Is there any good news in $4.00 per gallon gasoline, higher food prices and rising unemployment among free-spending teens?

Yes! Bargain Stores, Second-Hand Clothing Outlets, Off-Price Discount Stores and even … gasp … sewing and make-your-own Bling advice, targeted to teens, are now considered v. cool.

Tween-Teen belt-tightening is unmistakable: Retailers who target teens – like American Eagle, Tween Brands, Inc. and its Limited Too — have seen up to four consecutive months of sales declines (says UBS-International Council of Shopping Centers). Fewer teens remain in the part-time workforce over the past 14 months, squeezing out C-note Coach wristlet handbags and $80 jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch and pre-distressed surfer hoodies with brand new Brand Hollister price tags. Even Teen Food Staples – pizza, potato chips – cost more of youths’ dwindling discretionary dollars.

Opportunity knocks for off-price and bargain apparel traders!!! Now it’s cool to be frugal, including:

• • Get ready for another Grunge Fest? Maybe not. Economists state the current spending slump is the worst since the early 1990s … and it slumps all the way through the family, as budget-conscious parents cut unlimited text-message services, allowances and frivolous shopping.The previous big 1990s slump birthed the Grunge Look – torn clothing, flannel shirts, ripped stockings and that Je ne sais quoi touch of Gothica. Even with a sinking economy (teen hiring dropped 13% in the early 1990s vs. a 5% hiring slump this past year), no one thinks fashion will go Grunge during this cycle. Keep stocking that economical Bling: DIY beads, rhinestones; Metallic-thread shoulder wraps and scarves; Oversized handbags that double as beach totes and book bags; Off-price jewelry and accessories.

• Buffalo Exchange, a chain of second-hand clothing stores based in Tucson Arizona that operates throughout the west and central California, says business is surging. Because teens can trade in jeans and apparel at Buffalo, shoppers are still buying top brands like Banana Republic and Juicy Couture. The brand-name threads are simply “recycled” and cost a fraction of regular price at Buffalo X.

• Off-pricing and low-pricing still works. Another tween favorite, Aeropostale, sells jeans to teens for 30% less than look-alikes at Abercrombie & Fitch … and is thriving during this downturn. Teens are re-branding their shopping hangouts from higher-priced Hollister to lower-priced Target; and they’re shifting from pricey Pacific Sunwear of CA demo stores to thriftier knock-offs at H&M and Steve & Barry’s.

• Even if the prices aren’t bargain basement, a “thrift-store ambience” keeps frugal Teens loyal. Or, so say trend experts who look at Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie brands, which are staying afloat in the economic storm when they only look like thrift stores.
• For anyone who thought free-spending Teens would never, ever cut up credit cards, pinch dollars till George yelps or turn to sewing machines, get this: the teen-targeted spin-off of women’s Elle Magazine (called Ellegirl.com) launched videos titled, “Self-Made Girl.” It’s all about making clothes, crafting accessories like a prom clutch bag, and altering what’s already in the closet to look more stylish or fit better.

Mother’s Day 2008 is two weeks away: day of last-minute flowers, candy and Mom Bling jewelry.

Dollar Stores and merchandise resellers already took shipment of their Mother’s Day gift inventory. Online search advertisers – Keyworded Mother’s Day; Mom’s Day; Jewelry for Mom; Flowers for Mom – are just launching their mid-May holiday Mom-marketing campaigns.

Here are some online and in-store merchandising/display tips:

Cross-Reference Mom Stuff. It is good enuf for specialty retailers, like Jo-Ann Fabrics; Cook Books headlined in Barnes & Noble or Borders emailings; and local Scrapbooking and Crafts groups featured on Meet-Up, Gather and other social link-up sites. Then, it is good enuf for Dollar Stores and general merchandise retailers to copy, too.

• Put themed Mother’s Day displays, banners and signs over categories of merchandise: Crafts and Handicraft Items; Scrapbooks and Miniatures; Glue Guns and Glitters; Remaindered Cook Books; Specialty Cookware (cake decorating utensils; piping bags; nonpareils and silver “Jimmies”); Party Favors, Paperware, Festive Holiday Cupcake Liners and Cake Molds.

