It's natural for adolescents to rebel against their parents and try to find ways to relate to their peer group instead. An easy way to do that is through fashion, as folks inevitably find out when their children begin choosing their own clothing. Artist Myfanwy Tristram was puzzled by her 14-year-old daughter's look, but not exactly shocked. After all, she herself was a rebellious teenager once. A goth, in fact.
Fine: I’m proud of this fierce individual that appears to have inherited my own peacock inclinations. Not so fine: I find myself envious that she has a period of wild experimentation ahead of her — and a figure that means she fits into pretty much every thrift store find.
So, uncomfortable with this disagreeable feeling, and at risk of falling into the parental cliché of “you’re not going out dressed like that!” I realize that there’s just one thing to do. I need to try and understand more about where the crazy looks are coming from. Instead of sighing heavily at the mess and fruitlessly asking, once again, for her to just try and keep it in check, I sit down and ask her to give me a beginner’s guide to her style. She is delighted to assist.
Trendy teen looks in the 21st century have a twist: instead of being spread by the fashion industry, they owe more to peer influence from around the globe via internet. Read Tristram's findings as her daughter explains where her style comes from, and how it contrasts with her mother's experiences, in a delightfully-illustrated chronicle at Longreads. -via Metafilter