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Thrifty Teens      By Madison Owen

With raising energy prices, does the recent state of economy affect teenagers? The answer is yes, of course it does. Richard Brooks, chief executive officers of Zumiez Inc. says, “While we believe the teen customer has slightly more discretionary income than their parents, they’re still impacted by the sluggish economy.” Zumiez has 309 stores nationwide, selling beach clothes geared to twelve to twenty four year olds. Zumiez reported in May its first quarterly profit drop since 2005. Zumiez is just one example of a retailer being affected by the economy and teen spending.

Katy Robb, a senior at North Carolina State University, spent the summer as a camp counselor and claims the high gas prices affected how often she ventured home to visit her parents and will also affect her this year while in school. The high gas prices also affected student’s disposable income, leaving less money for retail options. Robb is a huge fan of EBay and finding deals online. She will be making more purchases on EBay this year, to save money and still be considered fashionable.

With the recent fashion week broadcasting the trends for spring 2009, retailers are already expecting less profit for the upcoming season. The United States teen spring fashion budgets may reach the lowest level in seven years. Teenagers are predicted to spend nineteen percent less than last year and twenty three percent less from 2006.

American Eagle and Aeropostale are two retailers with teenagers being the star player in their target markets. Aeropostale is proud to have prices twenty to thirty percent cheaper than American Eagle and has even recently improved the quality and timing of their clothes. The net income of American Eagle’s first income dropped forty four percent and is predicted to show the first annual profit drop in five years.

Lower prices spark creative ways to accommodate these prices. Ellegirl.com launched “Self-Made Girl,” which is a series on how to make your own clothes and accessories—ranging from tie dye shirts, fairy headbands, and additions to a prom clutch. “Self-Made Girl” is just the beginning of a new revolution in retail.

Katie McCree, a senior at North Carolina State University, has always sewn her clothes and shopped thrift stores. McCree states, “It's great knowing you'll be the only one wearing that garment, no matter where you go. I always get compliments on the pieces I create and people always say how they wished they could sew. The truth is anyone can. You just need to know the basics; from these you can create anything.”

Huge logos plastered on tote bags may be slowly making their way out of teenagers’ closets, at least until the money market gets better. Since teens cannot afford both expensive gas and designer labels, the thrift store and vintage look is the new “it” look. Reinventing old t-shirts and spending time being innovative now gets attention and respect of teens. “What’s old is new again” is here to stay.

Here are some ideas to update and freshen up your wardrobe, be it a teenager, student, bargain shopper, fashionista, mother, or anyone pinching pennies these days.

1. Make an investment in a sewing class; learning the basics can get the creative juices flowing. Buying fabric is not expensive if you shop in the right places.

2. Shop thrift stores; blazers and skirts are both good staples at thrift stores but leave jeans out of the equation to guarantee good fit.

3. Buy cheap accessories; these can update just a plain outfit and jazz it up. Sew or hot glue some buttons on an old scarf, add an embellishment on the belt loop of your pants. Just be careful with washing-it is easier to hand wash handmade garments to guarantee quality.

4. Wear summer garments through all seasons; layer a summer dress with a t-shirt underneath, some tights, a scarf, boots—and you have a fall outfit!

Madison Owen is a senior at North Carolina State University studying fashion in the College of Textiles.