Discount fashion is in style

For as long as there have been parents and teens, there have been fights about their clothes. At least that's the way it seems. But believe it or not, things may be changing. <br><br>News on Six

Wednesday, November 13th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

For as long as there have been parents and teens, there have been fights about their clothes. At least that's the way it seems. But believe it or not, things may be changing.

News on Six business reporter Steve Berg wonders if could this be the first generation of teenagers in human history to be leaning toward discount stores. A new survey says "maybe.â€ For teens like Amanda Manlandro, shopping for clothes at Target is no big deal. "They have cute clothes and it's cheaper, I don't like Old Navy's clothes."

But it wasn't always that way, even Target manager Anne Wallace admits what it was like when she started working for the chain 13 years ago. "It was old people clothing, (laughs) that's what it was more geared for. Because that's who was spending the most money was the parents, and they were buying the school clothes." A recent survey by the New York research firm Zandl says teens, especially girls, are leaning more toward stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and Kohl's. And leaning away from places like the Gap, Old Navy, and Abercrombie and Fitch.

Price is an obvious factor, but so is the fashion. â€œI think kids are getting kids are getting smarter about their money and Target is offering a lot of neat stuff for the teens." The study shows boys are simply buying less, though to some extent, they too are giving the discount stores a chance. Vicki Arnold says she hasn't seen it yet. "Not yet. I'm not seein' it yet, I mean I hope that's true.

I would like to see that happen, but as of yet, I haven't seen it." But they're out there, and Amanda says she's not the only one. "Yeah, my friend was here shopping here last weekend and told me about some clothes here so I came to look at 'em.â€

The survey says that teens are also tired of "Retro." Designers have drawn from the 60's, the 70's, the 80's. Teens are saying it's time for something brand new.