Clueless consumerism

From a New York Times on-line article about falling spending this Christmas:
"Consumers appear reluctant to splurge on their favorite brands. Abercrombie’s popular Hollister division, a surf-themed store intended for a slightly younger shopper than its namesake chain, said sales failed to grow in November, compared with last year — a letdown for a fast-growing brand.
Shining Young, 25, and Ray Chou, 29, both graduate students, waited for clearance sales before buying clothes Wednesday at the Hollister store at the Westfield San Francisco Centre.
In the end, they bought a puffy jacket for $80, regularly $128, and a zip-up sweatshirt for $30, originally $50. The life of a graduate students is not luxurious, and with their expenses rising, “I shop at Hollister when it’s on special,” Ms. Young said.

Hollister, for those not from around those parts, is a little run-down agricultural town 'out in the Valley' in Northern California, south of San Jose:













When I first starting seeing local kids wearing this labeled gear, I accosted them, sure that they were from Hollister and were wearing school colors. Wrong.
Rico says kids will wear anything if the popular culture deems it hip.