Spree Spirits
It’s that time of year again--the annual tug of war between kids and parents over what clothes to buy for back to school. Mom thinks this, Junior wants that. Since those Mary Janes are awfully cute but expensive, maybe Dad is the one to approach about buying the shoes.
What would students buy if they could shop with no parental guidance?
The Times Fashion writers decided to find out. We gave three Southland students $100 each to buy back-to-school clothes at the stores of their choice. Surprisingly, their purchases were quite practical. The students--in elementary school, junior high and high school--were savvy, price-conscious shoppers who weren’t looking for the latest fly-by-night fads but for key pieces to extend their wardrobes. Go figure.
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First in Their Class
Marathon shopper: Griselda “Gri” Marboe Reyes, five hours.
*Bonus bucks: Curtis Stoermer snagged a gift certificate at Old Navy (A sympathetic reporter provided the 69 cents.)
Mall sophisticate: Betty Tia knew the landscape.
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SHOPPER: Griselda “Gri” Marboe Reyes, 13
$$$: 99.44
STUDENT: Eighth grader, Millikan Jr. High School, Sherman Oaks.
SHOPPING TIME: Five hours.
STORES: Target; Contempo, Wet Seal, Planet Funk and Claire’s Boutique at Fashion Square Sherman Oaks.
IN THE BAG: Butterfly T-shirt, $4.99; slip-on platform shoes, $14.99; white eyeliner, $3.22; a black-knit drawstring skirt, $29; two knit tops, $8 and $5; shimmer eyeliner, $5; body glitter, $5; a novelty T-shirt, $10.83; glitter headband, $3.25; a floating bead necklace, $5; clear lens eyeglasses, $3; oversized faux diamond ring, $2.16.
PERSONAL STYLE: “I don’t want to go to school and look ridiculous in kid clothes or wear something that looks too old for me. I’m in an in-between stage right now, and fashion is very important to me. I try to select clothes that make me feel comfortable. I mean I don’t like things that are too tight because that will make my thighs look really big. And I don’t like things that are too loose because that will look like I’m really, really, really big. Mostly, I like to wear skirts because they just look better on me.
“I know that people judge you by the way you look, and I want to be judged in a good way. I try to dress in a way so people will think that I’m a nice person and that I care about myself, that I’m smart. I’m not like those kinds of girls that dress, like, you know, in a slutty way. I don’t want to give the wrong message. . . . If I can’t wear it to school, then I think I shouldn’t be wearing it anywhere.”
SHOPPING SAVVY: “I get fashion tips from magazines like Alloy and catalogs like Delia’s. They’re for teenagers. If I see something in a magazine, I usually go to Target and see if it’s there. If not, then I like Contempo and Limited Too because they do good knockoffs.”
CLOTHES ENCOUNTERS: “I can’t wear anything more revealing than a cotton tank top. Nothing sheer, nothing silky. That’s about as far as I can go. My mom and dad don’t like my pants too tight, too baggy, too long. My mom will tell me if something is too short, too revealing, too sexy. Skirts can only be about 3 inches, max, above the knees. That’s OK. I would never want to wear them shorter. If I wear something to school and my mom doesn’t like it, I have to take it off before I leave. But I decide on my clothes most of the time. I know the rules.”
MOM’S REACTION: “I love it all,” said mom Dinora. “I’ve always stressed to her to let her personality show with her style but to also try to be conservative, to dress with respect and dignity, to dress like the person she is in the inside. I would have been surprised if she came home with something revealing or too sexy.”
