I was quite dark when I was young. I was a punk, not the popular kid – going to thrift stores, cutting things up, burning little teeny cigarette holes into things. That was me as a teenager, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Maybe that part of me wants to push back.
Angelina Jolie – American actress.
This quote is from an interview with Jolie in Vogue magazine, November 2023.
Adolescence is a time when we have the space to experiment with style and clothing. I know I did! I played with color and unexpected layering; for example – blue bobby socks underneath pink Capezio stirrup dance tights. I was excited about vintage clothing and started collecting 1940s jackets. A regular at Macy’s makeup counters, I favored purple eyeshadow with gold eyeliner and “opalescent” lipstick by Borghese (that’s where a lot of my babysitting money went).
I wasn’t the only one experimenting, we all did in different ways and you could see it in school hallways, classrooms, and on the street. But I don’t see any fashion play these days. I see packs of kids that all look alike – jeans or leggings or pajama bottoms, t-shirts or sweatshirts, and sneakers. No color, no pattern, no originality within the clothing, certainly no experimenting.
One theory as to why this might be is that kids (and others) now live on their phones. Social media is what counts, not real life. Dress up for your TikTok pics. Also, for girls it’s all about makeup – that’s where the experimenting is happening.
I’m with Jolie; I wouldn’t trade my teenage years for anything.
OverDressed for Life 