Hot-Topic "Kandi"

[Nattack 0]

I was in Hot Topic the other day to pick up some nice socks for sock poi. It's always fun to go in and poke fun at some of the stuff they carry...not that I don't spend my money there. I don't know how much money I've spent on that store alone for Invader Zim merchandise.

 

BUT...on my last conquest I found that hot topic was selling Kandi. Yes, Kandi. (which I admit I hid in the store.)

 

Well you can go ahead and make the argument that plastic beads are used in tons of other situations before the rave scene was even born. Obviously it always has and is still marketed to a much younger generation for a different purpose.

 

But you can't deny that Hot Topic is targeting a raver audience, selling pre-made plastic jewelry in sets saying things like "heart" on them. Then there's the shutter glasses...(which I still don't get) and the overpriced glow sticks, and the UV reactive hair gel...so it's not like there isn't other "ravey" things in the store.

 

I don't know, to one person it's just some cool plastic beads, and I don't think anyone really into kandi would waste their money anyways. I just really didn't like it, and I hope pieces like this are never used for trading. (but it will happen)

 

 

 

[Zero 3]

and so it begins..

 

rave cultures slow and epic drudge towards "the main stream"

 

 

 

there will be a lot more to come

[Alouette 0]

hottopic is also where you can get petticoat tutu thingies (which i think are hideous)

 

i often look around at peoples outfits at raves and note what store most people got their clothing/accessories from. its like spot the marine =] its a fun game for me

[zin 25]

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Hot Topic sold a lot of rave gear. It's where I got my first UFO's and saw Nocturnal Wonderland shirts. Not to mention glowsticks were cheap from hot topic back in the day.

 

As soon as Hot Topic milks the scene for what it's worth and when the scene is on it's downward spiral of the cycle, then Hot Topic will gradually pull out from the rave scene again. Just as they did earlier when the scene was "dying".

[Alouette 0]

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Hot Topic sold a lot of rave gear. It's where I got my first UFO's and saw Nocturnal Wonderland shirts. Not to mention glowsticks were cheap from hot topic back in the day.

 

As soon as Hot Topic milks the scene for what it's worth and when the scene is on it's downward spiral of the cycle, then Hot Topic will gradually pull out from the rave scene again. Just as they did earlier when the scene was "dying".

 

agreed.

 

and it just reminded me of the south park episode where there is a hot topic and butters and most of southpark go vampire and they have to destroy the hot topic to save themselves

 

::edit::

are we referring to these?

http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Accessori...Pack-272863.jsp

http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Accessori...Pack-251323.jsp

 

because personally i have no problem with them.. theyre sold at claires and kohls as well... i couldnt find anything else that looked like kandi online... maybe its just in stores?

[Nattack 0]

agreed.

 

and it just reminded me of the south park episode where there is a hot topic and butters and most of southpark go vampire and they have to destroy the hot topic to save themselves

 

::edit::

are we referring to these?

http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Accessori...Pack-272863.jsp

http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Accessori...Pack-251323.jsp

 

because personally i have no problem with them.. theyre sold at claires and kohls as well... i couldnt find anything else that looked like kandi online... maybe its just in stores?

 

oh no this isn't it. I tried to find them online before I even posted. they were literally pony(type) beads with hearts and block lettering with words, sold in a set of 4 for $8, I was just like ew.

 

and those tutus ARE atrocious...I've definitely had some giggles over them at parties. I know what you mean it can be fun to pick out where people's styles are from.

[Nattack 0]

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Hot Topic sold a lot of rave gear. It's where I got my first UFO's and saw Nocturnal Wonderland shirts. Not to mention glowsticks were cheap from hot topic back in the day.

 

As soon as Hot Topic milks the scene for what it's worth and when the scene is on it's downward spiral of the cycle, then Hot Topic will gradually pull out from the rave scene again. Just as they did earlier when the scene was "dying".

 

I respected hottopic a lot more back then. I know this will die out eventually but the way I've seen the store transform from the way it was when I first walked into it seems a little unfortunate. I'll still buy things there but I guess I was more fond of it when people I knew were afraid just to go in it.

