What gift can I buy for a 14 year old girl??

[hanstands]

OR

does anyone have any ideas of local shops a fourteen year old girl might like to shop at so I can buy vouchers?

Am pretty stuck to get just the right thing...

Thanks,

H

[Fuschia]

New look, top shop

[zeban]

personally I think Tophop is too old for a 14 year old.

[zeban]

Find out what she's into and what she likes- a band, an activity, jewelery etc and get something related to that. or ask the parents if you're not sure

[Fuschia]

iTunes card?

[Saffron]

Too old??? Or do you mean risque/inappropriate? Top Shop has lots of nice casual stuff that would be fine for teens as far as I can tell. Bright pink jeans and fluro yellow gladiator sandals... what's not to love? But just in case... Are you buying for your own child, or a friend? Maybe check with the parents first, in case their tastes run to the slightly quieter style for their child. What about jewellery? Lots of nice shops for bijou on LL. There's an Accessorize in Lewisham too. Or if she's the sporty type, a voucher for the cycle shop? Or vouchers for a manicure/pedicure? Lots of nice salons in the area.

[sillywoman]

zeban Wrote:

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> personally I think Tophop is too old for a 14 year

> old.

Zeban it's aimed at 14 year olds.

Edited to add; as you said 'local' OP, how about ED? My 16yr old could happily live in there.

[Ondine]

Why not cash ? My 14 yr loves a bit of imdependence. Or a trip to cowling & Wilcox if she likes art

[ontheedge]

H&M vouchers one in Brixton & Lewisham, Superdrug vouchers or what about National book vouchers, vouchers for bowling at Surrey Quays.

Money is always safe too

[zeban]

sillywoman I can assure you it's not aimed at 14 year olds- I only stopped shopping there a few years ago and I'm 29. you might want to go in there and check out the clothes! I'd say more 16- 23 years- you definitely don't see parents out shopping with their kids in there and there is also a blow dry bar in there and a manicure bar amongst other things that aren't 14 year old age appropriate. 14 year old don't have enough dispoable income for it to be aimed at them- Topshop is actually quite epensive- their main age group are college and uni students.

If you know parents who do take their 14 year old there then that's their choice but don't assume it's aimed at that age group just because of that. Yes I do think alot of it is too risque and inappropriate saffron- given it's aimed at older teens! and I'm not saying I didn't wear inappropriate clothes as a teen but I was older than 14 and old enough to have a job and abit of my own income so I could make my own inappropriate choice of clothes without my Mum having much of a say in it!!

There may be fluoro jeans in there but that's because fashion has dictated that they're in this season. net season it might be leather skirts and thigh high boots such is fashion!

[zeban]

Horses for courses though. on the edge suggestions are good or Fushia's suggestion for an itunes card I think is a brilliant idea. Personally though I'd just check with the parents before you get anything.

[sanity girl]

I reckon she'd be thrilled with a Top Shop voucher. I shopped in there from age 11 onwards. Too old for their stuff now though at 39!

[Pugwash]

My 13 year old grand daughter likes Punky Fish clothes (The Glades Bromley) so vouchers are always acceptable for this shop. Aimed at young teens and twenties - most of their clothes are under size 14

[Fuschia]

Our niece who is now 18 has been requesting vouchers for top shop, river island or new look for the last 5 years and looks like a typical teenager so I don't think any of those clothes are unsuitable. But we knew what vouchers to

Buy by checking with her mum which is probably the best thing.

[sillywoman]

Though my 16yr old loathes New Look, so if you're going further afield than local, and looking at clothes shop vouchers then maybe as others have suggested check first.

[rachel83]

Oliver Bonas usually has some nice bits and pieces. Or a gift voucher for Forever 21 ?

[Saffron]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2002/oct/13/featuresreview.review

[Fuschia]

Officially 15-30 they say, there

[Saffron]

Top Shop always has a "casuals" line every season too, and I don't think they're anymore expensive than any other teen clothing shops (eg, Boden). I think when I was 14 my mother would have preferred me to shop somewhere more sensible (her idea of sensible, not mine). That just made me want to shop at fun places even more (my idea of fun, not hers!).

