ALT-1 Christmas 2007 Jewelry Gift Ideas for Teen Girls
I don't think I've ever known a teenage girl who didn't like at least some form of jewelry, and as a teacher, I've known a lot of teenagers. You have to be careful in your selections, however. You need to know at least a little about the girl's taste and personality. Otherwise, you might just as well save her the trouble of standing in a long line to return the item by giving her the money instead. Following are a few guidelines.
ATHLETIC OR OUTDOORSY GIRLSThese girls don't want anything too fancy. Stick with natural beads, hemp, leather, or simple gold or silver chains. A charm bracelet with charms that reflect her personality or interests, like cheerleading, horseback riding, fishing, or sports would be a safe bet. Turquoise is also popular with this group.
YOUNG TEEN DIVASThis group loves the bling. The blingier (is that a word?), the better. Select neon colors, animal prints, or psychedelic patterns. Big or small plastic beads are fine.
OLDER TEEN DIVASFor this group, you still want the bling, but tone it down a little. Don't give an older girl big plastic jewelry. Large hoop earrings, ear cuffs and pins with clear or colored accent stones, toe rings, and anklets are all good ideas.
SOPHISTICATED TEENSThese girls prefer simple, elegant items. A necklace with a small diamond or other gemstone, or an engraved silver or gold locket would be appreciated. Rings and earrings should not be too flashy or overstated. With this group, less is usually more.
THE SENTIMENTAL GIRLTeenage girls often go through a stage of sentimentality. A great gift would be a locket containing a photo of a special person, or any piece of jewelry with an engraved message. If you have an old article that belonged to Grandma or to Great Aunt Sally, have it placed in a new mounting and present it to your sentimental teen. Include a little note explaining the history of the piece, and watch her face light up!
RETRO GIRLSIf you can remember back to the hippy era, you have a grasp of this concept. Love beads, medallions and bracelets with peace signs, and "flower power" items will work. If you can find original articles in your old jewelry box in the attic, that would be "way cool."
GOTHICIs the teen girl on your list a Goth? If so, she almost always dresses in black and wears black lipstick and has her fingernails painted black. This type is pretty hard to miss. They prefer silver to gold. I guess it looks better with the ubiquitous black. The Gothic girls I've seen at school wear jewlelry with - you guessed it! - black stones. I've also seen necklaces and bracelets with tiny scorpions enclosed in glass. Scary. These girls also like dragons, fairies, and other mythological creatures.
Now all you have to do is decide which group your teen girl belongs to. The rest is easy. Just remember to respect her individuality and her style preference. Don't try to use your Christmas gift to make a statement - it won't work. If, for example, you decide to give a Goth girl a sweet little pink bracelet, the next time you see her it might be surgically embedded in her tongue or eyebrow.would be nice
