The Tween Scene
Giving tech-savvy kids the frames they crave
By Marcy Bruch
Illustration by Cameron Eagle

Bold logos and flexible materials are tempting for tween boys. Shown: Nike Kids model NI4607 for Marchon

Some are the last offspring of the baby boomers, while others are the first crop of kids to come from generation X. Regardless of their parents' generation, tweens--kids ages eight to 14--are proving to be more discriminating, precocious, and tech-savvy than their parents were at the same age.

And how have they become so sophisticated? Lots of their cultivation can be attributed to this generation's constant exposure to the media and Internet. According to www.the-infoshop.com, tweens have grown up with the constant white noise of television as a backdrop. What's more, while their parents probably remember the first moment they entered cyberspace, many of these kids had their first peek at the Internet as toddlers.

"Tweens today are more aware of their environment than a generation past. They are used to 24-hour TV, they are comfortable using a computer, and going online is part their lives. They are literally the Internet generation growing up in the information age," says Lucy Oblena, author of the article: "Watch Out! Your 12-year-old is Spending More Than You Think."

Brand names hold appeal for the tween market. Shown above: Nine West Kids styles 120 and 124 for Sàfilo; below: Tweens often opt for adult-looking styles scaled down for smaller faces. Shown below: TMX models Volt (top) and Wake for Kenmark

Thanks to their cyber explorations, tweens are tuned-in to what's happening and what's hip. But life's not all technology, and they are not immune to their parents' influence. Many tween girls take right after their boomer moms, shopping with a vengeance and zeroing in on the status brands-of-the-moment. Boys emulate their dads by jumping headlong into pop's favorite pastime, whether it's mountain biking or golf.

Wanting to mimic mom or dad can be a good thing, notes Debra Willis, an optician for The Sight Shop in Lake Oswego, Ore., which is across the hall from a pediatric ophthalmologist.

"If other members of a tween's family wear glasses, then they want to wear them, too," she says. "In fact, we have a family where both parents and two of three siblings wear glasses. The middle child wants to look like everyone else, so the parents simply bought her frames with plano lenses so she would feel like she fit in."

THE COOL FACTOR

The other piece of good news is that many opticians report the first time a tween gets eyeglasses is not as traumatic for the kids--or their parents--as it used to be.

"If they have baby boomer parents, they are probably wearing reading glasses. And, many tweens see their favorite celebrities wearing glasses, too, so they view eyewear as another way to look cool," says Tonia Abdul-Kader, an optician for the Wichita Family Vision Clinic in Wichita, Kan.

Frame choices today provide a variety of comfort, technology, and style options created specifically to speak to the interests of the tween market.

"What you absolutely don't want to do is lead them toward the kids' board section, where there's a lot of bright colored, cartoon-licensed frames," Abdul-Kader says.

	Eyewear with sun clips are a hit. Shown: Revolution Kids styles (from top) REK003, REK001, REK002

"Tweens don't see themselves as kids; they think they are already teenagers. So you've got to grab their attention fast by showing them a frame in a recognizable brand name that's basically a pint-sized version of what grown-ups wear," she adds.

With 30 to 40 percent of his business generated through kids' frames, Jim Hoffman, owner of Roseland Eyecare in Depew, N.Y., has observed plenty of shopping patterns.

"When a child is eight years old, that's about the last time you can show him or her frames in the kiddie section where there's a proliferation of cartoon licenses," he says.

"Often, I can get a tween into a small-sized designer frame easier than I can get a 25-year-old into the same frame," he adds. "But then again, they aren't paying the bill."

BRANDS COUNT

Knowing that, what kind of name-brand should a dispenser carry for tweens? A well-recognized sports name frame for boys has been a hit for Willis at The Sight Shop. "Even though they are pricey, ranging from $188 and more, boys love the logo at the temple, and parents like the strong, flexible nature of the metal material, as well as the two-year warranty."

Touches of color can be a fun touch. Shown: Style XFOX4 for Lindberg

Boys in the Orlando, Fla., area often prefer metals in hard-edged shapes, such as rectangles, squares, and even funky hexagons in black, tortoise, or gunmetal, says Alec Luke, an optician for Eye Glass World Express based there.

Among girls, Willis says the most successful collections for tweens are designer brands for girls in styles that are simply smaller versions of what is featured in the adult brand-name frame collection.

"Sometimes, you can even get away with fitting a tween into a small adult frame if the sizes are 42, 46, or 48," she says.

PARENTS WANT DURABILITY

True to what's trending in the adult frame market, dispensers have noticed more kids taking a closer look at plastic frames.

"Girls especially like them, but sometimes parents aren't as enthusiastic about plastic frames because it brings back déjà vu of when they had to wear glasses as a kid," says Abdul-Kader.

Metal frames, however, are still a bestseller, thanks to their reputation for endurance.

Boys like to take after Dad with rugged activities and eyewear. Shown NBA style Dribble for Marcolin	The tween market is extremely style conscious. Shown: Style 2124 for Ogi

"Almost all of the kids' frames we sell are metal because of the durability issue," Luke says. "With so many great metal materials available that are almost indestructible, it just makes sense. The fashion quotient can be obtained through frame shape and color."

While it's important to get the frames on tweens to reassure them they will look good, Abdul-Kader makes it a point to show the parent that their tween's frame will hold up to a lot of wear and tear.

"I will flex the metal, show them the spring hinges, and inform them about the frame warranty. If it's a two-year warranty, the frame is often covered until the tween has outgrown them and is ready for a new pair," she says.

Plastics are increasingly popular choices with tweens. Shown: Vogue style VO 2037 for Luxottica	Sporty looks suit active kids' lifestyles. Shown: adidas style Youngstar for Silhouette

UV PROTECTION

To protect kids' eyes from the strong sun in Florida, Luke says his dispensary has a buy-one-get-one free sale for kids' frames at least once a year, allowing parents to buy one frame for everyday, and the other with photochromic lenses.

Selling kids' frames with photo-chromic lenses that are now clear enough indoors for school usage has also worked for Willis. "In Oregon, almost everyone here is active outdoors, so photochromics make a lot of sense for both adults as well as kids."

The only drawback to offering kids clip-ons is that some of them have a tendency to misplace them.

The number of tweens that are asking for, and getting, contact lenses is on the upswing, even as young as 10 (see sidebar page 41).

"It's hard to argue with the parents when they discover the reasonable cost of disposable lenses," says Hoffman. "But if they get contact lenses, they are even less likely to wear them for corrective vision than frames, because at least a parent can monitor whether or not they are wearing their glasses. It's harder to do that with contact lenses."

Bottom line? While tweens may surprise us all with their broad scope of knowledge and sophistication, they are still basically kids that need a guiding hand--whether it's in school, sports, or frames.