• Post See Also :: Mom Also Likes cross-reference signage and web links to: Beach Totes, Flip Flops, Sun Parasols and Beach Reading Paperback Books. To Grapevine Wreaths, Wicker Baskets and Artificial Flower aisles. And to In-Home Spa Products such as Body Wash, Bubble Bath, Scrubs, Moisturizers, Nature Sprays, Manicure Sets, Nail Polishes, Nail Transfers or Charms, Candles and Incense, and Personal Care Products.

Leave a Breadcrumb Trail to Mom Gifts. Whether you are looking to pull online clicks to a web site or eyeballs to a brick-and-mortar display, make a trail to the Mom Merchandise easy to follow.

· Use the same icon, colors, posters and headlines for Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions … whatever the category or aisle. (See above.)

· Then “silo” on the web site, or stock on the shelves, all Mom-targeted gift items. Count on serendipity: Searchers and shoppers may have an idea of what they want to buy for Mom; but seeing other suggested gift items nearby may help them refine their gift. It also helps cross-sell and up-sell higher revenue sales … like personalized, homemade gift baskets.

Make Mom a Headliner. All the Mother’s Day-themed greeting cards, helium party balloons, singing eCards, party banners, gift wrapping and flowers (fresh and fake) rotate to the front of the inventory, or top of the web landing page. And help out The Indecisive Shopper: If you sell Gift Cards, offer Mother’s Day themed or wrapped Gift Cards to give Mom freedom of choice.

So, a few months ago, I promised Shawn Saba from US Style, Inc. that we would consider letting him write a guest post here and sharing his knowledge with all our readers. I never got around to posting it and he called me today saying I’d better put this up before he and Sam came down to San Diego and kick my butt back to Connecticut. Just kidding…I think I can take them anyways so their threats were falling on deaf ears But seriously, ApparelUS.com is one of the leading online resources for great deals on wholesale fashion and we welcome the knowledge of experts like Shawn any day. Shawn, I should have gotten this up back in Feb. but thanks for your work.

Shawn writes:

Every four years we add one extra day in the month of February in order to
re-synchronize our calendar with the seasons. This year, 2008, is a leap
year, which makes it the perfect opportunity to re-synchronize your clothing
collection with current fashion sense. Because fashions are sometimes as
fickle as the changing weather patterns, it‚s important to update your
clothing inventory periodically. There‚s no better or more economical way to
do that than by shopping wholesale online.

Wholesale clothing shopping online allows you to shop for and buy the
hottest new fashion designs at a fraction of their retail price. Shopping at
online wholesalers cuts out the middlemen, which allows you can spend as
little as possible. The less you pay wholesale, the more you profit in the
end. Another great thing about wholesale clothing shopping is that the
fashions are constantly being updated, so you can always choose from the
most contemporary styles.

When you purchase wholesale clothing, you can afford to completely redo your
clothing collection to fit with the modern fashion landscape. Many of the
newest fashion trends can be found at Apparelus.com, the best source for
wholesale clothing and accessories on the Internet. They offer their
customers a wide range of top-quality clothing and accessories at steeply
discounted prices. With exclusive contracts from many of the hottest
designers and manufacturers in the market, Apparelus.com always has the best
wholesale prices.

Apparelus.com has thousands of different clothing pieces you can choose
from. Their departments include tops, pants, dresses, skirts, jackets and
more. They even have hundreds of accessories like shoes, handbags,
sunglasses, belts and jewelry. No matter what style of clothing or
accessories you‚re after, you‚ll probably find it for pennies on the dollar
in their extensive collection. You‚ll be amazed to see that the unit prices
for most of their clothing items are just several dollars when they could
easily be sold for 5 times more. So, visit Apparelus.com to take advantage
of this once in a leap year opportunity to do yourself a big favor and give
your clothing collection a total overhaul. Your bottom line will thank you.

This Spring fashionistas from all over will be following the rainbow by looking to the crayon box for inspiration. This season’s runways were awash in bright, bold colors, a stark contrast from last season’s macabre obsession with all things dark and Gothic. This season, expect to see fashion mavens donning such cheery hues as deep hibiscus red, vermilion orange, sunflower yellow, tropical green, cobalt blue and vibrant violet.

Another blossoming trend this season is wearing large, graphic floral prints with everything from roses and pansies to retro-style daisies and everything in between. For those who are not feeling the large bold florals, mid-size and more delicate summery patterns are also a hit, as are any soft and delicate feminine accents like sheer ribbons and bows.

