Last week, I had the pleasure of joining my niece, Tee Tee, at the mall (do you remember her? She gave our first teen interview--check it out here!). You see, Tee Tee just turned 16, and all she wanted to do for her birthday was to go shopping with her friends.My cousin, Quita, and I decided to drop by and join them so that she could choose her own birthday presents from us. After almost an hour of watching Tee Tee and her friends giggle with each other, share inside jokes, and sing lyrics to songs I've never heard of, I started to feel...old.
But there's a bright side: as a YA writer, I had a better understanding of just where teens shop at today. Here's a brief recap of my excursion:
1. Urban Exchange: This is where my boo boo got her eyebrow pierced. Yes--her EYEBROW!! Did I mention that I felt old? Nothing shady going on here, though--her mom actually took her to get the piercing done, and she looks really adorable. But "back in the day," what I thought was edgy was getting two piercings in one ear.
2. deb: Tee Tee and her crew probably spent the most time in this store, and I have to admit. I swooned over some of the dresses. But the lengths of the skirts in there? Good grief! It took everything in me to not pull down a hem whenever Tee Tee held a skirt up against her. Needless to say, I got a lot of strange looks.
3. Wet Seal: This is the store that Tee Tee wanted Quita and me to buy her clothes. She said it's one of the best. Stores. Ever. In fact, as soon as we walked in, she picked out her outfits in about five minutes flat. It takes me about five times that long to settle on a pair of shades. But I guess when you're 16 and a size 3, you pretty much know everything will look cute on you.
So, that was my adventure at the mall. I couldn't believe that Tee Tee and her friends sailed right past Old Navy and Forever 21--which were my go-to stores at their age. What about you all? Are you a fan of the above-mentioned stores? Any interesting habits you've noticed from teens at the mall?
8 comments:
As a teen myself, I can definitely relate. Though I've never been to Urban Exchange, I love going to deb's for homecoming dresses. I love the look of Wet Seal - but sadly I am not a size three, and therefore can't shop there normally. While I don't understand the not going to Forever 21. I LOVE that store! It, and American Eagle and Kohls, are some of my go-to stores.
My British equivalents are New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Jack Wills/Joules if someone's buying me a present (because no way could I afford anything there myself!) :P
I still can't believe she's 16! We are sooooo old :( Anyways, you know I'm with you on the Old Navy front. That was the go-to store.
Totally on the same plane as you, I didn't even know those first two stores existed. My brain hurts now.
Stores like Target were always the go to stores (Bradlees, Ames, and Ann & Hope to be exact). And um, what does it say that my MIL owns clothes from Wet Seal?
Oh man, I think my entire high school wardrobe came from Wet Seal. I can't believe it's still so popular!
Thanks for the comments, ladies!
Julie--Forever 21 is AWESOME! I still think about dropping by whenever I'm in a mall.
AJ--Thanks for giving us the shopping scoop across the pond. :)
Quita--Why are Old Navy commercials so awful now?
Jem--I'm STILL recovering.
Alicia--I LOVE Target--I still get most of my clothes from there. Oh, and your MIL sounds like a rock star. :)
Meredith--Looks like you're a trendsetter!
Too funny Pam, thanks for sharing!
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