ANNARCHY - Latest Comments in A Virgin in Hollister

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Christmas Ideas — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:26:54 -0000

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Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Ad Broad — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:00:42 -0000

Glad to discover this blog, thanks to virtual pal Toad. Wonderful story, Ann. Feels like I was there just minutes ago. (My girls are in college.) Buckle your seat belt. Look forward to reading about your ride.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Ann Handley — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:57:37 -0000

Thanks Rae, Lani, Lynn, Susan and Leigh -- some of my most favorite people all in one spot. (Cool for me!)

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Rae Rae — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:49:34 -0000

Good God Ann; you have a lot of friends! Love the blog. It's great to be in your head from time to time. xoxo Rae Rae

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

S. Russell — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:37:27 -0000

Ann, great work for making this blog happen! I loved reading this piece. Your funny, irreverent connections came through so clearly.All so true,- strap on your seatbelt, Momma! Did I ever send you the photo of Caroline and Lee both aged about 3 that I took in the park?
love&woof,
-s.xox

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Lani Peterson — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:25:30 -0000

Wow! And I thought I was the storyteller! What a ball for all of us to get a peak into what is really going on inside there! You are inspiring...your thoughts AND the way you convey them. I want more. And I'm reallly beginning to get the idea of what a blog can be...and do. What a wonderful community you are bringing together and creating for all of us. Thanks for all.
Lani

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Lynn McLoughlin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:46:47 -0000

wow, I loved this one! I was right there with you with my preteen! loved the night club reference - so true...mostly loved your endless humorous twist on the ordinary creating the extraordinary!! By the way, that store freaks me out.
love,
Lynn

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

whatsnext — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:45:56 -0000

Apropos your post, I think you might like this little movie by my friend Gretchen Rubin, whose blog is The Happiness Project. http://www.theyearsareshort...

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Leigh Duncan-Durst — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:29:32 -0000

Bo-nanny -

I love this post and the weblog!

It's simply anntastic! (guffaw!) Can't wait to read more!

Leigh (your biggest fann)

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Ann Handley — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:34:15 -0000

Jeremiah -- Yes, I have... you might be right! It takes a few wash cycles to get the stink out, actually...

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Jeremiah Owyang — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:45:55 -0000

I've been to Hollister too, have you noticed the strange sweet scents they pump into the air? I think it's a teen derived Pheromone.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Nancy — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:51:38 -0000

Go Annie!
If the mall gets to be too much, I'll send the girls to bring Caroline around. Lib shops at Salvation Army and Christine prefers Nieman's, Should be interesting! Could have sworn the car was Uncle Tom's. Love ya!

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Eric Kintz — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:41:26 -0000

So you start a new blog and you don't even tell me? :)

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Daniel Monday — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:09:25 -0000

Yay, your own blog! Glad you got it up and running, and I second everyone's comment on the title - very fitting : )

When I finally decide to re-enter the blogosphere I'll definitely drop in to see what's what with you here, and leave my 2 (maybe 3) cents of course!

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Ann Handley — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:06:40 -0000

Alan: Wow... that's an endorsement. You are the best! How old are you kids now?

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Ann Handley — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:05:51 -0000

Bob, Steve, Mukund, BL, Alan:Thanks for the feedback & support.

And David -- funny thing: We stood next to a 40-ish Mom in Hollister wearing an A&F; tshirt. All I can say is... agreed. It wasn't pretty.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Alan Lopuszynski — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:28:24 -0000

Before I had kids, I'd sit in the mall - paralyzed in fear and dread - and watch the teen boys and girls hang out, in various stages of dress and undress as they posed, paraded and preyed upon each other. In some ways I'm overjoyed to have only boys now, although I know that their teen years will bring all manner of different and unexpected obstacles just as having girls must.

Wonderful to see you blogging in a new format, Ann, and thanks for giving me yet another daily distraction of a decidedly non work-related nature. I added your feed to my Netvibes page before I'd read a single word!

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Mukund Mohan — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:46:06 -0000

Hey Ann
Very nice, I cannot relate yet, but my 6 year old's going to give me the same sensibility soon, is my guess.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

David Felfoldi — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:31:17 -0000

I have nieces and nephews in their teens from Ohio that, when the Christmas list comes up, inevitably there will be a request for Hollister or Aeropostale wear. But I can't blame them -- have you been to Ohio? All there is to do is shop and look like you are from somewhere else (like, oh, California).

I wasn't surprised when I discovered that A&F owned Hollister. It's similar to how Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic are all owned by the same company. The goal is to dress someone from cradle to grave. Commercials touting bargain prices and great fashion for teens (Old Navy) to one's twenties (you are how old and still go to Old Navy? Grow up to Gap) to late adulthood (I can now afford that $250 cashmere sweater)!. An entire lifetime dedicated to Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic. "Woot."

What amazes me, however, is that Hollister was able to differentiate itself from A&F's rather niche market of white 12-18 year olds from suburbia. Same shirt-less 20-something models (the clothes are somewhere in that ad), same low-lighting, loud music bar scene, but I guess more surfer-like with less expensive prices. Wait, could it be the Old Navy of the Gap family legend?

Word of advice for which you didn't ask: No grown adult would be seen wearing A&F. Ever. Those that do, you simply have to worry. The same goes for Hollister but worse -- an adult wearing Hollister is thought to be weird by youngins. Do not buy clothes from there to "fit in" with your child's crowd. It won't work and you will cause irreparable damage to them.

Cherish that hand as long as you can.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

whatsnext — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:26:27 -0000

What a treat to see you writing about you!

Weird as it sounds, welcome to the blogosphere!

You’re really a wonderful writer. I felt like I was there with you on the shopping trip.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Steve Woodruff — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:25:38 -0000

Ann,

Wonderful opening effort. And very timely - I am in the throes of trying to ease into the grave my pre-packaged expectations of my boys (5 of them) and learn to embrace them as they are - which definitely yanks me out of my comfort zone (it is nice that the littlest one still holds my hand).

Look forward to more of your musings here at Annarchy.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Bob — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:25:06 -0000

The dance of independence and interdependence - I have three grown sons and 7 grandsons and somehow hear the music and see the steps more clearly from the distance of one generation (or so I imagine). ” You can be anything you want to be” ” Colour inside the lines” ” Try it yourself, I am sure you can do it” ” Always be honest” ” Don’t tell grandma she is looking old” Pick out whatever you like” ” Are you sure”.

Memory acts as a costume designer for our experiences so I am not sure what actually happened when my boys were adolescents but I am enjoying watching them as fathers.
Thanks Ann for stepping into the scary arena.

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Ann — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:33:23 -0000

Thanks, all... really appreciate the kind words. Really.

Bethann -- Yes, it's me, in front of my Dad's car, according to my sister Pat!

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

Bethann — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:16:40 -0000

As always…. excellent work. Keep it up,
I am a bit ahead of you in the kid-time continuum – I feel your pain!
When did we get here??

Are you SURE that is you??

Re: A Virgin in Hollister

portorikan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:16:15 -0000

Thanks for writing this. I really enjoyed reading it.

I have no kids of my own and have been married barely one year, but this was a great read. Thanks.