Rounding up the best clothing stores for tweens might seem like an odd choice for a blog that mostly focuses on helping grown men look and live their best.
But as our readers have grown up over the years, many of them have become fathers, and transitioned from charming Irreverent Gents to caring Dads of Distinction.
And as parents, they’re now concerned not just with dressing themselves, but with dressing their kids—which is particularly annoying challenging when your kid reaches the pre-adolescent tweenage years.
Kids in that age group are old enough to be aware of what other people are wearing, and often want clothes in the latest styles and fashion.
But what they’re not aware of is the household budget. And since they’re still growing like weeds at that age, their wardrobes need to be replaced pretty frequently.
So while kids might care about the latest trends and fads, parents are more concerned with reasonable prices.
Fortunately, you don’t have to look too far to find stores that combine enviable styles with affordable prices.
In this post we’ve rounded up dozens of the best tween clothing stores where you can find styles they like at prices you can afford.
The Best Clothing Stores for Tweens
Rounding Up Some of the Most Popular Tween Clothing Stores & Brands
Old Navy
Old Navy is kind of like the younger sibling of the Gap, and has been a favorite among teen girls and boys for years.
Tweens and young adults love the cute clothes and modern prices, while parents love the low prices, wide selection of categories, and the fact that there’s some decent stuff for mom and dad there too.
American Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle is a close rival of Old Navy and another popular brand for tween boys and girls.
Their aesthetic definitely leans a little older than Old Navy, making it slightly more appropriate for teenage girls and boys than for tweens.
But they offer a wide selection of casual wear in sizing that will fit most tweens, so it’s another good store to keep top of mind.
Lucky Brand
Owned by the same parent company that owns Aeropostale and Forever 21, Lucky Brand is a good place to turn for a wide range of staple pieces, but especially jeans.
They offer multiple styles and fits in both men’s and women’s jeans, all at prices that are more affordable than some of the big-name denim brands like Levi’s.
Athleta Girl
Athleta is a female-focused athleisure brand, and they have a line called Athleta Girl that’s aimed at tween girls.
Unfortunately it doesn’t carry boys’ clothes, so young men are out of luck, but sister brand The Gap, which is owned by the same parent company, has plenty of activewear for the entire family.
If you have a daughter who’s in need of activewear, Athleta Girl is a great place to pick up everything from sports bras and leggings to sweatshirts and jackets.
Amazon
Amazon is the 800-pound gorilla in the world of retail nowadays:
It’s a one-stop shop that carries a huge variety of clothes for kids of all ages.
In addition to a wide range of products, another big perk with Amazon is that Prime members get free shipping and free returns, making it one of the best places to shop for tween clothes online.
Ordering clothes for tweens online is always a bit risky, since they won’t have a chance to try them on in person.
But knowing that you can return them easily without paying for shipping either way is a huge win.
Plus, if you’re looking to give a gift card rather than pick out the items yourself, Amazon is a great choice since the card can be used not just on clothes, but on anything.
Hollister
Hollister is another store like American Eagle that targets a young teen demographic.
They have a pretty wide assortment of casual clothes, all with a sort of laidback California vibe that works well for both boys and girls.
They’re not the cheapest store on this list, but most of their stuff still comes at a budget-friendly price that should be manageable for most households.
Pacsun
Pacsun offers cool clothes and trendy accessories that are aimed at a young teen demographic.
Pacsun has a cooler and slightly trendier vibe than a lot of the other stores on this list.
But because their core demo is so young, you can trust that the vast majority of what they sell will still be appropriate clothing for tweens.
(This is a particular concern for parents of tween girls and young women, for obvious reasons, but still comforting for parents of boys to know as well.)
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters carries a wide selection of men’s and women’s clothing that’s hip and modern, so it’s no surprise that it’s a favorite among teens and tweens.
They don’t have a dedicated kids section, but a lot of their sizes will work for tweens, particularly those who are a little older.
In addition to fashion tops and trendier clothes, they also have a pretty wide selection of simple styles from brands you know and trust like Levi’s, Adidas, The North Face and more.
Tilly’s
Tilly’s is another store aimed directly at teens and tweens, which carries a wide selection of affordable styles like cute tops and cool dresses for girls, and graphic tees, sneakers and more for guys.
In addition to some low base prices on a pretty huge selection of clothes and accessories, they also offer a student discount that can allow you to save even more when shopping for tweens or other kids.
Gap & Gap Kids
Tweens are at the age where they might fall somewhere in between the smaller end of the Gap’s main adult sizing and the larger end of their kids clothing.
So depending on their body types and how quickly they’re growing, you may want to look at both stores.
And it’s worth taking the time to poke around both sections, because Gap is well known for making the sort of dependable, on trend clothing that’s perfect for everyday wear.
Plus, their website offers free standard shipping on orders of more than $50, and they tend to run sales almost every weekend, so it’s a good place to shop online.
J.Crew Factory
The styles at the flagship J.Crew store tend to be a little too grown up and mature for tweens.
But their J.Crew Factory outlets are both more casual and more affordable.
So if you like the quality and aesthetic of the main J.Crew brand but want the sort of casual staple pieces that are more appropriate for preteen clothing, then the Factory stores are the right places to shop.
Plus the Factory stores provide great value since the prices are quite a bit lower than the flagship brand, but the quality tends to be almost as high.
H&M
Fast-fashion stores like H&M are a bit of a double-edged sword when it comes to fashion for tweens (for anyone, really).
