The Changing Face of Tween Fashion and Culture

You just can’t escape it; tween culture is everywhere. Go to the mall or the library, turn on the television, or listen to the radio, and you’re likely to see or hear something that’s targeted at this demographic of savvy and enthusiastic youngsters. These are kids who are not quite teenagers, but are beginning to embrace some elements of the teen lifestyle.

While the “official” parameters for the tween age group are between 10 and 12, kids as young as 7 or 8 can often be seen taking on tween slang, body language and interests, boldly declaring what music or clothing styles they consider “cool.” While this trend toward ever-younger “tweens” may be disturbing for some parents, children’s retailers have capitalized on the fact that younger girls and boys enjoy the allure of looking and feeling older than their years.

Regardless of the concerns tweendom might raise among some adults, the genre seems not to be going away anytime soon. It is, of course, up to parents to decide what products are appropriate for their kids, but many moms and dads will find that tween culture isn’t all edge and attitude; it can have some positive, uplifting elements as well. We present some of those choices, including BLÜ, Emily by Tomas, Reina Mora and MAÁ Shoes.

BLÜ Presents French Canadian Style

The province of Quebec is unlike any of the other provinces in Canada. With its French culture, fashion, and cuisine, visitors can feel like they’re on a European vacation instead of in the wilds of the North, and Montreal is where most of the action happens. Like many cities known for great shopping, Montreal offers opportunities to browse both large, flashy department stores and small, trendy boutiques.

From this center of chic style comes BLÜ, a children’s clothing and accessory brand offering designs that exemplify the funky-yet-refined French Canadian look. BLÜ’s founders Suzanne Foucault and Andre Daigle had a vision of a children’s clothing company that created designs inspired by grown-up fashion, but tweaked to suit the wardrobe of a child. BLÜ has been in business since 1999 and the line is is now available at over 300 retailers in Canada and the U.S.

BLÜ’s line of kids wear would impress even the most picky young fashion enthusiast. In many ways, these are very adult styles –– the cut and fit of clothing looks more like something you’d see in Vogue than at the playground –– but the colorful patterns and extras make certain that they capture a child’s playful spirit.

Check out what BLÜ has to offer at www.blubyblu.com

Emily by Tomas is a Real Jewel

Plenty of little girls love jewelry. They have fun trying on Mommy’s bracelets, necklaces and rings and imagining the day when they’ll have their own versions of these items. For everyday wear, most young girls stick with toy jewelry; in other words, baubles made of plastic or other low-cost materials that parents won’t sweat them losing at school or the park. It usually isn’t until the tween years when a girl is responsible enough to have her own “real” jewelry; pieces that reflect her emerging sense of style.

The Emily collection by California-based jeweler Tomas is a line of high-quality jewelry for children that combines fine materials with designs that appeal to young people’s interests and aesthetics. There are pieces with animal themes, ice cream cones and other treats, and flowers and rainbows, many of which feature Swarovski crystal elements. For a more sophisticated look, the Luxe Classic collection offers traditional designs like crosses and hearts. The pieces are 18-carat gold over sterling silver with diamond accents.

The superior quality of the Emily line means that the bracelets, earrings, rings, and pendants will provide their owners with many years of enjoyment and beauty. For added confidence, all of the items comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

The full catalog can be viewed at www.tomasjewelry.com

Reina Mora Flirts with a Young Girl’s Outlook

For some tween girls, a time comes when they want to express their newfound maturity by dressing in edgy, more “adult” ways. Sometimes, this can be a cause for friction between parents and their young ladies, but this age-old battle can be a time where young people can be introduced to styles that will influence them for years to come.

Reina Mora is a design house that allows a girl to express her frilly, flirty feminine side while remaining classy and fashionable. The dresses come in a variety of styles and cuts that complement just about any body type. Girls with retro tastes may fall in love with the purple yoke dress that has a distinctive 1920s flapper look. Those whose preferences lean more toward modern and artsy may be drawn to a sheath dress printed with a glamorous face. With intricate detailing and luxurious fabrics, Reina Mora dresses are suitable for special events, holidays and parties.

Reina Mora was founded by Designer Marta Negraon in the early ‘90s. She wanted to integrate sophisticated grown-up style with girls’ natural beauty and innocence. As the song says, “girls just want to have fun”, and brands like Reina Mora can provide the perfect wardrobe for fun and carefree tween living.

See all the styles at www.reinamorapr.com

MAÁ Crafts Quality Footwear

In a young child’s mind, the shoemaking trade may seem like a profession of the past, heard about in fairytales and folk stories. It’s not hard to see why. Most mainstream kids’ clothing today is made in factories and delivered directly to large retailers, so the emphasis on handcrafting and creativity is sometimes secondary.

While shoemaking is not often on the modern radar, the trade still exists and thrives in some places, and the Alicante region of Villena, Spain is one of them. This region is home to the MAÁ shoe company, a place where real shoemakers design high-end footwear for kids. There are no elves or talking dolls involved; just talented craftspeople with a passion for quality shoes and an eye for fashion.

MAÁ Shoes was founded in 2001 and continues to offer customers footwear that is not only eye-catching, but also healthy for children’s foot development. While tweens have done most of their growing, they still have some development to go, so well-structured shoes are still important at this stage. Of course, kids at this age also demand that their footwear be on the cutting edge of fashion. MAÁ delivers on this level as well. The real leather shoes are available in a wide variety of styles from feminine to funky to sporty.

See the full line at www.maashoes.com