Good gift ideas for a 14 year old girl who is into alternative culture

In My Humble Opinion
1

My niece turns 15 soon, I’m wondering whats a good gift. I can always just go with money, but wonder if something more personalized is better.

I don’t know the correct term for what she is, maybe counterculture. Dyed hair, heavily into art and anime, feels rejected at school, rebels against authority, is fairly cognizant of injustice for someone her age, etc. The problem is I don’t know what art supplies she already has or what kind of anime she enjoys. I want to get her something that makes her feel like I accept and understand her unique interests, but I’m honestly not sure what all she is into sadly. Shes become secretive.

Should I ask her older sister what shes into?

2

Definitely ask her older sister, and anyone else who knows her better than you do.

3

thanks grandpa

4

Japan Box, subscription or one-time. If you are unsure, let her pick which one.
15 Awesome Japanese Subscription Boxes to Bring Japan to You - Team Japanese

5

Haven’t read any of these:

Failing that, a bookstore gift certificate may be the safest route.

6

I’d go with a gift card/cert for an art supply store local to her. And not Michael’s.

7

that’s a good idea.

I don’t know a lot about art, any reason not Michael’s?

8

It’s like the walmart of art supplies. Avoid if you can but, a lot of times, you can’t.

9

That’s the age my daughters started getting into Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. They still get together to re-watch them on DVD (and each owns their own 7-season set!)

10

I echo both of the above.

Blicks can be a good choice for a gift card for art supplies. They are serious in the range and quality of what they carry.

11

High quality sketchbook is probably pretty safe. Even if she has one (or more), nice paper is nice paper.

Beyond that, think consumables: ink, oil pastels, color gel pens. The stuff she currently uses is likely the stuff she needs replaced. And sometimes artistic people like the chance to experiment with a new medium for free.

12

Dick Blick absolutely! And artists always welcome new sketch padsof all varieties. Watercolors, markers look for copic or prismacolor

She might like a Tablet with stylus

See she could use an art supply/ tackle box for her art tools.

Gift card to Hot Topic.

13

Crunchyroll premium supscription, if she doesn’t already have one.

14

A copy of Catcher in the Rye, a DVD of Taxi Driver and the White Album on vinyl.

Seriously though, kids at that age don’t really want adults to “get” them and often resent any attempts by adults to cater to what they (often wrongly) think they are into. If not cash, I would suggest, something that allows her to make a selection from a broad spectrum of choices like a gift certificate from someplace you know she shops.

15

Oh, a teen I know was gifted an “Art Supply of the Month” - type club subscription. There are several options out there, per Google. I think hers was ArtSnack. She LOVED receiving a new surprise every month.

16

The best suggestion has been a gift certificate to Blick Art Supplies. That way she gets to choose whatever interests her, but exposes her to alternatives.

–Grandpa

17

If I were tasked with giving this person a gift, I’d choose a batch of comics-reprint books from Matt Groening (during his “Life in Hell” years, before he was Mr. Simpsons) and Lynda Barry, along with a note to the effect of, “this is a snapshot of what the counterculture was about when the stuff you like now was beginning to get a foothold.”

18

Sounds exactly like my daughter. So given the art+anime combo, I’m going to give a few specific recommendations:
A set of Sakura Pigma Micron pens
A small set of Copic colour markers
It doesn’t matter what she already has, those will be welcomed.

19

If you go “gift card,” consider an anarchist bookstore, such as Firestorm Books.

20

What’s the price range, and is she into digital art? A friend of ours is the 30 year old version of your niece and loves her drawing tablet.