Style and fashion are big deal for modern teens; most teens enjoy reading about new styles and trying out the latest clothing and accessories. Experimenting with style and fashion as a teen can help you figure out your own aesthetic preferences and determine how you like to dress.
TEEN FASHION INFLUENCES
What teens wear is often influenced by other teens. If your peer group at school tends to wear certain outfits, wearing similar clothing can help you feel more in tune with the group. Friends who dress in a similar way are also easily identified as part of the same group or clique.
Magazines for teens are another source of fashion inspiration and many feature the styles the teen celebrities are currently sporting. Some teens spend a lot of time looking for the latest gossip about celebrity styles, while others simply adapt to the trends once they have become established.
PARENTS AND TEEN CLOTHING CHOICES
Parents and teens often experience fashion conflicts, and parents may expressly forbid their teens from wearing a particular outfit or style of clothing. In some cases, this restriction can be in the best interest of teens, such as when a parent forbids the teen from wearing gang insignia or dressing in an overly provocative manner. Parents may also disallow specific outfits for certain circumstances, such as wearing short skirts to school. While dealing with parental restrictions can be frustrating, you can often find an alternative outfit that looks great while also satisfying your parents.
BODY IMAGE ISSUES
While teens can find Fashion tips and learn what styles are popular by reading the leading teen magazines and websites, these types of media can also lead to have body image issues. Teen magazines focus on appearance, and about half of girls in middle school and high school report that they need to lose weight based on the images in popular magazines.
DEVELOPING A PERSONAL STYLE
The best way for teens to develop their own fashion style is by looking for elements of fashion that they like and then personalizing those elements in some way. Don’t simply follow along with the crowd instead; try pairing popular items with something unusual. It is fine for teens to try out different looks on different days, so feel to dress in urban street style one day and sport a post-punk Goth or casual romantic chic look the next day. The best thing about teen fashion is that there are no rules.