There is no doubt that teenagers pride themselves on their clothes and their shoes. Walking down the hallway one sees Jordans, UGGs, Nikes, Adidas, and Timberland shoes, as well as clothes from Pink, Helly Hansen jackets, and Nike windbreakers, to name just a few of the most common brands.
All of these brands, however, are very expensive. Whether parents are spending the money or the teens, a lot of money is being spent to make sure that these young people look good.

Of course, there are cheaper options, and clothes from medium- priced stores such as Forever21 and H&M are popular as well, so there is a balance in availability. While these less expensive options are nice and often look just as good as the more expensive options, it is typical that when someone gets something expensive they feel that they have to show it off on Snapchat, and, of course, wear it to school.
Mallory Schlossberg from Business Insider.com polled 110 teens to gauge what they love to buy. While less expensive stores such as the aforementioned Forever 21 are listed as popular choices for teens, more expensive stores such as Nike and Adidas are also up there on the list. This goes to show there is a balance in teen fashion.

A very common outfit worn by girls at Paint Branch is a PINK hoodie with matching sweatpants. When you break down the cost of just these two pieces of clothing it can surprise you. Pants from PINK run from a fifty to sixty dollars and hoodies fall in the same range. Add in the typical shoe choice of UGGs and you’ve got a three-piece outfit in the $200 range. While this outfit may have been assembled over time – not all pieces purchased at once – it is still a pricey outfit. Most girls don’t even realize they are wearing a $200 outfit to school.

Sophomore Destinie Odiana says, “Well, honestly I buy brand name clothes just so I can match something not because I want anyone else to see what I’m wearing. It’s just because it’s like an addiction. I just like the feel of it. The brand name is worth it – the money – to an extent.”

Teens don’t have to come from a super-rich family to own shoes or clothes from top brands. No matter one’s socioeconomic background, it always seems that young people find a way to cop the new pair of Jordans or always hop on whatever is new at the moment. People even camp out overnight to make sure they get the most recent release of certain shoes. On the matter of camping out for shoes, Odiana says she would not do it. “Oh no, that’s extra,” she says.

Teen fashion is often influenced by where one lives as every region has trends that are exclusive to it. Teens find it essential to own particular shoes and clothes in order to feel pride in their area. Helly Hansen jackets, which can be very expensive and range in cost from $100 to $800 depending on what type of jacket, are very popular among teens in the DMV area. Other popular local styles include Nike windbreakers, which run about $100; and UGG boots, with the most common kinds ranging from $140-160.

Hundreds of dollars are spent on making sure that teens look good, because teens want things. Whether or not they get them and are content for a moment before wanting the next new thing depends on the individual.