Rob's picks: Chad Johnson Bengals jersey from Finish Line, $49.99; athletic shorts from Foot Locker, $20.

Why: "They're just stuff that a lot of people wear at our school."

Dad's take: "I said, 'Well, that's fine if you're going to go out and play football in the yard.'"

Dad's picks: Turnbury shirt, $16.87; Tommy Hilfiger pants, $20.62; Roundtree & Yorke Varsity shirt, $12; D.A.C. Athletic Club T-shirt, $7.49; Polo Ralph Lauren shorts, $26.24; all from Dillard's.

Why: "I liked the fall colors, and we got a lot of bang for our buck."

Rob's take: "It could have gone better. I might wear the shirts, but I don't know about the pants."

Eric Hilson

Who: Eric Hilson of Kennedy Heights, a 16-year-old junior at Shroder Paideia High School, and mother, Linda.

Where: Kenwood Towne Centre.

Eric's picks: Nike LeBron James Cavaliers jersey, $56, and New Era cap, $2.99, both from Footaction; jeans, $29.99, from Aeropostale; basic T-shirt, $9.99, from Champ's Sports.

Why: "The retro basketball jersey is coming back."

Mom's take: "I guess the uniform of the day are these jerseys. It's doable."

Mom's picks: Ecko striped long-sleeve shirt, $48; Ecko jeans, $39.99; Ecko Classic T-shirt, $28; all from Lazarus.

Why: "It's versatile. The shirt can be worn dressy or casual."

Eric's take: "It's OK. I like how they go (together). The tucked-in part has got to go." (His mother made him tuck in the T-shirt.)