Retro styles from the 1970s have also come back full throttle, and this can be seen in everything from bold, geometric patterns to off-the-shoulder tops, bell bottoms, and even groovy platforms and leisure suits. Finding these and other styles can get pricey when shopping through most retailers, but that does not have to be the case.

Most of the trends showcased on last month’s runways can be found at ApparelShowroom.com, your premier source for wholesale women’s and junior miss apparel. They specialize in off price and high quality red tag clothing offering the lowest prices for the best quality on the market. Because their company is located in fashionable Los Angeles, Ca, they are constantly adding new merchandise to their inventory from hundreds of neighboring manufacturers and importers, and it’s always deeply discounted to ensure the greatest profits.

Apparel Showroom has a wide array of wholesale women’s clothing, including tops, dresses, skirts, pants, active wear, and even accessories. My favorite section is the page featuring discount wholesale dresses. This page showcases a wide selection of sultry styles, including some of the retro patterns mentioned before. Whether you’re looking for cool and casual or a style fit for a night on the town, Apparel Showroom will be sure to satisfy. They have a large assortment of the ever popular halter dress, svelte dresses with spaghetti straps, and even off-the-shoulder fashions. Check out Apparel Showroom today to spring into the sexy styles of the season. You won’t regret it.

As you may or may not be aware, Valentine’s Day is a mere calendar month away from today. It’s time to roll out the champagne, laced hearts and velvety chocolate! If you have little ones at home this may mean going out in search of Hannah Montana or High School Musical Valentine’s cards and those candy hearts with corny messages of amor sprawled across them. Or, if you’re like me and other Martha Stewart aficionados, you know that this is a very opportune time to get crafty!

Making your own Valentine’s cards and gifts is a breeze to do. Plus it’s a great creative outlet and has the added benefit of good ‘ole fashioned r & r. Not to mention that you’ll save some green in the process. (Score!) If you have the time (and patience) to make your own creations, my best advice is to purchase wholesale craft supplies from an authorized dealer. Popular Valentine’s materials include fabrics embossed with floral patterns, elegant embellished laces, crimson silks or velvets in various shades of red, and anything that shimmers. Nothing says “I love you” like a whole lot of sparkle! Sequins also work well, and you can never go wrong with pink. Silk flowers—roses and baby breath in particular—are also crowd pleasers. You can easily find wholesalers who will sell these products to you, even if you are purchasing for private use.

You don’t have to be a creative genius to come up with ideas for homemade gifts. I once made my hubby a Valentine’s teddy bear with a little box containing coupons I made for him with tickets for things like “1 free hour-long massage”, “1 candlelit dinner made with love and featuring the food of your choice”, “1 day of hogging the remote for the whole day” and other things that are lovely and free. The best part? These one-time use coupons never expired. My hubby still has a few of them left, and that was nearly six years ago. All it took was a plain, plush bear, some lace & fabric, a little bit of hot glue and a whole lot of imagination. That was the cheapest Valentine’s Day ever, and it had the greatest impact of all of them.

If you’re a little lacking in the art department, fret not. You can still find some great deals for wholesale Valentine’s Day gifts without having to spend the time and energy on artsy, time-consuming projects. Check out TopTenWholesale.com today for a list of wholesalers near you.

There are some hot trends approaching in shoes, boots, jewelry and fashion accessories. But it pays to break lots and sort by Regional Taste. As they say: One fashion maven’s Regional Hot is another region’s Fashion Faux Pas.

The Big Apple

Bootie leather boots are still fashionable footwear across the country. But New Yorkers prefer boots with elegant, rather than rustic, details, such as soft suedes, fold-over ankle cuffs and D-ring trims. The brand name in booties is Loeffler Randall, though competitors and discount, look-alike designs abound.

NYC still likes simple gold chain jewelry. The current necklace of NYC choice is more shimmer than simple, with pink gold-over-silver chain links embedded with faceted crystals and faux pearls.

Left Coast L.A.

Layered, cotton tees – from crew neck to scoop with long, elbow and short sleeves – are still strong in L.A., providing they’re bright solid colors (Barn Red, Leaf Green, Chocolate Brown, Euro Blue) and they come in double or triple layers. Mossimo is the brand name.

Angelenos prefer their gold chain necklaces to be dangling charms, pendants and silver-brass-crystal “Wish” padlocks.

South Beach Miami

Sunny South Florida prefers strappy sandal shoes – very strappy, with thin, metallic leather straps continuing up to the ankle – for day and nightwear.

