Back to school means one thing for us adults: absolutely nothing. We’ve been going to work all summer, we’ll be going to work in the fall, and as long as we’re still employed in the winter and spring, we’ll be going to work then, too. But that doesn’t mean we can’t live vicariously through the most fashionable teenagers of old movies and TV shows.
Now, when we say "old" we only mean "not on the air anymore." But because good style has never been more fluid or indefinable, we get to look back on these teens and unapologetically sing their praises. From plaid to turtlenecks, they knew what was up.
1. Dionne (Stacey Dash), "Clueless"
Whether on the TV show or in the movie, Cher’s other half had her style game on lock. To be honest, no other teen – nay, human being in general – can or could pull off her hats, her suits, her accessories, or her knee socks. There’s a reason Dionne could keep everyone in check around her, and that’s because she simultaneously gave many and zero cares. (Many cares: as evidenced by the effort she put into each and every look. Zero cares: if you weren’t willing to wear a fluffy yellow sweater adorned with a rose, then that was your problem.)
2. Angela Chase (Claire Danes), "My So-Called-Life"
It wouldn’t be a "teens can dress!" post without the mandatory acknowledgement of Angela Chase, the mid-nineties style queen. Angela, of course, was/is just like us. She struggled with her identity, her place in the world, and the inability to be understood, and she layered on the plaid, florals, and forest-toned neutrals just like we did (and still do). Angela is the mid-1990s personified. And the biggest crime here is not knowing whether or not she would’ve adapted to the synthetic influence ushered in during the decade’s later half.
3. Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini), "Freaks and Geeks"
Lindsay Weir gave us a glimpse into a decade we don’t seem to do justice to, especially in pop culture: the 1980s. Lindsay, unlike "The Wedding Singer"-like offerings, kept it simple: jeans, long-sleeve knits, and that blessed military coat (which was arguably her armour). Ms. Weir proved you didn’t have to adapt to suit a particular group, or even a particular gender, and that one should never not wear a velvet long sleeve. All of our coats are also way too fitted, by the way.
4. Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel), "Boy Meets World"
If Angela Chase was all of us as kids, Topanga was who we wanted to be in high school. First, her hair. (We, like you, would’ve killed for that hair. Those layers!) Second, her unabashed love of sweater sets, seventies revival prints, and denim gave all us an unofficial dress code, outlining what was and wasn’t acceptable. Acceptable: most pieces found at Suzy Shier, circa 1998. Unacceptable: as if Topanga would restrict us in terms of expressing ourselves through fashion. Anything goes.
5. Allison (Ally Sheedy), "The Breakfast Club"
We pay attention to Claire (Molly Ringwald), but we don’t give Allison her due. Pre-makeover (what was that even about, anyway?), the mysterious detention participant channeled the perfect amount of The Cure, opting for an ankle-length skirt, black layers, and an oversize parka in lieu of colour or "shape." She wore her feelings on the outside, and in doing so, proved that you don’t need to pick up skinny jeans or silhouette-hugging pieces to look damn cool. Which is why her look has endured for over 20 years – enormous bag and all.
6. Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet), "The Cosby Show"
Everyone in the world still wants to be Denise. And that’s because there’s actually no way to describe Denise Huxtable’s style other than by saying, "Oh, that’s so Denise Huxtable." Is it awesome? Amazing? Really, really cool? (All of the above.) By fearlessly mixing fabrics, prints, cuts, and shapes, Denise cultivated a look that was entirely her own (and also reflected who she was outside the character of Denise, too). Lisa Bonet, you guys: the big sister we still want to have.
7. Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), "Gossip Girl"
And now, for the antithesis of Denise Huxtable: Blair Waldorf, the Upper East Side’s Queen Bee who brought headbands and bows back – as well as tailored jackets, matching blazer/skirt sets, and pearl necklaces. Personally, we’ve never known a teen to dress like this, but this is why when Gossip Girl blew up in the late 2000s, adult women channeled Blair and pals’ aesthetics despite being nearly a decade older than they were. And we still see no problem with that.
8. Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), "The O.C."
"Mmmm Whatcha' Say" Mischa Barton a.k.a. Marissa Cooper was the early-to-mid 2000s. Because of "Coop", we paired flowing skirts with polo shirts; we popped our collars; we wore super low-rise bottoms; we bared our midriffs; we used only tiny purses; we convinced ourselves our hair would just "dry like that" if we made no attempt to style it after showering. (We were wrong.) And while it’s been only ten years since Ryan told Marissa he was whatever she wanted him to be, it still seems like yesterday we thought our wardrobe was garbage because it didn’t have a single ruffled mini skirt. (And it was.)
9. Chenille (Kerry Washington), "Save the Last Dance"
Look, we don’t know how else to say this, so we're going to try our best: on top of her earrings, fur collar coat, turtleneck sweaters, and printed hoodies, Chenille saved Julia Stiles from herself. If not for Chenille, Julia (no, we will not use her character’s name) would’ve strolled into a club wearing a sweater set. Which, at the very least, is just too warm. (even at 14 we all watched this scene thinking, "Wow, really?!" and the closest we’d come to clubs at that point were all-ages dances at the YMCA.) Chenille was hip, and she never even wore that handkerchief tank top Julia wears in the last scene. She didn’t need to because she was better than the movie itself.
10. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles), "10 Things I Hate About You"
But see? Julia did hit it out of the park in "10 Things I Hate About You," which is arguably one of the best movies to exist, ever, in this universe. Contrary to the opinions of Joey “Eat Me” Donner, Kat Stratford’s “Rambo” look was not out – especially since camouflage is still wearable and sought out, 15 years after this movie was made. In fact, Kat’s entire wardrobe is arguably 2014: cardigans, tank tops, platform shoes, and crop tops are dictating the current style landscape. Meaning that maybe it was Kat and not Bianca who belonged on Planet Look At Me! Look At Me!
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