Need help with birthday gift ideas for 14 year old girl

My niece is turning 14 this month and I need help with birthday gift ideas! We don't have much contact with her since my husband had a falling out with his sister. Since then we're only in contact with his nieces by email and phone, we haven't seen them in over a year. So, just wondering if the moms of 14 year old girls can give me any ideas. Where do teens like to shop?? She is into acting (drama) in plays and lives by the beach...I typically spend about $35 Any help is greatly appreciated!

A 14 year old girl would LOVE to receive a $35 gift card! Its a double gift, she gets to go shopping and gets whatever she wants. She'll also enjoy telling you about all the fun stuff she got to buy.
I would suggest a card to Target, or one that you can use at any store at the mall. That way whatever she wants she'll be able to get.

I hate to say this, but a gift card to Abercrombie and Fitch would probably make her very happy. Between my husband and myself we have 4 teenage nieces (One in Boston, one in South Carolina and two in Southern California) they don't have much in common with each other, except for their love of all things Abercrombie. Apparently it is all the rage with teenage girls.

i-tunes gift card

Ambercrombie & Fitch! They have everything a teen girl desires :o)

Really....that's probably the safest for you to get her, knowing that you haven't seen her in a long time. You cannot go wrong with a Gift Card from there :o)

When our daughter was 14 & 16, we used to fill her Christmas Stocking with small amounts of assorted Gift Cards (movies, Ice Cream, Target, etc...) This way she had a "variety" of $$$ to spend when she went to the Mall with her friends. Today she is 22, and STILL says that her was her favorite Christmas Gift :o) Even over the Ipod and stuff! Apparently, it meant the most, and was age-appropriate :o)

Blessings to you, Emily. I'm happy to hear that even though you don't have communication with your S-I-L, that you are still making efforts to be in your nieces life. When she's older, she will see & appreciate your efforts now.

:o) Nicole

I am the mother of a 15 year old girl and I can tell you that gift cards are a great thing. Even when I know what my daughter likes, she prefers to pick it out herself. Her favorite stores are Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister. They both have gift cards available. You can also get pre-paid visa and mastercard gift cards or even itunes. I don't know any 14 year olds that don't like music. My parents often send my kids Amamzon,com gift certificates (they carry everything!). They can be printed right off the computer. Some people say that gift cards are impersonal, but for picky teenagers I think they are great!

Get her a gift card to her favorite clothing store. I have a 14-year-old, trust me.

Giftcard, Giftcard, Giftcard!!! They love them at that age.

I don't know if you want to give something or your thoughts on a giftcards....but I just went to my nephew's birthday and he just turned 14, he got clothes and dvd movies but his fav gifts were the visa or matercard money cards...they are accepted everywhere....and he told his mom and dad that he wanted to go to the skate shop to spend them. He loved them b/c they gave him the freedom to go to any store and not just the store they came from!

Hi Emily,
A lot of teenage girls are into scrapbooking and journaling. There are a lot of cool scrapbooking ideas on my website and what is nice is you can have it shipped directly to your niece. I am a Creative Memories Consultant. Check out my website: http://www.mycmsite.com/aprildunhamfilson
April

You may want to get several gift cards... Target, Abercrombie, and my own niece's suggestion... Jamba Juice! Even Mrs. Field's or Baskin Robbins, some place fun.

Hi Emily,
I have a 14 year old daughter. She and her friends like to shop at the following stores which I am sure are national chains:
American Eagle Outfitters
Hollister
PacSun
Forever 21
Abercrombie
Victoria's Secret
They also like gift cards to places like Target or Jamba Juice. Some kids also like Starbucks.
You can also get her a Visa card for a set amount of money that she can use anywhere that accepts VISA but you end up paying a little more for it.
Hope this helps.
Debbie

Gift Certificate to Abercrombie and Fitch, PacSun, American Eagle, or a music store, or itunes if she has an ipod!

My daughter likes Abercrombie & Fitch (I hate it and it's $$) or Tilly's, Aeropostal, Amercian Eagle Outfitters, Pacific Sunwear. Oh, and Hollister is a big favorite.

Hi Emily,
A pretty darn hip 13 year-old lives across the street from me and shows me every new piece of clothing she buys! For living near the beach, I would say that Pac Sun (Pacsun?) and Billabong (super cute [but not cutesie] sundresses and more) are good calls. It also depends on what stores are located near your niece. Abercrombie, H+M, Aldo (shoes), and Claire's (accessories) are also good calls, though I would double check Claire's. I'm not positive that the girl across the street still goes there. Definitely go with the gift card if you feel comfortable doing so.

I have found that gift cards are a big success - you could get a personalized ( her name on it ) card through American Express or just pick up a store gift card. Another idea would be a canvas tote with a beach towel. My thirteen year old is really into Juicy Couture earrings - you could get any earrings if her ears are pierced. Also - anything with a peace sign! Good luck!

My daughter is 14 and likes CD'S and DVD'S as well as books. if you don't know what she likes then gift cards are always welcomed. They almost always like most all of the mall shops like Abercrombie, Hollister, Forever 21 and Styles for less although they are not always in the mall. Good Luck

I have a 14 year old and she loves acting and the beach, too. Pac Sun is a favorite among this crowd - surfer/skater clothes; Wet Seal is another reasonably-priced clothing store. With new fall fashions coming in, $35 might go a long way. Gift cards to Target or Old Navy are always appreciated by my daughter. Is she a reader or like music? Borders gift cards are great, too. Best to you and your husband. -DK in 831

First, I would like to say how terrific it is for your niece to have such a great aunt and uncle that are willing to overlook a rift with her mother and still remain constant in her life. The love you are showing her now will pay dividends forever!
My daughter will be turning 14 next month and we live at the beach, so I asked her what she would suggest. As everyone else has said, Abercrombie was top of her list, but $35 is just about enough to buy a tank top there!
If you are thinking gift cards all of the other suggestions you've gotten sound good, but I know my daughter and her friends also like Bath & Body Works alot. If you'd like to avoid gift cards I have a couple of suggestions. My daughter spent $35 of her own money (7 weeks allowance) on Perfume 41 from Abercrombie. It smells lovely and is not at all overwhelming. It had the added bonus of making her feel a little more grown-up without being inappropriate (if you know what I mean!) Her favorite present at Christmas was a Guess handbag (red with a generous amount of 'bling') that her sister bought her. It was just about $35 at Ross and they had a great selection. Another good thing for beach girls are zip up hoodies. You simply can never have too many of them since our mornings and early evenings tend to be a little chilly even in the summer. I never seem to see them same ones twice on my girls and their friends, they have a different one every day. I have threatened to send them all to Hoodie Rehab! Roxy, Billabong, Split, Volcom, O'Neill, etc. are all good choices. My girls go to Ross and get them for about $20 each, otherwise I think they are about $40 in the mall stores.
I'm not sure what beach she lives near, but if she's in Santa Cruz, the nearest Target is at least 30mins away and Old Navy is about 45mins. Our only mall is Capitola Mall. Just something to consider if she's out our way.
Good luck!

well most 14 year olds like cute purses you might be able to find a really cute nice purse on clearance at macys teens like the XOXO purses and sometimes they have great sales. just a thought.