LOS ANGELES — Despite the ravages left by the earthquake, Valley girls still find time for what they do best: haunt the local malls.
Forget Moon Zappa images of bubble-gum chewers in miniskirts, though.
In true post-quake fashion, these diehard consumers deck themselves out in urban survival gear. Some opt for utilitarian fleece separates and tie bandanas across their foreheads. Others artfully layer heavy denim and flannel items. Steel-toe work boots are the footwear of choice. They are so popular that top-selling brand Timberland should consider changing its name to”Tremblorland.”
Leather backpacks are also a hit. Shoppers carry emergency supplies like flashlights, small radios and water bottles in them.
A mile away from the now-condemned Northridge Fashion Center, sidewalk vendors hock another kind of post-quake fashion statement: T-shirts bearing messages including “I Survived The 1994 California Earthquake.” At $10 a pop, business is brisk.
Each corner stand reportedly sells between 50 to 60 a day. One entrepreneur said he wanted to get the shirts out so fast that he printed them using a backup generator. His production facility had lost electrical power immediately following the quake.
In his haste, another vendor produced a shirt that reads, “I Survived A 6 PT 7.” Although it was considered an incorrect Richter Scale reading at the time, Cal Tech has since upgraded the temblor to that magnitude.