Surveying the teen scene

COLUMN
Be a Teenager (or Just Look Like One)

by ELIZABETH DYE
243-2122 ext. 335


We all remember the torment of the tweens--that "transitional" age when you're too pint-sized for the teen department and too sophisticated (in your dreams) for the size 6X offerings of Health-Tex and Youngland. Alas, things get no easier when you achieve the mantle of Grup but don't groove to the stylings (or price) of adult fashion. J. Jill's jersey separates? Maybe in a few years. The Spiegel catalog's navy linen blazers? You're not on a retirement cruise. Once again, you're Jan Brady--fashion's forgotten middle child.

Yet venture off the map of age-appropriate clothing, and you'll learn that style--decorous yet hip, street-to-work style--resides on every floor of the department store. Even the one pumping hot Backstreet Boys videos from tiger-striped monitors.

Caution: If you're one of the genetic elite who rocketed to a cool 6-feet-4-inches post-puberty, it will be a task to force your full-fledged frame into anything from the teen department other than socks. But for the stunted and un-evolved, juniors' fashions can whisk the jaded away from the lackluster careerwear designed to outfit older age groups. And, hey, even if the clothes don't fit, inspired style ideas abound in the teen zone--just try to ignore the music.

Why You Should Invade Teen Turf

Teens are fashion-forward. Trends start with the kids. And designers marketing to teenagers know two basic rules about this group: Adolescents yearn to be hip, and "hip" is a moving target. Juniors' inventory is fresh and turns over fast.

Teens pay less. Clothes sold to the Allowance Set tend to be priced lower, responsive to growth spurts and the penury of the average teen (do any parents really go for that Visa Buxx thing?). Expect to pay at least 20 percent less in the teen department for merchandise frequently identical to the stuff sold to big people.

Teens wear color. Adult clothing manufacturers apparently take color cues from Office Depot. Let's see...gray, charcoal, smoke, desert, camel, taupe, beige, beige, beige.... Youth is bright and carefree, age is dull and careworn. Shop accordingly.

Things to Watch Out For

Scale. Junior sizes are modified to accommodate teen proportions (shorter inseams for pants and smaller shoulder-to-shoulder width for shirts, for example). Buy at least a size or two larger than you normally wear, and always try items on first. Vanity sizing is not as consistent for juniors as it is for adults. Apparently, you only aspire to be Size 0 once you hit college. Come on, size zero?

Fabrics. Pay a bit more for 100 percent cotton, wool or silk. Juniors' clothes often mix these fine fibers with budget synthetics like acetate and acrylic, which wear out in a flash and can make an item look sleazy--after only one washing.

You have to live in their world. Sales help (not to mention customers in Oxy and braces) might look askance at anyone over 20 years old trying on Capri pants or board shorts in teen territory. Hold your adult head high. But be prepared to overhear excruciating conversations about Britney Spears and *N Sync in the next stall. Convince yourself you were never, ever that asinine. Know that you were.

Teen Dressing Bummers

Some looks should stay in the nursery:

The baby-doll dress. That flash-of-panties look is not so cool on a mother of two loading kids into the Passat after soccer practice.

The backward baseball cap. Enough already. Invest in Rogaine if it's so important to you.

Belly-baring tiny tees. These don't even look good on Christina Aguilera.

Overalls. B'gosh, they infantalize you and make you look giant. You deserve better.

Teen Town: Where to Shop

Forever 21. Need a cheap, throwaway approximation of runway raunch for a night out? F21's lightning quick turnover brings simulacra style to Portland in record time (Pioneer Place, 241-0488). Also try Wet Seal (Lloyd Center, 287-8065).

Skate and snowboard shops. You won't find an Armani tuxedo jacket here, but as long as the age range for these sports broadens, so will the sizes of T-shirts, pants and tech jackets (Exit Real World, 820 NW Glisan St., 226-3948).

Target carries very large girls' and boys' sizes (14 and 16) that can sometimes accommodate up to an adult size small or medium. Try on that little Mossimo number to be sure (10775 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, 626-8345, and various other locations).

Discount stores like Ross Dress for Less, because they sell overstocks, often carry juniors' clothes at the top of the size range (9916 NE Halsey St., 253-5604, and various other locations).

Old Navy. Scraping the sea floor of the Banana Republic-Gap food chain, this teen mecca infamously offers merchandise nearly identical to that sold in the upscale outlets for a fraction of the price (1752 Jantzen Beach Center, 289-8975, and various other locations).