Fashion sense for the young and trendy

================================= Hera Diani and Monique Natalia The Jakarta Post Jakarta ---------------------------------

"I'm going, Mom!" Felisya, 16, said to her mother as she left for a cafe to meet her friends.

Outside, after making sure that her mom was not looking, the student at a senior high school in South Jakarta quickly opened her cardigan as she got into her friend's car.

Beneath the cardigan, Felisya was wearing a tight tank top which revealed a bit of midriff and back, plus hipster pants, also tight. For accent, she put on a huge belt.

"My mom would kill me if she saw me wearing something revealing like this," she said, laughing.

"Well, what's wrong with this? I mean, everyone my age wears this stuff all the time. I want to follow the trends, too!"

All of Felisya's friends were wearing a similar style. The boys were no less fashionable, with their hair dyed and in tight shirts.

Over time, teen fashion has become an important market for the fashion industry. In the past decade, however, teen fashion, here and around the world, went into overdrive to lead the direction of the industry. Teenagers have also become more confident in expressing their style.

Fashion consultant Muara Bagdja said teen fashion is the style of clothing worn by teenagers, incorporating mall and club fashions, but what matters most is the rapid transformation of lifestyles and its influence on style.

"Today people, especially women, are going out more," Muara said. "They like to go to parties, clubs and malls. For teenagers who still have to wear uniforms in school, this is the time when they can express themselves through what they wear.

"The kind of lifestyles that teenagers lead define what they wear."

As a result, many designers now recognize teenagers as an essential market and are creating lines for them.

The most popular designer nowadays is 24-year-old Oscar Lawalata, whose designs reflect a young, dynamic spirit.

And then there is designer Biyan Wanaatmadja, who is famous for his ultra-feminine clothes but who has established a line for youth called (X) SML.

Teen boutiques have flourished, especially in the South Jakarta area. You only have to take a stroll along Jl. Radio Dalam or Jl. Panglima Polim to spot them.

One boutique that is highly popular among young people, and also celebrities, is Absolut on Jl. Mendawai, South Jakarta.

Established in 1997, when the monetary crisis first hit the country, the boutique is still among the top places to shop for clothes and accessories for the young and trendy.

"The business used to be more profitable. But, now, we have so many competitors," said Fransisca "Sisca" Hartono, the boutique's public relations manager.

To be able to compete, Absolut sticks to its concept of importing fashionable clothes from Hong Kong, Paris and the United States. Prices range from Rp 100,000 (US$9.50) to Rp 6 million (about $570).

"Our loyal customers are upset if we sell local goods. They want something unique that can't be found in other stores."

She added that the shop wanted to become a trendsetter. Since young people are quick in following the trends, they try to keep ahead by changing the cycle of their products once every two months.

"We started out as a shop for teenagers. But, these days, most of our customers are 20 years old and above, I don't know why," she said.

"We're also curious why there are very few men who shop here. We have a boutique in Bandung called Tomodachi, and it has many men customers. But there are only few who come here. I wonder where Jakarta's young men shop?"

Several teenage men questioned by The Jakarta Post said they prefer to shop in the mall.

In defining fashion style, there is no doubt that television and also magazines play a significant role in influencing teenagers.

Felisya, for example, said she looks to pop stars from MTV like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Of course, sometimes things get a little out of hand. Take singer Nafa Urbach, for example. From a melancholic singer, she has suddenly transformed into a Britney wanna-be, with bare midriff and plunging cleavage, for her latest video.

People don't remember the song so much as her leather pants.

In her case, a quote from a magazine is probably appropriate: "There's no such thing as fashion victim. Only people with bad taste."