7 Simple Guidelines for Success in Appealing to the Girl/Tween Market

We all know how difficult it can be to appeal to the masses, but what about when it comes to appealing to one particular group?  In my quest to create the perfect line for little girls and tweens, I quickly realized mid-stream that it wasn’t necessarily about the bows and ruffles and ribbons anymore.  Sure, all of that is quite appealing, to moms and grandmothers. But girls are getting keener on their fashion requirements at earlier ages.  It’s no surprise for me to meet an 8 year old girl who knows how to dress herself stylishly and accessorize.

Because of our technology and media forces, it seems as though children are growing up at faster rate; They are tech savvy and up-to-date on current events, they Tweet, they text, they Facebook, they iTune – just like we do.  For the first time in history, our children are not quite our subordinates, but our counterpart.  So, it’s no surprise that the scales have nearly leveled in the fashion world.  In later times, children’s fashions reflected what we as adults wore first. Now, it’s almost the opposite.   

In my own research and experience for the USA apparel market, I have discovered what I call ‘the 7 simple guidelines for success’ in appealing to children and tweens. Use one or use all, but no matter how you slice it, they all seem to work beautifully.

1. Color.  Vibrant colors are always necessary in children’s fashions. But in a sea of colors, pink is the most popular color for girl’s apparel.  Hot pink, light pink, any color of pink.  It’s a color that still reigns in America.

2. The “Bling” Factor. “You ain’t got a thing, if you ain’t got that bling”. No matter what it is, if it sparkles, she wants it.  There is not a single little girl alive that doesn’t want to feel like a princess, sparkle and grab the attention of everyone.

3. Who’s wearing it?  If it’s in teen magazines, on Nick Jr. or looks like something Hannah Montana would wear, she’ll probably like it too.

4. The “Wow” Factor.  If it’s something that’s fun to wear or makes her get noticed, she’s on board. Example: Twirl skirts, petti-skirts and light up shoes.   Hard NOT to notice!

5. Rock Star Appeal. Ok, let’s rewind a little bit. Remember Madonna, jelly shoes, Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, Ray Ban sunglasses and fingerless lace gloves? It’s the same scenario, just a different decade. If it makes her feel like a rock star or a celebrity, you have her attention.  Again, refer to #3.

6. Lifestyle.  If you are going to create a line for girls, it should be created as a lifestyle brand.  BRANDS MATTER to kids. (ex. Abercrombie, Aeropostale, Hollister, Justice, American Eagle, etc.) These brands are not just creators of cute clothes, they become a statement of who kids think they are.

7. It’s Girlie.  Girlie motiffs (buttlerflies, stars, flowers), feathers, soft velvet, satin textures, tulle. It’s pink (or purple), it’s fit for a princess or a diva.

I’m not saying this is the all powerful, 7-factor force that will make you sell a product. Obviously, it depends on who you want to appeal to, what your product is, what market you are in and where you live.  Yes, none of these tips apply to the childrens wear market in France!  But, that’s a whole other topic for later.   bonne journée!