Limited Too

Limited Too

File:Limited Too logo.png
Formerly	The Limited Too (1987–1996)
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail
Founded	1987
Defunct	2009
Fate	Merged with Justice
Headquarters	New Albany, Ohio, U.S.
Number of locations	586 (August 2008)
Parent	The Limited (1987–1999) Too, Inc. (1999–2006) Tween Brands, Inc. (2006–2009)
Website	www.limitedtoo.com

Limited Too is a clothing and lifestyle brand aimed at the tween girl audience, formerly operated by Tween Brands, Inc. (previously known as Limited Too, Inc. and Too, Inc.). After remaining inactive for six years following the transformation of its stores into Justice locations, the brand was acquired in 2015 by Bluestar Alliance, LLC.

The product range of Limited Too included apparel, underwear, sleepwear, swimwear, accessories, personal care items, and lifestyle products designed for girls aged 5 to 15. At its height in 2007, Tween Brands managed more than 600 Limited Too outlets. The retailer issued "Too Bucks" three times annually during spring, fall, and holiday seasons; these vouchers were earned with purchases of $50 and could be redeemed for $25 off every $50 spent (as of 2008). Additionally, "Bonus Too Bucks" provided $15 discounts on every $40 purchase. On August 12, 2008, Tween Brands declared that nearly 600 Limited Too stores would be converted to the more affordable Justice brand in early 2009, ending the use of the Limited Too name; nevertheless, some stores continued operating under the original branding into 2010.

History

Founded in 1987 by The Limited, Inc., Limited Too initially served as a line catering to infants, toddlers, and younger girls by offering merchandise similar to The Limited's adult collections. Between 1987 and 1995, the chain expanded from just two stores to 288 locations nationwide. A strategic shift occurred in 1996 when new leadership repositioned Limited Too as a fashion retailer focused on preteen girls. In 1999, Limited Too, Inc. was spun off to establish itself as an independent entity with a distinct brand identity.

Between 2001 and 2003, the company operated the Mishmash chain targeting females aged 15 to 20 with apparel, accessories, and gifts. This venture competed directly with retailers such as Gadzooks, Wet Seal, and women's divisions of Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co., and American Eagle Outfitters. Mishmash was discontinued in 2003 as Too Inc. decided to concentrate on its stronger understanding of the preteen market. Reinforcing this focus, Too Inc. launched the inaugural Justice: Just for Girls outlets in January 2004; many early Justice locations were conversions of former Mishmash stores.

On July 10, 2006, Too Inc. officially changed its corporate name to Tween Brands, Inc., commencing trading on the NYSE under the ticker 'TWB'. By February 2008, there were 582 Limited Too stores across 47 U.S. states and Puerto Rico alongside 25 franchised locations in the Middle East. Although Limited Too reached over 600 stores at its peak, Tween Brands announced in August 2008 that it would phase out the Limited Too brand across its approximately 586 stores; however, select Justice outlets continued to carry a premium line of Limited Too apparel. From December 2008 through June 2010, twenty-six stores closed while about 560 others transitioned to Justice branding.Template:Fix/category

Following several years of inactivity, Bluestar Alliance, LLC acquired the intellectual property rights and trademarks for Limited Too and revived it as an online retailer offering select apparel through platforms such as Amazon.com and other e-commerce sites.

Criticism

During its tenure as The Limited Too, the brand was found to engage in reversed vanity sizing, resulting in misleading clothing measurements that caused young shoppers to perceive themselves as larger than they were (for instance, a child who typically wore a size 12 elsewhere might find themselves fitting into a size 16 or even 18 at Limited Too locations).

In 2007, Slate featured a critical piece by Emily Yoffe addressing the apparel marketed to preteen girls at various retailers, including Limited Too. Yoffe recounted shopping for school attire with her eleven-year-old daughter and noted that Limited Too's offerings were dominated by garments heavily adorned with rhinestones and glitter, which she disparagingly labeled "Nitwit Wear." She highlighted items such as a T-shirt bearing the phrase "I Left My Brain In My Locker," preteen-sized push-up bras, and boyshort underwear printed with slogans like "Buy it now! Tell Dad later!"