What to buy a 13/14 year old american girl who has everything already?

[PavlovtheCat]

I have a niece in California. She 14. She is quite 'mature' for her age, into makeup, clothes, dressing up very glam, she is a mini-hermother. Was bought an iphone 4 or whatever the most recent one was beginning of last year for her birthday (I am not 100% sure if she is 13 almost 14, or 14, almost 15, because she 'seems' 15!).

I have absolutely no clue what to buy her.

Suggestions please. Limited budget.

Get her an $25 iTunes card. She can buy what she likes, and it will go well with the Iphone. That's what I'm getting my 13 yo niece and nephew. They will be very happy according to their parents.

oh that's a good idea!

Something quite British? Is there a Topshop near where they are? If not and she's into fashion I imagine that would go down well! Something like a bracelet or a cotton bag with TopShop emblazoned in it.

DD aged 15 came home today with wine-coloured velvet ankle boots - £8 from Primarni - gorgeous!
She also has some velvet shorts from Fashion Union.

Well, the problem is sled I know I will end up being that aunt that is so un-cool! I bought her a pretty fashionable pair of pineapple tracky bottoms last year instead of 'jimjams' which every other child got - they were visiting in UK. they were black with a little 'bling' on them. And, yes she wore them, but I am not convinced she was impressed. It might have had something to do with her almost 80 year old granny saying 'oh pavlov i love those, what size do they go up to, I am going to get myself a pair!'

I normally buy her something with a union jack on it when she visits, or some perfume.

Would she really like a Topshop bag or something? is that popular in america? She is definitely a 'cool kid' at school so something that would make her friends go would be good.

I am just very afraid of getting fashion wrong. Her mother buys her jeans and those for her daughter from the jean company that has the bling crown on - 7? she had the latest Ugg boots last christmas, has pretty much everything she wants/needs/desires.

ooh I just googled the crown thing - it is Victoria Beckham - Rock Republic - so that definitely means out of my league for fashion, at those prices! although it gives me an idea of the style she likes...

What about some make up? We bought DP's niece who is a similar age a Models Own nail varnish set, all very sparkly and colourful and quite fashionable. It came in a nice gift box, and it was about £20. You can get them in Boots if its too late to order from their site

nail varnish is always a good idea, you would think eh? But she gets her nails done in the salon with her mother

I think, the itunes voucher is probably the best idea, I can't really go wrong, and if I do, she can sell it

It's a different world I can tell you. Hence my difficulties last year, I bought her a beautiful diary, pen and beautifully illustrated copy of The Hobbit. I suspect she was secretly horrified, but she was polite! My theory was, she won't be bought anything like that, and as I inscribed it with love she may look back as an adult and it remind her of her christmas in England yeah right

My niece is very into fashion, her family is quite wealthy (shame our side isn't!) and last xmas she got an Alexander McQueen scarf, a skull one. I got her this Alexander McQueen book for her birthday in January
www.amazon.co.uk/Alexander-McQueen-Savage-Beauty-Metropolitan/dp/0300169787/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355610781&sr=1-1
The cover is fabulous (think it's lenticular) and she loved it. Something like that, from Amazon US for postage purposes, is maybe a possibility if she is into fashion?

how about - an iphone cover? do they change sizes when the new ones come out? I might be able to get her a nice one...

Doh.
www.amazon.co.uk/Alexander-McQueen-Savage-Beauty-Metropolitan/dp/0300169787/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355610781&sr=1-1

Oh that might be a good idea, I will take a look - yes I am looking on amazon.com! have a few presents to get!

and like your american family, this particular american family is pretty wealthy, not hugely so, but certainly more so that our family here! we are the poor relations Fashion/clothes are more important to her and her mother because her dad is in the music/entertainment business so they go to a lot of parties, and events. And, gadgets are cheap in US, and her dad gets good deals through his work/contracts etc.

Is she into Holister etc? why not go to Jack Wills or get something from Cath Kidston? my teen nieces love all that flowery stuff.

Sorry, I managed to hide the thread

All the non-British friends I have are obsessed by Topshop to an extent that makes me giggle a little bit. If you're unsure fashion wise, then the cotton tote shopping bags might be good, if they've got them in.

Something in the Cath Kidston London print might be good?

sled I am not sure I will get it to her in time from UK from actual topshop. Maybe I will get her a voucher, and then send her something nice from the January sales.

Vouchers are good, but I always try to avoid when I can help it, as I like to make an effort. But, I concede that sometimes, there is no option and a voucher is in fact the best option, and that, this might be one of those times.

But, I am glad I know about topshop for future, it is her birthday in March, so will be sure to get her something nice from there or Cath Kidson stuff.

Seriously though, I am going to have a lot of apologies to make.

you can do amazon til tomorrow! And some US based places do online this week as well. There is one I have used a few times to buy perfume and stuff, can't remember the name...I always miss last posting and it costs me a fortune in courier!

FedEx were not stupidly expensive to USA last year, they were cheaper than a lot of the other international couriers, including Parcel Force Int (ha! they were like £80!) for a reasonably sized hamper of UK goodies to NYC, sent like 4 days before xmas, took 24 hours.

So if you are prepared to pay, you can still make it