There’s a word for people who dress up in their best clothes to go to the mall, and that word is “teenager.” For the rest of us, mall wear is typically a mesh of gym shorts, old-as-hell sweatshirts and leggings as pants. After all, how are we going to fit in all that crepe if we’re wearing skinny jeans?

Last Friday at the Mall of America, I learned some serious lessons from talking to good-looking mall-goers. I know it sounds obvious, but it’s true: You can dress to avoid that dreaded “mall tired” feeling while still maintaining some semblance of style. Here are a few shoppers (and one worker) we’d be wise to imitate:

From left to right:

Brenda Bi and Ricky Liu: No wonder Ricky and Brenda scored at the Disney Store — the couple is all about a playful style, toying with bold patterns and vivid graphics. Bi’s looser t-shirt and Liu’s warm hoodie prove you can feel good while you look good.

Eline Stokkeland: While some of us can walk around all day with our toes crammed into tiny flats, the wise among us know when it’s time to break out the sneaks. Stokkeland, who’s visiting Minnesota from Oslo, Norway, came ready with bright Nikes and black crew socks. She kept it fashion-forward with a shirt buttoned up all the way and equally neat high-waisteds.

Liz Hodge: Whoever created the “never wear your sunglasses inside” law obviously never visited Nickelodeon Universe. With her classic gold-rimmed aviators, Hodge is ready for the mall’s sunny center. In contrast, her cozy get-up — a heavy flannel, a wool hat and colorful socks peeking out under her Doc Martens — is a sure bet that this St. Louis native is staying warm in the chilly mall.

Lulu Champion: “I take inspiration from things around me,” said Champion, an Aldo employee who said he tries on a few different outfits before heading out for the day. His method is working: Champion’s retro shorts and short-sleeved button-down scream style. The details here are perfect — the beautiful, big watch and the tiny red laces on Champion’s shoes are key touches.