 

[Arius 2]

i agree nattack. I go there all the time now but the things that they carry now isn't quite the same as it used to be. for one, anime shirts are near non-existent levels at the one near me, which is a bummer. I find myself buying more at Spencer's now a days then i do at HT.

[florasunshine 0]

ROFL at those petticoats.... Those things are HIDEOUS!!!! GROTESQUE!!!!! A MONSTROSITY!!!!!

 

Omg Ewwww..... SOrry i am still in shock.....

 

@ Nattack- GOOD FOR YOU FOR HIDING THEM!!!!!!

 

I can't believe they are selling that.... Larger items I can understand.... BUT SINGLES?!?!?! And at four for eight dollars no less! That's two dollars and some odd cents after tax per bracelet!!!!!! I dunno I have huge issue with people selling/buying bracelets you could make at home for about 15 cents.... Seriously..... I think i shall take a drive to every hot topic within a hundred mile radius and hide theirs as well....

 

okay well maybe not, but yeah.... no good.... stupid marketing people.... All we want is to sit in our respective cuddle puddles and spread the love.... LEAVE OUR KANDI ALONE!!!!!

[StompQueen 0]

Not only is the price ridiculous but buying kandi bracelets from Hot Topic really takes away from the bracelets being more personal.

 

I know with each one I make, I put a lot of thought into it and who I would give it to (and others do the same)....besides that it's really fun to do! (sometimes frustrating, especially if one breaks right when you're tying it off)

 

 

[Syphonkiller 7]

ROFL at those petticoats.... Those things are HIDEOUS!!!! GROTESQUE!!!!! A MONSTROSITY!!!!!

 

Omg Ewwww..... SOrry i am still in shock.....

 

@ Nattack- GOOD FOR YOU FOR HIDING THEM!!!!!!

 

I can't believe they are selling that.... Larger items I can understand.... BUT SINGLES?!?!?! And at four for eight dollars no less! That's two dollars and some odd cents after tax per bracelet!!!!!! I dunno I have huge issue with people selling/buying bracelets you could make at home for about 15 cents.... Seriously..... I think i shall take a drive to every hot topic within a hundred mile radius and hide theirs as well....

 

okay well maybe not, but yeah.... no good.... stupid marketing people.... All we want is to sit in our respective cuddle puddles and spread the love.... LEAVE OUR KANDI ALONE!!!!!

 

 

fack Hot Topic.. I shop at flora

[Sephiy 0]

Hot Topic is the epitome for a sell out store, but this is a new low! This is just sad, selling there synthetic impersonal kandi... it makes me sad, I used to respect that store as somewhere I could go to feed the nonconformist in me... That was a long time ago :'(

[DreiHarteZero 0]

Honestly, the commercialization of our culture is going to rise, and it'll end up being a culling of those who are loyal to the genres, and those who just want to "be cool." I honestly think this is horrible, and, as Flora said, takes away from the experience of making Kandi. Sure, i've gotten commission on Kandi before, but those were huge pieces, and I didn't ask for the money. So, all in all, this pisses me off.

[akamrchubs 0]

Hot Topic is the epitome for a sell out store, but this is a new low! This is just sad, selling there synthetic impersonal kandi... it makes me sad, I used to respect that store as somewhere I could go to feed the nonconformist in me... That was a long time ago :'(

hot topic is a non conformist store.... tell you the truth hot topic does this to many other "cultures" so it was no real suprise that it would start selling Kandi... for saying this is a new low its only a low for glowsticking culture not for the store...like back in the day hello kitty and monokuro boo were things that only asian people would have... now i see white people having a batzmaru pencil case... its the same thing... glowsticking culture is gonna come out to the main stream weather you like it or not, in inevitable, but im sure your not gonna see everyone at school having some crazy haircut and wearing ufo's

[Trance-Rckr 3]

I truly remember when Hot Topic was a Rock store. When I was young it was really towards Goths and true punks, which is what made it unique. In my opinion. Hot Topic fully lost its edge to me when Napoleon Dynamite hit theatres, as HALF of their products were themed due to the movie. I origionally saw the movie in an independent theatre, and then even went and made my own Vote for pedro t-shirts. As soon as I saw that Hot Topic destroyed the awesome-ness of the movie, I threw my shirt away.