On the one hand, they have a wide variety of hip, trending clothes for tweens and teens, and their website is always well stocked with new arrivals, which is largely why it’s become one of the more popular tween clothing stores.
On the other hand, the reason their clothes are so affordable is because they’re made quickly and cheaply, so the quality isn’t quite as high as what you’d get at some of the other tween clothing brands on this list.
Forever 21
You can tell by the name that Forever 21 targets a slightly older demographic than tweens, and their clothes are definitely more grown up than what you’d find at Gap Kids.
But with that said, they do have some select styles that are appropriate for tweens and younger teens, in addition to pretty reasonable prices, so they’re worth keeping in mind.
Kohl’s
As a major department store, Kohl’s stocks a huge selection of clothes and accessories for people of all ages.
They separate sections for kids and what they call Juniors, which are basically teens, and both sections are worth checking out to find tween fashion from popular brands like Nike, Calvin Klein, LC Lauren Conrad and a lot more.
Target
And speaking of major department stores, Target has carved out a niche for itself among its competitors by focusing on stylish clothes that look great, but very much fit within their affordable price structure.
Like Kohl’s, they have both a kids section and a separate “Young Adult” department, both of which are great places to find tween clothing that’s well made and well priced.
Justice
Owned by the Ascena Retail Group (the parent company that owns women’s clothing brands like Anne Taylor and Lane Bryant), Justice is a girls clothing store with a wide variety of stylish and age-appropriate clothes for tweens.
One nice thing about Justice is that they offer an Extended Sizes section, which is great if you’re shopping for a child who needs specialty sizing, like shirts with long lengths or pants with extra long inseams.
J.Crew
J.Crew is definitely thought of as a more adult and sophisticated brand, even for adults.
But for tween who are particularly fashion forward and want to wear what’s trending, it’s a good place to turn for clothes that are of-the-moment but not particularly risqué.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch is a pretty popular brand for teens and young 20-somethings.
So it probably shouldn’t come as a shock that it’s also one of the more sought-after brands for tweens.
Fortunately, Abercombie has a pretty extensive kids section where you can find both sizes and styles that will work well for younger adolescents.
Nordstrom
As one of the biggest retailers in the country, Nordstrom carries plenty of clothes for tweens.
Their website is well stocked with everything from expensive designer brands to more affordable in-house alternatives, so you should be able to find something for just about every budget.
And as a more upscale department store, their brick and mortar locations provide a pretty fun shopping experience.
Macy’s
Another major retailer, Macy’s is a close competitor of stores like Nordstrom (and Nordstrom Rack).
As such, it’s another great place to turn for a wide variety of brands and styles.
And while Macy’s certainly isn’t down market, it’s not quite as upscale as Nordstrom, which makes it a little more accessible for most people.
TJ Maxx
And speaking of affordable and accessible places to turn, TJ Maxx specializes in offering discounted prices on major brand names.
But with discount department stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s, there’s a catch:
All of the styles in their new arrivals section are actually from last year, which is why they’re able to sell them so cheaply.
Fortunately, the vast majority of tweens won’t notice the difference, making this a great place to score some big brand names at a low price.
Free People
Free People is a great place to turn if your tween daughter happens to be a budding fashionista.
They have a wide colleciton of stylish, on-trend pieces that mimic the hottest trends in the world of adult fashion, most of which are also appropriate for a younger demographic.
They carry everything from breezy lightweight dresses and cozy sweaters to stylish jeans and a soft pajama set, so it’s a great go-to for fashion-forward (i.e. very picky) tweens and teens.
Mango
Mango is another great place to turn for tweens who want to stay ahead of the fashion curve.
Unlike Free People, Mango makes clothes for both girls and boys, so it’s a good option if you’re looking for a single store that can cater to both genders.
Another thing that’s great about Mango is that they have both a dedicated teen section and a separate kids section.
Some tweens aren’t quite old/big enough to fit into teen clothes, while others who are the same age may have already outgrown the kids section, so having the ability to shop in both sections comes in handy.
Zara
Zara is an extremely fashion forward brand, and not all of their designs and pieces will be appropriate for tweens.
But with that said, while their styles are much more of-the-moment (they’re often copies of what appeared on fashion runways just months before), most of them are just flashier versions of the standard shirts, sweaters and pants that other brands offer.
Tiny Whales
Tiny Whales is a small kids clothing retailer that offers unique designs in warm, natural colors.
Their sizing ranges all the way from toddler clothes up to 12 to 14 years, so
while they’re primarily a kids’ brand, they do have a pretty decent selction of stuff for tweens.
Good Seed Clothing
Based in Southern California, Good Seed was founded on a respect for nature and the outdoors, which is reflected in their designs and styles.
Their designs evoke laid-back surfer vibes, making them great for tweens who don’t take themselves too seriously, and want clothes that are more relaxed and fun than fierce and fashion-forward.
Brandy Melville
Brandy Melville offers a wide variety of girls’ basics and staple pieces, including t-shirts, sweats, jackets and more.
Some of their stuff can skew a little bit older and be more appropriate for teens and young 20-somethings, so you have to be a little selective with what you buy here.
But with that said, their offerings are pretty wide, so there’s still a lot of good, stylish options for younger girls.
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Banner image via Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock
Maria Vasquez
Maria Vasquez is a Toronto-based writer and journalist. When not hacking away at her computer she enjoys walking her dog, spinning (like on Peloton, not in circles like a small child*) and ordering too much takeout.
*Well, sometimes in circles like a small child.