When I look back at pictures of my 14-year-old self, I can’t help but to cringe. It is painfully obvious that I had no idea what my own sense of style was and as result, I just copied whatever was trendy at the time.
Thankfully most of those pictures, the worst ones at least, were lost during the downfall of Bebo. I also made a conscious choice not to save them.
If Bebo was still around and I had the power to communicate with my hormonal teeny bopper self, it would probably go a little something like this.
Dear Ashleigh,
I have already given you my love for today and in return, I ask you to please take my advice in all the following areas. You’ll thank me later.
Firstly, take off the Adidas jacket. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a nice tracksuit, but must you wear an Adidas jacket over a t-shirt and bodycon skirt EVERYTIME you go to the disco?!
Also, the next time you pop into Penney’s, do not, I repeat DO NOT buy a pair of leggings. While you’re at it, throw out all your other pairs too. They’re see through and before you even say it, no long top is going to save you.
Denim shorts are summer staple, but wearing super short daisy dukes with tights underneath is definitely not the most fashion forward outfit you’ve ever worn. You spend half your day pulling the shorts down anyway and it’s a quite literal pain in the butt. Save yourself the hassle and stick to the bodycon skirts.
When it come to makeup, it’s okay to be adventurous with the glitter and eye-liner but wearing foundation as lipstick will never be a good look. The same rule applies here for the neon pink Barry M lipstick and the matching pink blusher in your makeup bag. Save yourself years of embarrassment and just bin both now.
Your hair will always be a tad unruly but letting your best friend cut it to give you a swooping side fringe will definitely not solve the matter. As a rule, stay away from all types of fringes. It might suit that really pretty girl in class, but I promise, it won’t look that way on you. Plus, it will take years to grow it out again.
If I’m being brutally honest, you’re also as pale as Casper the Ghost but that’s okay. It’s much better to embrace your milk bottle skin than to pack on the Cocoa Brown again, only to look more like an orange Chickatee crisp.
You’re young and you’re going to commit multiple fashion crimes in the years ahead and that’s totally fine. Just laugh it off, burn all photographic evidence and never speak of it again.
Sincerely,
Your older and slightly wiser self.
Photo by MacKenzi Martin on Unsplash