There are four kinds of people in this world……

1. People who shop at Hottopic.
2. People who don’t.
3. People who buy the band merchendise from Hottopic, but absolutely nothing else.
4. People who Dont know it exists.

I am the third type of person.

I love music , so I wear my favourite bands.

But, if you’re browsing the apparel in hottopic, then…well, hmn.
The stuff at hottopic strike me as the type of faux punk inspired garb that teens and the few unfortunate twenty-somethings wear because they think they are making a statement that says : I am different, when really, they are just saying: I am style-retarded and backward in the ways of fashion. So I sink myself into the depths of ridiculous fashion trends because they make me stand out at my grandmother’s bingo game on tuesdays.

Really.

Because that’s all they and the millions of other kids who think they are setting themself apart are doing.

But, I don’t hold it against them, most people don’t know better, that’s why they get away with all the crap they do. But maybe it’s good that there are people who find Hottopic fashionable………I couldn’t tell you why though.

But my favourite stores, mostly sell vintage clothing, mod inspirations, ‘preppy’ type clothes and street credible garb.

I must say I have a particularly diverse taste when it comes to clothes and fashion. I can put an outfit together with peices from Hollister, 80s Purple and J. Crew….three stores that are cmpletely different, but offer things that I like.

I do understand that people tend to label you by they way you dress and carry yourself, which is why I try not to dress the same all the time. I enjoy rocking a sweater vest or a shirt dress just as much as I like destroyed  jeans and a Beatles T-shirt.
Plus I’ve decided that it doesnt matter what people label me, as long as I carry myself with self respect, it doesnt matter if I come off as high maintainance, preppy, grungy or anything else.

Fashion is about comfort and confidence and not giving a damn about what other people think. As long as you respect yourself and act modestly. But really, I agree with Morganne Layne : featured on TeenVogue: ‘we should try to make  statements with our personalities and not let our clothes take over’

I visit TeenVogue’s website fairly often, and what they do is feature normal girls that think they have some sort of special thing going on in the fashion sphere every week or so for each month. They share their fashion philosophies and discuss the snapshot posted of them and what they’re wearing in it.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Francisca Russo

AGE: 18
HOMETOWN: Lisbon, Portugal

WHAT SHE?S WEARING: “A Zara T-shirt, a men’s Lacoste cardigan, Gerald D’Arel blazer, Gap metallic flats, a special edition Louis Vuitton bag, and a necklace that used to belong to my great-grandmother, it’s been in our family for ages!”

RUNS IN THE FAMILY: “My mother always bought clothes thinking about me and the day they would fit me, I am really lucky. When I was little she got me that Petit Vuitton bag in the picture so I could carry my Barbie clothes everywhere.”

MILLION DOLLAR MAMA: “My mother really inspires my wardrobe. I love the way she mixes designer clothes with other pieces. Her favorite store is Zara. Sometimes she is Zara head to toe and it looks like a million dollar outfit, it’s amazing.”

GENDER BENDER: “I’m a mix of girlie and tomboy. Sometimes people look at me funny when I’m in the men’s section trying on jackets and sweaters. The important thing for me is to feel good in my clothes and comfortable.”

RAINBOW PREDILECTION: “I love every single color and I’m not afraid to use them. I guess that is one of the reasons that I am passionate about Missoni.”

EN GARDE: “My number one passion is fencing! I fence everyday. I thinking fencing jackets would be quite fashionable, maybe in different colors.”

Stefani Pappas

AGE: 16
HOMETOWN: Barrington, Illinois

WHAT SHE’S WEARING: “A white tie-up dress by Marithe & Francois Girbaud, shoes by Melissa AU (the shoes are PVC rubber injected with a fruit scent!) and a Tarina Tarantino necklace!”

DAPPER DAD: “My Dad picked this dress out for me! He is a pretty stylish guy himself and he always knows what looks good and what doesn’t. Sometimes, my dad’s advice saves me from looking like I’m wearing a costume!”

SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY: “Yes, this dress was expensive and it did take me a while to make the money. But it was so worth it!”

MISS INDEPENDENT: “I could live without any beauty products.”

BIG BAND BEAUTY: “I listen to older music like Bobby Darin, Louis Prima, and Helen Forrest, and I like to do a lot of research on them. They were big 50 or more years ago so the clothing styles from that era affect my sense of fashion.”

NON-COMMITAL CHIC: “I wear Anna Sui when I have a lot of energy and when I am in a super good mood with a lot going on. I wear Girbaud when it is more of a relaxing day with not much going on. As for Galliano, I only have a few pieces of his line (I?m not complaining!) and I usually wear them when I want to feel older.”

Brittany Burroughs

AGE: 17
HOMETOWN: Waldorf, Maryland

WRAP STAR: “The scarf I found in my mom’s closet. Apparently she used to have a thing for scarves because I found millions in there from leopard print to sequins and sparkles.”

