Ages 11-13
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20 things that are deeply important to tweens right now
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Backpacks are a canvas
Books go on the inside. Labubus, bag charms and key chains cover every inch of the outside.
Welcome to locker life
Middle school is the big leagues. Kids make their first lockers their own with mirrors, whiteboards and magnets.
Owala FTW
Stanley has gone the way of “6-7.” Owala is the new water bottle for your desk.
Your Trapper Keeper could never
LoveShackFancy turned school supplies into fashion status symbols. The more ruffles, the better.
Zits get a glow-up
We caked ours in Clearasil. Kids now wear branded pimple patches (Hello Kitty!) as part of the outfit.
Tween tastemakers
Fashion trends no longer trickle down from adults. They bubble up from kids (literally looking at you, Bubble Skincare).
Varsity cues
Letterman jackets and other preppy styles have moved from high school to middle school hallways.
Activewear is all-day wear
Gym clothes have become the unofficial school uniform, led by Alo sets and Lululemon knockoffs.
Lavender haze
Purple is having a major moment in tween fashion, alongside florals and frills.
Millie Bobby Brown, Gen Alpha’s “it” girl
Tweens aren’t old enough to watch Stranger Things, but they’re buying everything Mills sells.
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Analog is in
Mini Polaroids. Walkmans. Tamagotchis. For the screen generation, the coolest accessory doesn’t have one.
Wireless earbuds over everything?
They top tweens’ wish lists. Good luck getting their attention at dinner. But cords are making a comeback.
The phone decision is here
Middle school fills parents' search histories with age-appropriate tech queries.
School stress soars
Teens are feeling more pressure than they did a year ago, according to YPulse.
Retinol before recess
TikTok-inspired anti-aging skin care has reached middle school, worrying dermatologists.
Skin care is on the supply list
Pencils and notebooks now share a cart alongside CeraVe, tinted moisturizer and beauty products.
The beauty aisle is calling
38% of 8- to 12-year-olds are already using makeup, influenced by personalities like Salish Matter and Coco Granderson.
Y2K fashion, with a twist
Tweens are borrowing millennial style but putting their own sci-fi spin on it with metallics, holographics and chrome.
Denim maxxing
Jeans are just the beginning. For these kids, the more denim (jackets, skirts), the better.
Shopping IRL is satisfying
Raised on sensory toys, tweens prefer the experience of browsing and buying in person over click-and-ship.
