She previously disliked the latter store because she could only shop in the kids' section, but now that she’s able to explore the main women’s section, it’s become a favorite of hers. She, too, enjoys shopping at brands like Lululemon and, more recently, H&M.

She first started exploring fashion at age 10 when her mom finally let her start dressing herself. Now, through the evolution of fashion trends and social media, the category has seen the commodification of its world blur into one large “young people” category.ĭemisharle Davis, 12, has over 234,300 followers on TikTok. Pre-teen fashion, in its prime, existed as a definitive shopping option in the retail realm. In the years to come, Justice (FKA Limited Too.), Claire’s, Aeropostale, Pacific Sunwear (PacSun), American Apparel, and Wet Seal would all follow suit. Then in 2014, Delia’s became one of the first tween-focused retail brands to file for bankruptcy. In 1998, the heyday of the company, Delia sent out 55 million copies of its catalog annually to girls across the country. In recent years, however, social media has revolutionized how nine to 15-year-olds shop, simultaneously altering that once nonpareil market.

Even further back in time was the righteously successful mail-order catalog, Delia’s. Traditionally, when we think of pre-teen fashion, especially for those of us who are above the age of 17, we think of stores like Justice, Claire’s, and Abercrombie & Fitch, to name a few.

Teenager model