Hello Kitty Gets All Grown Up

In perusing through Urban Outfitters web pages of quirky oddities that could pose as potential holiday gifts or stocking stuffers, you might stumble upon the $8 vinyl Hello Kitty figurine. It is listed as an "urban exclusive" coming in a variety of designs including wood grain, clouds, hearts and fruits. You might say "so, what?" or you might be bowled over and tempted to buy the cute collectible.

The point? Hello Kitty and Sanrio in general is not just for little girls anymore, and it's been that way for quite some time now and is even more evident with the holiday shopping season now upon us. The cute cat character is now being marketed to an older group of female fans old enough to say they work 9 to 5 jobs and are a part of the corporate culture yet still young enough to indulge in their youthful side.

Gone are the days where Sanrio used to be a store for little girls to buy overly priced pencil boxes, erasures, pens and stationary to show off at school. Nowadays, Hello Kitty and her cast of characters can be found on alarm clocks, suitcases and even atop massage wands. (The last example of products has been deemed a bit controversial and was taken off the shelves of American retailers when it began being marketed as a sex toy. However, the Japanese manufacturer contends the product is truly a massager.)

In any case, the point is that the generation of twenty and thirty-somethings expected to be adults right now still indulge themselves in the lighter side of life and in the reminders of their youth.

If you are one of those people or know of someone who is a Hello Kitty fanatic, then shopping for them this holiday season is simple considering so many different retailers are carrying a multitude of the cute cat's merchandise.

For those going the traditional route, there's obviously Sanrio stores found in most major shopping malls. Urban Outfitters obviously carries novelty products as does Fred Flare (such as a Hello Kitty tin of cinnamon candy and a Hello Kitty luggage tag).

For the more sophisticated Hello Kitty fan, there is a pretty nice purse collection by Rebecca Minkoff for Momoberry, which is a limited edition collection that ranges in the hundreds of dollars (so maybe not the most practical if - like most people - you're working with a budget).

Then, of course, there are designer lines like Kimora Lee Simmons, which has its own Hello Kitty line of glittery, jewelry with the Hello Kitty theme.

The more pragmatic Hello Kitty lovers can also find coffee makers and toasters for around $40.

It's all cutesy and fun. And when you think about it, it's amazing how a company founded in 1960 has come this far in establishing a cultural icon out of something that started out as being a juvenile brand meant for little kids' gifts.