 

I love their tripp pants, but I am almost having to go online to find them, as NO store around me carries them. On top of that, their clothing sizes are horrible, as they cater to the slim guys and/or cater to the hipster/emo scene. Everytime I walk in there its ran by these old peeps that act as the "old soul" type bullshit, when they have NOOOO idea what the fuck they are talking about.

 

/rant

 

 

to me, NOONE will touch us when it comes to kandi. Even if these kids go out and buy em, They will NEVER go to a true rave, and will NEVER understand the meaning of kandi to us. Let these kids wear there "bracelets". That way when a REAL kandi kid is there, you can tell who isnt the douchebag-wannabe.

 

Now if if you ess'cuze me, I got some multis to finish.

 

 

[Dogman 0]

Hot Pock-ets!

 

Call me a pathetic whore but I miss when they had Kikwears, or anything that wasn't loaded with chains or awkwardly-placed pockets. Every time I go in there I feel like staring at the young clerks with a blank dead face.

 

I'd bet rave is next and will swing back.

[Cody 4]

There were LED fingerlights obviously geared towards ravers when I went in today.

[Cody 4]

ouch.

[Nattack 0]

annnd....

 

*drumroll*

 

 

 

fugly

 

I guess it was 5 for $10. I'm good at counting.

[Azzie 1]

Yeah.....ugly.

 

 

Everything that's "underground" gets popular and then it goes out of style and is wack again... hopefully this winds down.

 

No worries here. Hopefully, it won't catch on.

 

 

 

[Trance-Rckr 3]

thats some shitty looking kandi though

[Kimba 0]

I have to agree with what most everyone else has stated, but it makes me mad enough to devote my own post to the subject. If i ever went to a rave and found wannabe kandi kids handing out kandi that they bought at a store pre-made I... I honestly don't know what I'd do. It's so sad that people would actually pay for this stuff. to me, the whole point of kandi is to hand it out, and trade with people that are cool, not buy factory-made, mass-copied, overpriced bracelets just to look like a raver. I may be new to the scene, but I feel really offended by this. It's just... so wrong. I also used to view Hot Topic as a non-conformist store. But over the years I've realized that not only are they not non-conformist; they are one of the most commercial, conforming, childish stores I've ever been in. Last time I went in, it was swarming with middle-schoolers and high school freshman. I felt embarrassed to be there... Sorry for the rant there.... I've hated Hot Topic for a while now, but this is just the last straw.

[Alouette 0]

i am going to laugh my ass off if i see someone at edc with hottopic kandi on.. or if someone tries to trade me one... i'll probably refuse and be mean >< are all the packs identical? because that would be really amazing... it would be a way of identifying lazy people.

[Arius 2]

my hot topic doesn't sell any "rave" type stuff... spencers sells more of that and that's just cause they sell lasers

 

but in all honestly, i'm not terribly offended by this. i mean, if it had a huge tag, saying "KANDI" or something, then maybe. and yes, i know that that's what they're incinuating and copying, without a doubt. but to you, and me, and you and you and you who read this, kandi isn't something you meaninglessly buy. you gotta make it. it's like how bead bracelets are really popular at my school with the preps but few have heard the term kandi, know anything about it, or anything. to me, those people at my school who do call it kandi but don't believe/know about it or refuse to trade, they're just bead bracelets. mine is kandi. theirs aren't, no matter what they say. it all depends on what you believe.

 

i think it's a cheap gimmick that HT is doing, but i'm not overly angry about it because it's just another second rate clone job.

 

((and don't get mad at me! cause if you wanna be mad, i'm not saying don't be, i'm jsut expressing my views is all power of choice baby!))

[FEAR 0]

Lol hot topic is NOT PUNK ROCK (someone please get this)

 

I really stopped caring about HT A LONG time ago because everyone and their mom goes there thinking they are non-conformists, when in actuality they are conforming to other so called "non-conformists" by buying COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED items. Real non-conformists make their own t-shirts they say f-u mainstream. So yeah... HT =/= non-conformist store.

 

Anyways on topic this made me lol because it just shows how pathetic HT has turned that they take something that's suppose to be hand made and again commercialize it. Then once they sucked it dry they will ditch it and go to the next coolest thing.