An open letter to teenage girls: by Jordan Riddle Swain featuring lace up boots
Dear Teenage Girls of America,
You are lovely creatures, filled with the promise of the future, the figures we older ladies can only dream of having, and some of you have the confidence to show the world what you’ve got.
Well, don’t.
I have a little advice for you, being an older, more experienced woman who can clearly remember once being in your ranks:
Leave. Something. To. The. Imagination.
I don’t think your mothers have been teaching you The Rule when it comes to dressing. Or maybe you aren’t listening, which means you are succeeding at being a teenager. Here it is:
Only show off one asset at a time. Simple! One asset means you can highlight your Ladies, meaning cleavage (in a tasteful way) but not wear a mini at the same time. You can wear a mini and show of those legs but leave the Ladies cloistered. You can show of your ASSet by wearing fitted jeans, but leave the muffins in the oven and wear a looser top. It’s ok to leave something to the imagination, really!
Teenage boys need to learn from the get-go: These are OUR bodies. We love our bodies, we show them when we want to and we mostly dress for our friends, not for boys. Fashion is meant to be fun, not to make boys salivate all over their way too sagged but weirdly tight pants.
Have fun with fashion and don’t dress for some greasy boy who just wants ONE THING anyway, ew. There is plenty of time for getting’ all sexy when you’re having your quarter-life crisis.
Have you ever heard of the burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee? Check her out on Wikipedia. She was born in Seattle! Anyway, she was known for her witty striptease style and her way of showing off without really showing much off. I like her. I am not encouraging you to go be a stripper, but to take inspiration from some of the most alluring girls of the past. Classy and witty need to make a comeback in fashion, and your generation can choose to adopt this new fashion ideal.
One way to cover up a little is to accessorize. Floral mini dress+ colorful tights +scarf + mismatched cardi = cute and appropriate. Have fun being cute. Mini dress + bare legs + uggs or flip flops = hideous. Easy. We will talk about your footwear choices in the next installment…
Love, xoxo, J