Marc Jacobs Sunglasses, made in Italy, are must-haves in Miami … providing they are wraparound, oversized or sport large square lenses.

Dallas

The Big D tends to dress quieter than other Lone Star State cities. But this part of the Southwest still likes Texas scale and proportions. Favorites are LARGE silver hinged cuff bracelets (imported by Sequin) and Kate Spade Patent Leather Platforms, with metallic patent leather, open toes and chunky platform heels … contrasted with soft satin ankle straps.

Dixie Atlanta

Leaning more toward the fashion conservative, Atlanta at Night leans toward La ROK jackets, from feminine dotted jacquard, short-sleeved, double-breasted jackets to shiny textured parkas. Atlanta pairs its conservative jackets with metallic tube tops, scaled-down Envelope Clutch Purses and Claudia Ciuti Italian Pumps.
Solidly Midwestern: Chicago

The Windy City of Chicago chooses stylish and practical accessories, such as striped scarves that keep the wearer warm — wool, acrylic, alpaca and polyester fibers – but can’t resist the style of running glittery, metallic threads through its ever-practical winter scarves. Chicago’s taste in jewelry also runs to the unique: polished wooden jewelry from long wooden-bead rope necklaces to multicolor wood stretch beaded bracelets.

Some fashionista trends, such as soft leather “bootie-style” short boots, are popular coast-to-coast. However, a savvy apparel/fashion marketer knows to target regional trends and preferences, sorting out pay-per-click keywords and ad strategy, ad headlines and targeting, by region.

Imports Offer Quality and Exoticism to Your Local Department Store

Imported items can be found in virtually any store you may visit. Because of their high appeal and considerably low cost, imports provide a large amount of business to today’s merchandising industries. It is not necessary for you to deal with a store that sells strictly imported items since imports can be found any place, including the nearest supermarket. A wide variety of imports can be found and at very competitive prices. If you want more value for your money then imported goods would be a logical choice. Imports can be found around the globe and at much lower prices compared to domestically manufactured merchandise. Popular imports include Mexican imports. The world market comes to you in the form of imported items.

Many countries contribute and enhance the variety of merchandise for modern day consumers. You can easily find items manufactured in countries like Japan, China and Mexico. Someone looking for a certain decor for his or her home often find what is needed in order to give it that extra charming touch when turning to imports. Some households like to decorate with themes that originate in foreign markets.

Many of us might think that the workmanship on imports leaves a lot to be desired. This is a myth and you should not steer away from imports based on this misconception. Many good buys can be found and all you need to do is look around for them. The price on imports is almost always the best price you will find when comparison shopping. The savvy shopper knows this.

It is a fun task to go looking for items that are not manufactured locally. You begin to wonder who could have created such beautiful items. You wonder about the lives of the creator and about far off places that other people call home.

Buying imports, including hot imports, should be something everyone considers as an option. They are readily available today and offer value and excellent workmanship. Why pay inflated prices when imports are here and easy to locate? If you are looking for items that are unusual but very tasteful please consider giving the import industry a chance to fulfill your consumer needs and desires.Visit Toptenwholesale.com to find imports and a large selection of other wholesale merchandise. Go to www.toptenwholesale.com.

Wholesale Gifts Can Show Your Special Someone You Care Without Breaking The Bank

Gifts are something that must be purchased at an on going basis. When you think about it there are so many opportunities at any given time to give and receive gifts. Not a month goes by that you do not remember someone’s birthday and wish that you had remembered to buy that special gift to acknowledge this special occasion that only comes once a year, Buying Christmas gifts is another yearly venture. Christmas is a time that you realize just how many gifts you would like to buy for all of your loved ones, relatives, neighbors and acquaintances. The expense will often be overwhelming and most of us end up in debt by the end of the year. Some other days that lend themselves to gift giving are Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Secretary’s Day, Boss’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, Graduation Day, Baby Shower Celebrations, when people purchase baby gifts. Sometimes you feel like giving gifts for no reason at all, in which case you may wish to browse funny gifts.

Stocking up on Wholesale Gifts

Most times you will rush out and purchase gifts at the last minute. If you waited till the last minute you usually purchase just about anything with lack of time not allowing attention to price. You end up overspending when you knew that this particular purchase was one thing that could have been planned in advance without breaking the budget.

