Oh you girls keep me young
An interview with a tween girl about LTD2, Abercrombie, Sephora, and Lululemon 🛍
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Death of a fangirl is about the intensely charged energy that fuels fandoms, the sociocultural structures that explain why people worship celebrities, and not wanting to meet Matthew Lawrence, former 90s teen heartthrob and mainstay in my Celebrity Crush Pantheon, despite having the chance to.
My digital twin is about the app I beta tested that’s like Cher’s closet from Clueless, if you couldn’t actually afford anything. I share pics of my digital twin, her outfits (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and my thoughts on my likeness, the challenges of using nascent AI, and why [human] personal styling will always win.
ICYMI: I made my pitch about why Limited Too should hire me. I was too busy the last two weeks to restart my daily IG story post
bullyingreminding them to do what’s right for the brand and consider my recommendations. Will keep you posted on when they inevitably answer.Speaking of LTD2, today’s issue includes an interview with an 11-year-old tween girl I know from real-life. We talked about Limited Too, Real Littles, Lululemon, Sephora, Urban Outfitters, and more. (I only had to Google 2 things she was talking about.) Cross-generational conversations are so important!
I was never known as a “kid” person or someone with maternal energy, and that was fine by me. However, my horizons have broadened since 1. My friends had kids 2. I became aware of my own biological clock 3. I met a lot of children and parents at my various jobs. I interact with people of all ages regularly, which is very cool when you are a cultural anthropologist.
I always think about cross-generational relations, not in terms of monolithically labelling people as Millennial or Gen Z or whatever, but in terms of the ever-shifting human experience based on your chronological tethering to our current timeline. Like yes, we were all kids once, but I’m curious what childhood is like now. I’m curious what childhood was like for my parents’ or grandparents’ generation. I’m curious how life milestones and experiences are different among generations, but even more importantly, I’m curious how they’re the same. Beyond the repetition of a 20-year trend cycle, there is familiarity and common ground in human nature. After this conversation, I have a little bit of faith in humanity again.
I talked to an 11-year-old tween who goes to the dance studio I work for while we waited for her mom to pick her up. Below is our conversation from last night, based on my memory and edited for clarity. Let’s just call her Olivia because that’s like 24% of the 18-and-under population’s name.
Nicole: I love your monochromatic lavender outfit and purse!
Olivia: Thanks, I was just at Urban Outfitters looking around but my mom didn’t let me buy anything.
Nicole: When I was in high school, I had these hot pink high-top Converse sneakers and a couple years ago, and I saw them again in Urban Outfitters. Do you like window shopping?
Olivia: I like buying stuff better.
Nicole: Do you like going to the mall?
Olivia: It’s like all everybody does now is go to the mall.
Nicole: Oh! Do you go to shop or to hang out with your friends or both?
Olivia: Both, but I like to shop! *Giggles*
Nicole: What stores do you like?
Olivia: Well, everyone likes Lululemon, but I went to the store and all they had was men’s stuff and grown-up clothes.
Nicole: Have you ever heard of Limited Too? When I was younger, it was for girls around 3rd to 6th grade.
Olivia: Tweens.
Nicole: Yes, exactly!
Olivia: No.
Nicole: Well their store was really fun. They had a photo booth, candy, toys, and even these shorts with sports like SOCCER and CHEER and DANCE on the back. *Shows Google Images of LTD2*
Olivia: Wow! That looks so fun!
Nicole: It really was! They had all kinds of accessories like picture frames and lockers…
Olivia: (Excitedly) LOCKERS? Wow, that’s just like Real Littles! I got one from Amazon.
Nicole: (Makes a mental note to google Real Littles) Yeah, they tried relaunching the brand but they made it too boring and bland. Like it just says MONTAUK and PICKLEBALL on the front of the clothes, they’re all pastel.
Olivia: That’s not that exciting.
Nicole: It’s really not. Do you like makeup?
Olivia: I’m more into skincare than makeup. Like I was gonna get BUBBLE so I looked up BUBBLE but I didn’t get it.
Nicole: What kind of skincare, like a moisturizer?
Olivia: *Shrugs, confused* I don’t know. I used to only have lip balms and now I have lip glosses from Sephora.
Nicole: If I gave you $20 to spend in Sephora, what would you get?
Olivia: More lip gloss.
Nicole: What are your thoughts on Ulta?
Olivia: One time my babysitter had to make a quick return there, but she told me to wait in the car, so I didn’t go inside.
Nicole: Have you heard of Abercrombie? I used to have a t-shirt that said “I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT MY LIP GLOSS” from there, and it was true.
Olivia: *Squeals* Yes, Abercrombie! I thought no one in my school wore Abercrombie but actually 2 kids – or maybe more than 2 – wear Abercrombie. There was this movie on Netflix, Senior Year, where she’s 37 with the mind of a 17 year old, and she liked Abercrombie.
Nicole: (Having no idea what this movie is) Yeah, however cool Abercrombie is now, it was way cooler back then. Hollister was cool, oh and I had these Adidas shoes.
Olivia: Everyone wears Adidas now! I wanted the platforms, but my mom said they are not good for me because I’m still developing. My friend doesn’t even have the regular laces, you have to buy thick laces separately.
Nicole: I had thick laces for my hot pink Converse – white with little hearts on them.
Olivia: *Looking at my hot pink sparkly phone case* I like your phone case, how did you get it?
Nicole: I actually got it because it looks like the case I had on my old flip phone.
Olivia: I wouldn’t want a flip phone with only texting and calls. We used to be able to use our Gizmo watches during recess but now we can’t.
Nicole: (Has no idea what that means) Looks like your mom is here. See you next week!
*Suicide doors open and Olivia’s mom waves and thanks me before driving away*
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More tween interviews!!
I LOVE this wholesome interview with a tween! There's a data scientist whose work is very influential in my tech writing (to come...) that emphasizes childrens' need for intergenerational connection (with adults) outside of their families/teachers. So cool to have that casual connection through your jobs.