Before Pinterest boards, TikTok hauls, and aesthetic OOTDs… there was the mall. The original runway. The original friendship hub. The original “let’s take 87 pictures in the dressing room” moment.
And honestly? The mall-rat era was peak girlhood — and nothing since has captured that exact magic.
It was the first place you felt independent, even if your mom was somewhere in the building
You weren’t grown, but you weren’t a kid either. You had a little bit of freedom, a little bit of allowance money, and a LOT of opinions about which stores were “cool.” It was girlhood autonomy in its purest form.
Trying on clothes with your besties was the original TikTok trend ✨
The floor-length mirror.
The bad lighting.
The giggles.
The “should I buy this?” mini fashion show.
The group decision-making felt like a sacred ritual.
Girls invented the group shopping aesthetic long before social media ever caught on.
The food court was your first taste of feeling grown-up 🍕
Smoothies. Pretzels. Pizza slices.
Sitting with your friends and talking about absolutely nothing important.
Peak girlhood joy.
Stores felt like little worlds you could step into 🛍️
Claire’s made you feel creative.
Justice made you feel iconic.
Hollister made you feel mysterious.
Wet Seal made you feel edgy.
Forever 21 made you feel like anything was possible.
Every store had a vibe — and your outfit changed depending on which one you walked out of.
The mall was where you found your first “style identity” 🎀
Were you a sparkles-and-lip-gloss girl?
A graphic-tee-and-jeans girl?
A mini-purse girl?
A layered-tank-top girl?
A chunky-belt girl?
We didn’t know it then, but we were building our personal style in real time.
It wasn’t about shopping. It was about friendship. 💕
Matching bracelets from Claire’s.
Taking Photo Booth pictures.
Walking around with zero real plans.
Laughing over nothing for hours.
The mall wasn’t a place — it was a feeling.
A soft, silly, safe part of girlhood that let you be the main character in your own little world.
And honestly? That energy still exists — just in grown-up form.
While Lake Geneva, Wisconsin doesn’t have a traditional mall, there are places that bring back that same feeling of wandering around with your favorite people and discovering cute things together.
The Market of Lake Geneva — where Bonded by Gigi is located — naturally taps into that mall-rat spirit: exploring different spaces, finding fun little gems, and making a whole bestie-day-out of it. It feels like the adult version of those carefree Saturdays… just with better style and way better jewelry.