In retrospect, all the time we spent arguing about clothes was ridiculous, and I shall try not to do that with my own daughter. (Someone please remind me of this in 10 years time... though I suspect she'll be really sensible, I'll be the embarassing mutton dressed as lamb.)

That being said, I think jewellery can be a timeless gift. I have --and wear-- some very nice jewellery I was gifted as a teen. I don't have any of the clothes I wore as a teen! Stuff to do is nice too. It makes good memories. I remember the first manicure I ever had. My aunt took me to her local salon when I was 12 years old. It made me feel really special, and it helped break a long-standing nail biting habit I had.

[sillywoman]

Fuschia Wrote:

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> Officially 15-30 they say, there

Pah to that! (in the nicest possible way F :))

Sillygirl & all her friends have been in & out of there, lusting after stuff, since they hit secondary school at 12. And yes Zeban I do shop with her in there, as do her friends Mums (mostly my friends). You must have missed us. Whilst respecting your opinion, mine is that you're being a bit daft. But each to their own eh - I'm clearly a looser Mother with my daughter's image than you are/ will be with yours.

Hey ho - back to the gin.

[zeban]

Thanks for that Fuschia :-), 15-30 is bang on, you can 'pah' it all you like sillywoman but those are the stats- talk to the PR department of Topshop they'll tell you the same. Just because your daughter lusts after something doesn't mean you have to give in. I wouldn't particularly want to be having battles with my daughter over what she wears but that doesn't mean I'd give into all she wants just for the sake of not arguing with her. I'd encourage her to not just copy what her peers were doing and realise that all the people in the magazines she sees are alot older than her. I'd also encourage her into realising there's more to life than fashion and image. Then once she's old enough to have a job and buy her on clothes then she can wear what she wants. I don't see how that's daft.

And Topshop is actually quite epensive, although i don't know anyone who buys from Boden!

[bluesuperted]

I definitely shopped at Topshop from 13 - and had a job (babysitting til I was 14, then proper retail Saturday jobs) so was spending my own money. Anything aimed at 15 will attract younger teens, and lots of inappropriate things in all clothes shops - Primark for example, which is officially suitable for babies onwards so I don't think official guidelines need to be taken too seriously.

I'm far too old for Topshop now at 31 ;) and plus I popped into the Strand branch and was horrified by the price of ?28 for essentially a crop top. But if I was 14 I'm sure I would love it (and not come home in bondage gear and stilettos!!).

[zeban]

I wouldn't say you're too old for Tophop bluesuperted! it must be all those 14 year olds making you feel you're too old ;-)

You're right though in that there are lot of inappropriate things in all clothes shops- there were padded bras in Primark not too long ago that were meant for 12 year olds! they got rid of them though thank god!

Topshop is ridiculouly epensive for such mass produced horrible quality things. It used to be quite good- reasonable and quite good quality- I have a pair of jeans from there I must have bought around 2005/6 hich have only started to fall apart, but I can't bare it now- really really overpriced for what you get.

[Fuschia]

I was reading too shops official linE of 15-30 as meaning it was aiming at the teenage market, so indeed aspired to by your average 14yo

[minder]

Hanstands, it would also depend on how much you usually give as a voucher.

A ?10/?20 Topshop voucher wouldn't go far but the 14 year old could always top it up with their own money.

I went into Topshop with my 13 year old a couple of weeks ago in Croydon. She'd saved up some pocket money and is always going on about Topshop. I knew they were expensive from my older daughter (who doesn't care where she shops)but couldn't believe some of the prices they were asking for stuff that is exactly the same, but half price in other shops! Even a basic t-shirt is ?15.

I steered her away from the little crop tops, see-through stuff, and she tried on a pair of skinny jeans - price was about ?35. Was glad when she said she didn't like them on.