The Weekly Ten: High School Fashion Mistakes

January 24, 2011 9:00 am     Posted in Entertainment, HaHa  Jenn Inzetta g+ page

Big mistake. Huge.

So I was flipping through some old Facebook albums the other day (you know the ones people label THROWBACKS! OLDSCHOOL! And OMG WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!! ) when in between fits of hysterical laughter, I started to catch sight of what I actually looked like. And all I can say is, seriously? I mean, seriously? I know I was young and naïve, but I don’t remember being that naïve.


By Jenn Inzetta

Unstyled hair.
Poorly applied makeup.
And terrible, terrible fashion choices.

But the thing is, I wasn’t alone in these choices. No, they were all the rage once upon a time. Don’t pretend you didn’t think you were so cool with your Victoria’s Secret PINK sweatpants and ponchos (hopefully not worn together). I know you were right there with me, doing the sideways look in the mirror, thinking you looked so good. But really, none of us had any no clue what we were doing. And now years later, as seasoned fashionistas, we can look back on these fashion disasters and laugh.

Or cry. Whichever you prefer, really.

10. The original Ugg Boot. I already know people are going to rage against this one, but Uggs are not attractive. They’re just not. Comfortable? Yes. Warm? Yes. But not attractive. And although they’re still around today, worn on those rainy/snowy/slushy/extra cold days when nothing else seems quite as appropriate, I will forever think of my high school years as the Uggs-with-skirts years. And those are some very bad years.

9. The Messy Bun. Flip your head over. Compile all of your hair into a ball atop your head. Wrap a hair tie around it. Styling complete. It’s still worn today, but at least in college we can admit that it’s not so much attractive as it is convenient…

8. Platform flip flops. They seemed so cool at the time, and added that extra bit of height that we pre-pubescent teens still needed, but really, really, what were we thinking? “God, I really want my leg to look thick and stumpy”? Thank goodness we’ve traded up to four inch stiletto heels that kill our feet, instead.

7. The poofy prom dress. Or the poofy Sweet 16 dress? The poofy bat mitzvah dress? At some point you wore a dress completely covered in tulle. A dress with sparkles and bows. A dress that you loved at the time. It was THE.PERFECT.DRESS. Now? Well, now you look back and try to even find yourself in all that tulle.

6. Velour Sweatsuits. Granted, these things are also still around, but now they’re associated more with The Real Housewives of New Jersey than they are with impressionable, young high school girls. These probably wouldn’t have looked quite so bad if they didn’t come in the most ridiculous colors ever. Or you know, if they didn’t have the word “juicy” stamped across the butt. Oh yes, which reminds me…

5. Label Whoring. Ed Hardy. Victoria’s Secret. VonDutch. Kangol. Coach. Juicy. Anything with any name that could possibly be placed anywhere. Bedazzled. Bejeweled. Painted on. It didn’t matter where it was, or who it was, as long as people recognized it.

4. Side Swept Bangs. I think I was a junior in high school when the side swept bang craze first hit. Suddenly everywhere I looked, half of a girl’s face was covered by her SUPER CHIC looking bangs. That she cut by herself. Right there in homeroom. With a pair of safety scissors. (True story!) It’s really no surprise that senior year saw the rise of the…

3. Headbands. This was pre-Blair Waldorf. At least, it was for me. Inspired more by the boho chic Mischa Barton, and Nicole Richie, these headbands were super thin little straps of fabric that were really very far from flattering. But that didn’t stop anyone from wearing them.

2. Ponchos. Come on ladies, admit it. Once upon a time you threw on a pair of jeans, your favorite tank top and a brightly colored poncho. Probably something crocheted with lots and lots of fake flowers on it. Think Haley James circa season one of One Tree Hill, which also coincided with my freshman year. Because there’s nothing quite as flattering as a maternity top. Except….

1. Midriff-bearing Tops. No, not the currently popular crop top that flows away from the body (That I really like right now but that will no doubt make it on my list of worst college fashion decisions ever…) but the skin tight baby tee, that was paired with super low rise jeans and sported by Britney and the like.

