"The girl power era of the '90s really gave us the freedom to scream-sing Spice Girls and feel like our strongest, most confident selves. Movies like Matilda and Mulan, shows like Lizzie McGuire and The Secret World of Alex Mack, all made us feel like anything is possible. Like we were always enough. And a store like Claire's? It gave us more than just "Best Friends" necklaces and bracelets and ear piercings."
"And unlike shopping at even the kids' section of Target or going into Gadzooks (RIP) or (heaven forbid) a Hot Topic, Claire's was one of the few places where your parents weren't policing you. Nobody was hovering over you to see what you were buying or telling you that something you chose was inappropriate or "too old" for you (the worst thing to hear)."
Claire's functioned as a dedicated retail refuge for tween girls, offering affordable, age-appropriate accessories that supported self-expression and autonomy. The store aligned with a broader '90s girl-power culture that encouraged confidence through music, films, and television. Claire's provided a nonjudgmental shopping environment where parents trusted choices and children could explore identity without policing. The mix of affordable items, ear piercings, and nostalgic trinkets created lasting personal memories across childhood and adolescence. The store's departure represents the loss of one of the few mainstream spaces explicitly designed to celebrate and include young girls.
Read at Scary Mommy
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