MOTHER KNOWS BEST: “I don’t tend to follow anyone else’s style; I just pick up random things that I like at stores and put them together with something I already have. I have been known to go digging around in my mom’s closet a few times, though.”

KILLER DEALS: “Since it’s close to me, I’d have to say my favorite place to shop is Baltimore. They have great malls and one of my favorite second hand stores, Killer Trash.”

FLAT LANDS: “I have a pair of cheap black flats from Target that I wear with everything. Actually, I wear them so much I had to buy another pair a while ago, and now these new pairs are looking a little rough too.”

IT’S A CINCH: “I think it’s already becoming over rated, but I love wearing belts just below your bust. I think it helps flatter your figure, and it adds appeal to an otherwise plain outfit.”

THE EYES HAVE IT: “I can’t live without mascara. I could be in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, but as long as I have mascara on I feel HOT!”

Madeleine Welch

This old-glam girl has a flair for styles gone by.

AGE: 17

HOMETOWN: Round Rock, Texas

THRIFT SEEKER: I’m always amazed at what you can find at thrift stores. There isn’t just junk there, you can actually find some treasures. That’s where I discovered this belt and scarf, which were in mint condition.

CLASS ACT: I put these pieces together because the dress needed a belt to break up the pattern. I added the scarf because it would balance out the black of the belt and give the outfit a Hermes kind of class.

DESIGNER OF THE DECADES: Betsey Johnson, BCBG, and Marc Jacobs are some of my favorite designers but I am very partial to Christian Dior. His designs in the 40’s were revolutionary and are some of my favorite ever.

LIKE GRANDMOTHER. . .: Of course Teen Vogue inspires my wardrobe, but mainly my Great-Grandmother does. She was a very classy, fashion-forward lady back in the 40’s and 50’s. I often go through old photo albums and take note of what she wore.

OLD’S COOL: I adore the 1940’s and 50’s fashion styles because they’re so glamorous and seem like perfection to me. I’m basically a vintage loving young lady with a modern twist.

PINUP QUEEN: I’ve been wearing a lot of old brooches and scarves lately. Brooches just add a really nice touch to any outfit or handbag.

PEARL VISION: Pearls and gold necklaces are definitely timeless. You can see them in every era and they’ll continue to be as fashion evolves.

phoebe and tobie wahl

Meet two funky sisters with a style all their own.

AGE: 19 and 15, respectively

HOMETOWN: Bellingham, Washington

WHAT THEY’RE WEARING: PHOEBE (RIGHT): “The dress is by Lux, and the jacket is a family heirloom. The shoes are from Paris.” TOBIE: “The dress is Lux, and the purse and shoes are vintage. The jewelry comes from various thrift stores.”

TWO OF A KIND: “Our style is very similar: chic, funky, and cute. Uniqueness is a key part of our style. We like to come up with original combinations of clothes.”

FRENCH MADE: “There are a lot of good second-hand stores and boutiques in Seattle. Portland is good, too, but Paris takes the cake.”

INDEPENDENT WOMEN: “We follow trends to a point, but at the end of the day we wear what we like. It doesn’t matter to us if it went out of style 50 years ago or if it’s the new hot thing.”

Olimpia Rey Liberti

What’s old is new again according to this Brazilian It girl.

AGE: 15
HOMETOWN: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

WHAT SHE’S WEARING: “My mom’s silk dress from the seventies, a vintage leather belt from a Brazilian shop called Zoomp, a jade necklace from China, and leather sandals from a store called Schutz.”

NEW ATTITUDE: “This dress was handmade in Portugal. When I found it in my mom’s closet, I loved it right away. It’s perfect for Rio’s hot weather. It came with a shawl made from the same fabric, but the two pieces together made it appear outdated. Worn by itself, though, it was too plain. So I paired it with leather accessories—like this belt and oversized bag—to give the look a more modern feel.”

PAST PERFECT: “My wardrobe is practically all vintage, but I love designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Olivier Theyskens, and Brazilian native Samuel Cirnansck.”

DIVINE INSPIRATION: “Teen Vogue is my fashion dictionary. It’s where I learn more about fashion. I look to my mom as well. She has some of the most fabulous clothes and accessories from the past. I also admire the styles of Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot.”

BUYER’S LUCK: “Until now I’ve only shopped in Rio, but I would love to explore the boutiques in London and Paris. If I’m in a bind, I can always count on Zara to find the best items. It’s simple, cheap and chic. And of course, there’s always my mom’s closet.”

These girls’ style is for the most part not what you see on people everyday, it’s not what’s being advertised as the fall’s/summer’s/winter’s must have by JcPenny and Macy’s. It’s fresh and it’s different. It’s worth the look.

But although I’ve pretty much bashed people who shop at Hottopic, I mean, each to his own, right?

Sure.

Because in the final analysis, everyone wants to be accepted for who they are, what race they come from, where they hail from and what designers they have in their closet =]

Happy shopping.