With summer right around the corner, some may be wondering how is it going to affect the retail stores in the Tallahassee area.
Tallahassee’s economy is largely dependent upon the income and spending of college students.
According to a sales associate for Forever 21, all of their sales are based around college students.
“When the seasons change and the weather gets warmer there is definitely an increase in sales,” she said.
Factors such as financial aid checks, homecoming and organizational events also increase sales in many retail stores in the area.
This increase in sales makes it easier for the stores to handle the noticeable decline in business when the students leave town.
During this time of year, retail stores depend mainly on high school students to keep the traffic respectable and maintain decent productivity.
“We’ve already reached our monthly goal,” said Lisa Fitzgerald, an assistant manager at Wet Seal.
The type of merchandise available in retail stores is also affected by the anticipation of warm weather.
A sales associate at Claire’s said there is an increase in sales of sunglasses, anklets and earrings during this time.
“We don’t sell sunglasses all year until spring break comes around, and then during the summer sales increase,” she said.
Fitzgerald said all of Wet Seal’s merchandise is determined by what the trends in the latest magazines have set.
The latest trends for this spring are “gaucho” pants, metallic colors and various accessories
With all of the options, students must remember to dress according to the season.
Octavia Toliver, a senior English student from Pensacola, pointed out, “girls in Tallahassee need to remember that you do not wear white after Labor Day.”
Fashion tends to reflect the trends of different regions.
Lativia Pierce, a sophomore physical therapy student from Miami, said that it is hard to get acclimated to the rainy weather of Tallahassee.
“When you come to Tallahassee, you just have to adjust,” Pierce said.
It is easy for males to adjust to the seasons because their clothing can be worn throughout the year.
Ladies must be conscious of when halters and tube dresses need to be hung up for the year.
Contact Amber Moore at famuanlifestyles@hotmail.com.