H&M Is Alive, Kicking Its Way Through Its First Day in NorthPark

All photos by Taryn Walker, more in the slideshow

​If you walked into Northpark Center today wondering where you could find the new H&M store, you weren't the only one.

Enormous lines managed by enormous security guards staggered almost all the way back to Dillard's. An estimated 1200 showed up to take part in the fashion fun.

Walking in, it didn't seem too chaotic -- just a couple of young girls carrying double-stuffed shopping bags. Then there they were: more lines.

More swirling lines of customers with their arms crossed and shoulders bombarded with fluffy dresses on hangers. Caterers adorned in all black served customers with more guilty pleasures -- the edible kind, including mini hamburgers, pizza and what various desserts.

​H&M's colorful Dallas store is filled with retro mannequins, hot lights, awesome clothes and billions of accessories, leaving you in shock, but it's the good "Where the hell should I start?" kind of shock.

For every customer, it seemed there was a sales associate working their ass off to prevent the store from turning to a shambles.

​The fitting rooms, you guessed it, more lines. One peek inside there and you might change your mind about those $39.95 pair of slim fit jeans.

The shoe collection was quite impressive, ranging from walls of ballet flats to men's kick-ass ass-kickin boots.

​Upstairs, it was a tad more calm and collected in the men's and children's collections.

Surprisingly, the numbers didn't seem too high on the registers today. H&M shoppers seem to know what they're doing.

​If you're down for the wait, it could be you could walking out with those special tan and red bags stuffed with affordable groovy sunglasses or graphic tees. Just be prepared for lines -- lines longer than the ones at the DPS office and Six Flags put together.