Monday, May 24, 2004

MODESTY AT NORDSTROM

Eleven year old Ella Gunderson pointed out the obvious to department store Nordstrom: there are few modest clothing options for young girls. The amazing thing? Nordstrom vowed to fix it:
"Dear Nordstrom," she wrote. "I am an eleven-year-old girl who has tried shopping at your store for clothes (in particular jeans), but all of them ride way under my hips, and the next size up is too big and falls down.

"I see all of these girls who walk around with pants that show their belly button and underwear," she wrote. "Your clearks sugjest that there is only one look. If that is true, then girls are suppost to walk around half naked. I think that you should change that." (sic)

Ella's letter was relayed all the way up to Pete Nordstrom, an executive vice president and president of Nordstrom's full-line stores.

Two Nordstrom executives wrote back, promising the Redmond girl the company would try to educate both its purchasing managers and salespeople on the range of fashion choices that should be available to young people.

"Wow," wrote back Kris Allan, manager of Nordstrom's Bellevue Square store, where Ella shopped.

"Your letter really got my attention ... I think you are absolutely right. There should not be just one look for everyone. This look is not particularly a modest one and there should be choices for everyone."

In addition, according to the folks at Seventeen modesty is 'in':
"If modesty is what she is looking for, it's going to come full force in the fall," said Gigi Solis Schanen, the New York-based fashion editor for Seventeen magazine.

"The '50s sexy-librarian look is in."

Schanen said that 'tween and teen girls can expect to see fuller skirts, higher waist lines and more "layering" of tops.

The exposed belly look made popular by such singers such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera is on the way out.

Good job, Ella!

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