Buying wholesale gifts helps you plan in advance. Additionally, the recipient will receive a much nicer gift because of the value that you found. Wholesale gifts offer the perfect solution for the constant expense that everyone dreads and yet wants to participate in. With wholesale gifts you can purchase your gift checklist all at once, this way you will never be without a gift idea for a loved one.

Once you decide that wholesale gifts is a good solution to the gift buying expense that everyone encounters, you will notice how much money you are saving. A gift purchase is a nice gesture we all want to be a part of. It is a tradition that is not likely to go away or be made less tedious. However, by purchasing wholesale gifts you will have the satisfaction that you bought gifts for everyone on your special lists. You will take pride in knowing that you saved money by purchasing the wholesale gifts that are sure to please.

Go to www.toptenwholesale.com to find a high quality special wholesale priced gift for a special someone.

Look Fantastic While Saving Money Buying Wholesale Earrings

Earrings are a very vital part of the fashion industry. It is almost impossible to find any fashion model in magazines or television without earrings to complement the beauty of her eyes and designer clothes. Every woman seems to wear earrings as part of her carefully chosen attire. Most women will say that they feel that their ears are naked when their ears are not adorned properly. Anyone will surely notice what a difference is made when a woman dresses up her apparel by adding the finishing touch of beautiful earrings. Some people will be quick to pierce the little girls ears as soon as possible so that they can adorn their ears. In fact, little girls often wear their birthstone earrings. Many babies show off diamonds and gold. Nowadays even men and boys are joining in record numbers to also adorn their ears.

Women enjoy complementing their attire with the right earrings and by using the appropriate colors. If you ask any woman how many earrings she owns, she will more than likely tell you that she lost count a long time ago. Women are addicted to adding to their collection and will buy earrings on impulse just because earrings make a woman feel colorful and attractive. Women enjoy buying earrings in every color and style and with earrings so quickly lost they are sure to replace anything missing from their earring collection quite quickly. With earrings in every style and low prices a woman can easily replace earrings at a cost that is suitable and affordable to them.

Wholesale earrings are readily available so that you can satisfy the desire for all the costumers requesting earrings. The variety and value is incomparable. Colors galore can be found in our collection. The style of any fashionable woman or man can be found by looking at our wholesale collection. The prices are quite competitive. Your customers are sure to appreciate the many selections that you are able to offer. Your customers are sure to come back to reorder time and time again.

Wholesale earrings are easy to order. Your satisfaction is a top priority and all orders are quickly and efficiently filled.

For wholesale jewelry, including earrings and other high quality wholesale merchandise visit the Top Ten Wholesale website: www.toptenwholesale.com

Buying Wholesale Will Save You Money

When deciding to purchase something new you will find that prices on everything have begun to sky rocket. This doesn’t do much for the families that need to stay on a budget. However, there is an incredible solution. You can still buy the things you want and need but at a reasonable price. Wholesale items are the same products that you would find at a local store except the prices are cut in half. You would still find the same quality and durability that you would find if you were purchasing it at the regular, over priced market value.

Buying products wholesale offer a great advantage to the families that are trying to stay within the budget. They can still purchase the necessities ranging from clothing, house items, food, there are countless quality wholesale merchandise that can be purchased at wholesale prices.

Wholesale Clothing & Merchandise Offers Good Prices and Large Selections

It is often very difficult to find exactly what you are looking for at the local stores. Maybe if you are too tall and can’t find pants that are long enough. Or maybe you are not the average size. With wholesale clothing you will be able to afford and find the sizes that you need for dresses, pants, and any clothing item. You won’t have to go through the embarrassment of trying on everything and handing it all back to the salesperson because nothing fit correctly or nothing is as affordable as you wish it would be.

Wholesale isn’t limited to clothing however, and nowadays you can find any retail product at wholesale prices. You will be able to find everything from tools to electronics wholesale. This means that no matter what kind of purchase you want to make, you can save money simply by browsing sites on the Internet. This can bring the amount of money you spend on purchasing down drastically. In a month it can add up. In a year it might be enough to take a long vacation. This type of smart spending is what savvy consumers can do to save money.

You can find wholesale merchandise at www.toptenwholesale.com. This site allows you to navigate through many wholesale retailers for a very wide variety of products. You can find all types of products available at low and affordable prices. This is a great way for those people who enjoy bargain hunting to shop. You will find many products for much less than you would ever pay at a retail store, and you can do the shopping in the convenience of your own home.