What's in a brand name? Everything if you're a teenager

Name brands are everywhere.

The labels seem to stand out every place we go -- from the mall to the movies to the hallways at school.

American Eagle. Aéropostale. Abercrombie & Fitch.

And those are just the A's.

What about them has teenagers hooked?

The answer to this question is case-sensitive. Some teens just don't like the idea of wearing untrusted clothing brands while others just wear them because they are popular.

I think the popularity of name-brand clothing has been blown way out of proportion by our generation. Sometimes, a name-brand means better quality. Sometimes, it just means someone is showing off.

Will an American Eagle shirt last longer than any other shirt? I'm not sure. But, walking through the halls at my school, I sure see a lot American Eagle labels.

I hear about them, too. There are bits of conversation here and there about how so-and-so went to Seattle to get such-and-such name-brand clothing item.

According to MC Marketing Charts, nearly half of all teens are truly loyal to the brands they really like. But more than half believe name-brands are just something created by marketers to get more money.

I'm in that second group. There is something truly alluring about name-brand clothing to most people, especially teens. Nearly 30 percent of teens like "cool" name-brands because it makes them feel "cool," according to MC Marketing Charts.

To me, it shows that popularity drives teens' obsession with name-brands. It's not necessarily the quality, but the feeling of being cool or being popular and belonging that have won teens over.

* Evalyn Suarez attends West Valley High School.