Ah, memories

Fess up. What were your worst high school fashion mistakes?

26 Comments on "The Weekly Ten: High School Fashion Mistakes"

  1. Caitlin-University of Alabama says:
    Mon, 24th Jan 20119:47 am 

    Side swept bangs are very much in no matter what your age. Cutting them with safety scissors is not, but you can cut them by yourself. And ponchos are making a comeback I hear.

  2. Kassie says:
    Mon, 24th Jan 201111:31 am 

    I can honestly say the poncho trend has never been seen by my eyes.

  3. Marisa says:
    Mon, 24th Jan 20112:26 pm 

    Most girls I see are still wearing the side swept bang (including myself). They are very flattering if worn correctly. The one thing I don't like about them is that virtually every girl I see has them, I want to do something different but they do actually look good and I feel I would not look good without them. I guess we are just stuck in a rut. I wonder what the next haircut trend will be… anyone have any ideas?

  4. Riko says:
    Mon, 24th Jan 20115:32 pm 

    you forgot those shirts with wide Renaissance like sleeves. oh my god, those were awful

  5. Melissa says:
    Mon, 24th Jan 20116:38 pm 

    This is going back to like 9th or 10th grade for me (I'm a senior in college now), but gauchos… now those things were terrible.

  6. thissinglelife says:
    Mon, 24th Jan 20116:38 pm 

    I used to wear the abercrombie tank tops under abercrombie tees, so that the embroidered moose from the tank would peek from under my abercrombie graphic tee. AHHH. So lameee…

  7. Nikita says:
    Wed, 26th Jan 20111:27 am 

    Luckily, I only fell victim to the messy bun. I still do my hair like that nowadays, though I do try to smooth it more in the front so it's not so frizzy.

    And the poncho thing? I only had to wear ponchos during marching band rehearsals because of the rain. Other than that, ponchos = big no.

  8. Betty says:
    Thu, 27th Jan 201110:37 pm 

    I still wear the side bangs and it's been about 10 years since grade 9. But it's hard to fail with such a versatile style that covers up large foreheads and easy clippability when it calls for it.

  9. Aziz Behar says:
    Fri, 28th Jan 20113:51 am 

    Wow! You guys are making me feel oooold. Lol. Well here’s my list of butt-awful H.S. Fashion (that we all swore was the “shizzle”)
    1. Too much damn gel
    2. Boot cut jeans from Dkny, or Lerners NY, or Levi
    3. Plaid, w/ or w/o cowboys boots and hats
    4. Ponchos
    5. Huge buns
    6. Mary Janes
    7. Zig zag parts
    8. Candies or anything stacked and chunky
    9. More label whoring for the “richers” (Dkny, Eddie B., Louie V, Tommy H. Etc)
    10. Cornrows and twists that either led to an Afro or a ponytail, or “wrap style”.
    Ugh. I’m sick.

  10. Katie B says:
    Thu, 17th Feb 20117:08 am 

    Pocketless jeans with your g-string conveniently sticking out was a horrible fashion error during middle school and why were we so infatuated with plain, over-sized sweatshirts? Looking like hoodlums was the way to be you best we wearing some Phat Farms or Vans with some obnoxious shoelaces from Hot Topic to top off the classy look!

  11. youknow says:
    Sun, 20th Feb 20118:51 pm 

    I agree. gauchos were the most hideous things out there!!

  12. Haylee says:
    Sun, 20th Feb 201110:54 pm 

    Oh my gosh the label one, so freaking true. Especially with Ed Hardy. I mean really, when was it cool to look bedazzled in the first place? Gross.
    These are all spot on. I did the Ugg/skirt thing my freshman year and definitely cringe thinking about it now. Ha and I definitely saved up my money to buy a coach "scribbled" bag. Ya, that wasn't my brightest moment.

