Reliving Our "Hottest" Looks From Middle and Junior High School
By Sola Onitiri
Hindsight is 20/20 - And as you might learn from attempting to jailbreak your old Myspace account, apparently so is fashion. We challenged some brave and noble millennials to revisit some of their "hottest" looks from a time of cringe-worthy AIM screen names, Livestrong bracelets and absurdly copious amounts of misguided eyeliner. Here are some humbling pictures and quotes to remind you that we all have a coloful (and scene kid influenced) past.
"I would describe my style in junior high (and even high school) as trying my best. I had just got contacts and learned that I didn't have to wear my hair in a sensible bun (Think She's All That sans Freddy Prinze Jr.) but I took zero fashion risks because I had a lot of guy friends. Also I had no eyebrow game. Like zero. none." - Sola
"The spikes were a classic. Circa 2003-2004" - John
"Those bangs though." - Aleah
"You might enjoy this picture of me "pretending" to be scene (as if I wasn't already scene) with a fake raccoon tail (with sharpie) and a fake lip ring (a regular hoop earring). My mom rarely let me wear a lot of makeup out of the house so I did what I could for my faux-ironic internet persona." - Kate
"I feel like for me it was oversized everything. And it was mainly because my family thought I would grow into it all. And hand me downs. But I tried to configure my outfits so that they came off slightly emo even though I didn't own much black and wasn't allowed to 'be' (dress) in the emo/goth style of the time. So it came out as this mixer of emo/scene/thug-ish." - Jae
"My style in junior high was utilitarian and horrendous. My purse was a binder pencil case insert with yarn threaded through the binder holes and I always wore a hoodie around my waist with the pouch in the front to maximize snack storage. In high shcool, I just wanted to be a scene kid so badly, but I didn't have the edge to fully realize that style." - Jackie
"Yikes. I think I was a closeted art nerd. I was trying too hard to be popular (cheerleading uniform and Hollister t-shirts) but secretly wanted to be a cool kid by wearing berets and sweaters vests." - Jeana
"Think, wannabe skateboard chick that can't actually skateboard meets girly Betsy Johnson punk girl." - Alex L.
Wait There's More...More Styling Choices That We May or may not Regret Retrospect
"Graphic shirts with images of cutsies little animals" - Alex B
"Gossip girl came out and I was sooooo into that. So imagined bright colored tights, had choppy layered haircut to look like Jenny and maybe had lots of bows accessories." - Jenna
"John Kerry t-shirts and Livestrong bracelets covering every limb." - Kenny
"(I definitely) rocked a coconut (the dog from American girl) t-shirt with some Tripp pants." - Alix