Oh, the glory days of middle school. Sometimes, I wonder if I actually liked half the clothes I owned, or if I just liked them because everyone else was wearing them. Basically, it was a whole lot of Abercrombie, Hollister, neon, and really cheap jewelry. And forget about doing my own hair and makeup- I'd probably been better off having my mom do it for me. But, it's always funny to look back on what was so cool back then.
1. The "poof."
I never really understood why this was ever a thing. Were we trying to look like Snooki?
2. The really obnoxious side ponytail.
I actually remember doing my hair like this, one day, and my mom made me fix it because she said it looked terrible. I had no idea what she was talking about because everyone else at school could rock it! She was right.
3. Layered tank tops.
Since the dress code required your tank tops to have straps at least two fingers wide, it made perfect sense to just layer them up. The most popular were the neon ones from 2 cute, of course.
4. Peace signs.
They were everywhere. Whether it was on your shirt, your backpack, or you doodled them on your hand, they were always around.
5. Tote bags as backpacks.
Somehow, backpacks weren't cool anymore once we entered middle school. It seemed like everyone had the same exact tote bag from Abercrombie or Hollister, with the brand name written across it.
6. Anything from Abercrombie or Hollister.
It actually pains me to think of how much money I spent at Abercrombie and Hollister. Why? Just for the bird or moose logo? For the giant Abercrombie letters across my chest?
7. Colored skinny jeans.
I guess they were cute, but it was so difficult to find shirts that could actually match them. And why did guys wear them? That was something I will never understand.
8. Band bracelets.
Nothing said hipster like wearing 10 of these on your wrists to show people you listened to such unique, hardcore bands, that no one has ever heard of.
9. Ed Hardy sneakers.
This trend didn't last too long, and I can now see why. I remember begging my mom for a pair, and she thought they were too inappropriate. Again, I'm glad I listened to her advice.
10. Wearing your boyfriend's sweatshirt in public.
When I wear my boyfriend's sweatshirts, it is because I am cold -- no other reason. But in middle school, you wore your guy's hoodie to show to everyone that you were dating. If you had his hoodie, it was real.
11. Skate shoes.
Neon skate shoes were popular for both guys and girls. And, of course, with the bar laces.
12. Denim miniskirts.
Short, ripped, basically-falling-apart denim skirts were cute and easy to match with anything. I still can't believe I got away with wearing them in school.
13. Scrunch sweatpants.
I actually thought these were really uncomfortable, but of course I wore them anyway. And, of course, you'd roll the top of the pants down to show off as much skin as possible.
14. Neon nail polish.
Right now, popular nail colors are softer neutral tones, but back in middle school, the brighter the better. I remember neon green was a popular color for a while, for some unknown reason.
15. Coach bags.
They weren't even cute, so why were they so popular? I had this exact bag, along with pretty much every other girl in my school.
16. Plaid Bermuda shorts.
Definitely one of the strangest trends of middle school. I got a pair because everyone else was wearing them, and then I realized how stupid they looked and never wore them again. To this day, I'm still confused as to why this trend even started.
17. Hoop earrings.
It was almost as if the bigger and the brighter they were, the cooler they were -- even though they were super uncomfortable and got caught on everything.
18. Kooky pens.
This trend didn't last too long, but they were huge in my school. They came in all different colors and designs, and you would collect them and trade them.
19. Silly bands.
Another very strange trend. I was obsessed with these for a solid week until they died down. I still don't understand why kids as old as 14 got so hyped over elephant-shaped bracelets.
20. Ugg boots.
Without a doubt, the biggest trend for girls in middle schools everywhere. No matter who you were, you either owned a pair or wanted one.
