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“You can buy a plaid shirt at Abercrombie that’s like $70,” said Daniela Donayre, 17, standing in a Topshop in Manhattan. “Or I can go to Forever 21 and buy the

• sentenza 13y ago
  That's probably the point. Clothing is a less relevant competitor for the scarce financial resources of teenagers than it used to be. So where did the teenagers go? Apple store.
  • nswanberg 13y ago
    http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2013/12/06/how-much-do-teenagers-love-the-iphone/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2013/12/06/how-much-do-te...
    • sliverstorm 13y ago
      Not a very useful story. Odds that the 16-yo cousin thought Phil was joking about the plaque: 100% (Odds that Phil was actually joking about the plaque: unknown)
• ck2 13y ago
  Ah see this wasn't in the article, glad to read thrift stores are cool again.
  • BlackDeath3 13y ago
    People are so damn silly. "Hey, celebrities are buying overpriced things. Let's buy overpriced things and make fun of those who bought the same thing for less!" ... "Hey, a musician sang a song about getting stuff cheap at the thrift store. Let's get all our stuff at the thrift store now! It's the same stuff, for cheaper!"
    • untog 13y ago
      This just in: people are influenced by prominent celebrities and like to fit in.
      • BlackDeath3 13y ago
        I didn't say that it was surprising, I said that it was silly. Why be so worried about fitting in, especially in such superficial and arbitrary ways?
        • untog 13y ago
          Why be so worried about fitting in Because we are (largely) social animals and being accepted by a group is a powerful motivator (for most).
          • BlackDeath3 13y ago
            It just doesn't make any sense. And people often pay such high costs in the pursuit of acceptance that I wish that more people would just stop, think about what they're doing, and realize how ridiculous it is. They don't need to worry so much about it. They don't need to spend so much time thinking about it. It just seems like you would have so much more time and energy to spend on other things when you stop thinking like an animal.
            • untog 13y ago
              Well, sure. But "being lonely" doesn't make any objective sense either- yet it is still very much an emotion that many people feel. I'm not sure of the value in examining human behaviour while also dismissing the motivators of that behaviour as being silly.
              • BlackDeath3 13y ago
                Is there not a large, wide spectrum between "being lonely" and "fitting in"? In fact, I would imagine that there are so many alternatives that the phrase "spectrum" is simply too one-dimensional. The value is that I imagine (no data here, just conjecture) that many people could be much happier and freer to focus on other pursuits (that I feel are more worthy but I realize that this is entirely subjective) and not be so worried about "what do they think?". Because humans will be humans (as you've pointed out) I don't expect to change any minds here, but this is the way that I think. If nothing else, I'm simply giving away some food for thought.
  • cptskippy 13y ago
    Thrift stores haven't really ever gone out of fashion, its actually growing in popularity due to stored like Urban Outfitters whose business model for the last 15 years or more has been to purchase thrift and second hand stuff and resell it at outrageous markups along side designer stuff.
• semerda 13y ago
  A sign that some retailers have no clue how to generate revenue in changing times. Technology has provided more transparency and this has had a change in consumer behavior & spending. Brand loyal customers are what keeps some of these uninnovative chains running but for how long. They need to get realistic on price, innovate and find innovative ways (even with tech) to not only reach these consumers but keep them engaged & shopping.