 | Whether you are a dedicated shopper at Hot Topic, dressed head to toe in American Apparel, or a complete Thrasher boy, the brands a teen wears can give you an idea of what they might be like before even saying “Hi.” - Kaila Cherry |
Remember when rappers Flo Rida and T Pain had everybody and their mother singing “Shawty had them Apple Bottom Jeans, boots with the fur,” back in 2008? Two years earlier, Apple Bottoms was the sixth most popular denim brand. Created by a different rapper called Nelly, Apple Bottom Jeans screamed “mid 2000’s hip hop” and they meant you were ready to party. Now, the same jeans that once made “the whole club look at her” are tacky by today’s standards. Fashion is an ever growing industry, and something that may be 'cool’ today can be looked down on tomorrow. And who better to notice these changes than teens? From hippies to punks, scene kids to hipsters, teens have found ways to challenge mainstream culture while at the same time affirming their own identity. Whether you are a dedicated shopper at Hot Topic, dressed head to toe in American Apparel, or a complete Thrasher boy, the brands a teen wears can give you an idea of what they might be like before even saying “Hi.”
Marketing towards teens wasn’t done much until the 1980’s. With more teens working, this meant that there were a new, impressionable, and relatively untapped market. Brands such as Nike and Calvin Klein expanded their market to appeal to teens, and since have continued to enjoy the fruits of their labor. It seems like every girl I see has the matching Klein underwear and sports bra (I’ve even considered buying the set once or twice… or several times.) In comparison, Nike was the prefered clothing brand among both upper income and average income teens in Fall 2015.
So, aside from Nike, what other brands do young people want? According to CNBC article, “What Teens Want: These brands top the list,” upper income teens prefer stores like Urban Outfitters and Free People, while average income teens like Aeropostale and Hollister. However, both groups share common shopping destinations such as Forever 21, Pacsun, American Eagle, H&M, and Ralph Lauren. This list wasn’t very surprising to me, since I have shopped from a number of these stores.
Urban Outfitters has been known to appeal to the “hipster” crowd of young people for years. A sort of teenage bourgeois paradise, Urban has a good selection for both guys and girls looking for an “alternative” look. They like to go for the edgy and sometimes controversial. The brand has been blasted time and time again for selling shirts that say things like “Eat Less” or appropriating various cultures and religions. However, these constant missteps haven’t seemed to hurt the brand much, seeing as it is still quite popular with teens. Along with the edgy style UO can give you, the women’s section can provide a bohemian, wanderlust look.
Loose fitting flowy shawls and pants, paisley patterned halter tops, and crystal necklaces can all the found on their hangers, and the hippie “free spirit” type of teen girls buy them all up.
Marketing towards teens wasn’t done much until the 1980’s. With more teens working, this meant that there were a new, impressionable, and relatively untapped market. Brands such as Nike and Calvin Klein expanded their market to appeal to teens, and since have continued to enjoy the fruits of their labor. It seems like every girl I see has the matching Klein underwear and sports bra (I’ve even considered buying the set once or twice… or several times.) In comparison, Nike was the prefered clothing brand among both upper income and average income teens in Fall 2015.
So, aside from Nike, what other brands do young people want? According to CNBC article, “What Teens Want: These brands top the list,” upper income teens prefer stores like Urban Outfitters and Free People, while average income teens like Aeropostale and Hollister. However, both groups share common shopping destinations such as Forever 21, Pacsun, American Eagle, H&M, and Ralph Lauren. This list wasn’t very surprising to me, since I have shopped from a number of these stores.
Urban Outfitters has been known to appeal to the “hipster” crowd of young people for years. A sort of teenage bourgeois paradise, Urban has a good selection for both guys and girls looking for an “alternative” look. They like to go for the edgy and sometimes controversial. The brand has been blasted time and time again for selling shirts that say things like “Eat Less” or appropriating various cultures and religions. However, these constant missteps haven’t seemed to hurt the brand much, seeing as it is still quite popular with teens. Along with the edgy style UO can give you, the women’s section can provide a bohemian, wanderlust look.
Loose fitting flowy shawls and pants, paisley patterned halter tops, and crystal necklaces can all the found on their hangers, and the hippie “free spirit” type of teen girls buy them all up.
I was slightly surprised that I did not see American Apparel on the list. In the U.S. fair trade clothing company’s defence, they were on the brink of bankruptcy last year. Despite this, I see it’s popularity with teen girls wearing their iconic tops and tennis skirts all the time. American Apparel is unique in that although their name is never on the outside of their pieces, the style and construction of the clothes makes their brand known. American Apparel keeps their clothing fairly simple in terms of colors and patterns. However, the fresh structure of their pieces and how they seem to flatter many body types is what makes American Apparel so popular. Wearing an AA shirt or dress is very trendy and fashion forward today. “American Apparel has a very refined aesthetic, and I definitely associate them with people who want to stay on trend but also develop their own sense of style and expression.” says a sophomore from Oakland School for the Arts.
Thrasher, Stussy, and Supreme have all been around in some shape or form since the 80’s and 90’s. With these brands, the name is what is being bought, literally. Doesn’t matter if the logo is on a snapback or a t shirt, these brands are staples of streetwear and skate culture. Streetwear encompases everything from California skate and surf culture to hip hop and rap fashion. And for the most part, people in those cultures are the ones I see sporting these brands, and they also happen to be boys more often than not, who skate, surf, and rap as well. Sometimes, teens with this style can be upset when people outside of their subculture sports the brand's, especially Thrasher.Several of my friends have worn a piece of Thrasher apparel having never set foot on a skateboard, and somewhere some fanatic would say, “You don’t even skate!” This is understandable, since streetwear and skate brands are rooted with so much history. Thrasher has been a well known skate magazine since 1981, and has been able to sustain itself for over 30 years. It has become so synonymous with skate culture that to wear Thrasher and not skate, it’s like, “What’s here for you?” However, thanks to rap groups like Odd Future, skate brands like Thrasher have been able to expand their audience. So even if I don’t “skate,” I can still identify with the carefree and fun vibe the brand gives off.
The landscape of youth fashion and self expression is one that is fast paced, innovative, and evolutionary. Brands have their own culture behind them, an identity that is sometimes overlooked or disregarded by adults. Clothes are more than just fabric that we buy to keep us warm, it is an essential way to immediately express our personalities. No matter where you get your clothes from, or if you identify with a subculture or not, you are always making a statement with your outfit when you walk out the door.
The landscape of youth fashion and self expression is one that is fast paced, innovative, and evolutionary. Brands have their own culture behind them, an identity that is sometimes overlooked or disregarded by adults. Clothes are more than just fabric that we buy to keep us warm, it is an essential way to immediately express our personalities. No matter where you get your clothes from, or if you identify with a subculture or not, you are always making a statement with your outfit when you walk out the door.