  13. Maria says:
    Tue, 22nd Feb 20115:37 pm 

    I'm in high school right now. Uggs are pretty comfortable, and I don't see whats so horrible about them anyway. Side swept bangs are in no matter what age if styled correctly. Maybe some people can't really pull off the straight across bangs or the no bangs look. Side bangs are pretty so…

  14. Lovebug says:
    Tue, 22nd Feb 20118:47 pm 

    The next hair trend is so gonna be Justin Bieber hair, all the way. I already have some friends (they're female) that are going to cut their hair with the side swept 'do. It's a shame that he cut his hair, but Justin is totally rocking the new hair.

  15. Julia says:
    Tue, 22nd Feb 20119:54 pm 

    I like the Uggs. But everything else I agree. Im on high school but I never use Abercrombie and Hollister. I like the brand because the thing are pretty good, thats why are expensive. But I don't like the t-shirt, or another clothes just because its written "Abercrombie", I mean, what fuck is Abercrombie? Writ my name the will be better. And that is like a uniform, everybody has, come on guys, be more creative. The school don't create a uniform and we don't have to.

  16. Kat says:
    Thu, 24th Feb 201111:34 pm 

    I'm a freshman in college now, which doesn't make me too far from high school, but… leggings as pants. That was huge at my school. Tons of girls would wear normal length tank tops, perhaps a shortened zip up hoodie, and leggings. Pretty terrible. Also, the homemade vneck shirt. Girls at my school would take some scissors and cut school/club/team tshirts and sweatshirts so that they had these very jagged-edged vnecks that looked very out of place. Many people also cut parts of the sleeves of tshirts off, and it looked incredibly awkward.

  17. Teresauras says:
    Sat, 26th Feb 201112:31 pm 

    I agree with about everything on the list, oh my! I've always hated the Ugg. tracksuits??? Oh God might as well keep the rollers in. But sideswept bangs, I completely disagree. Well, as long as they don't cover the face completely. They can work.

  18. Alexander says:
    Sat, 26th Feb 20117:02 pm 

    I'm a guy (don't ask me how I ended up here XD), and I agree with the article mostly, except I actually find ponchos & messy buns quite attractive. They both have the warm, carefree kind of look that's pleasant on the eyes & just makes you want to give someone a hug. So if you're trying to look good for the opposite sex, feel free to employ those two.

  19. Caitlin says:
    Sat, 26th Feb 201111:12 pm 

    I love the messy bun, I confess. It's easy, and honestly I get more compliments when I do that than when I spend an hour on my hair. Side swept bangs are also a good thing in my book. A middle part looks super stupid on me, so I alternate between the side sweep and straight bangs. And what's wrong with headbands?? When worn the right way, they can be a real life-saver.

  20. Rachel says:
    Mon, 28th Feb 20112:34 pm 

    I wasn't allowed to wear make-up until I turned thirteen, an event that coincided with the beginning of eighth grade. In addition to being weird and unpopular, I had really bad acne. My mom didn't give me any make-up tips except, "Less is more," but since she'd always had perfect skin and was "old", I figured she didn't have any idea what she was talking about and piled the cosmetics on. I started off with thick, creamy foundation covered by copious amounts of pressed powder, and when others responded well to that, I continued with bright red lipstick and dark green eyeshadow with enough glitter chunks to fill a craft store. Not a good look for anyone in any way, shape or form. *shudders*

  21. natarodri says:
    Mon, 28th Feb 20119:36 pm 

    I have committed multiple offenses. I hope my style has improved.

  22. Uh.Bob says:
    Thu, 1st Sep 20115:26 pm 

    haha i was little when those styles came out but i remember seeing them around :P

  23. Uzanx says:
    Sat, 11th Aug 20124:44 pm 

    i love jersey shore its the best raliety show that mtv has came out with my favorite it goes n order like this ronnies my fav then comes paulyd then vinny then situation.and for the girls snookis my fav then sammie then jwoow then deena but i love u guys all the same

  24. HSFE says:
    Mon, 3rd Dec 20125:36 am 

    I truly love uggs, but I found out I can only wear them at home :) )

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