BEING DRESSED TO IMPRESS

While walking down a city street, you pass a girl discussing an upcoming party with another girl. Or is it a boy? It's hard to tell through the long, thick hair tumbling down the teen-ager's back. A few moments later, you nearly trip over someone's extra-wide-legged jeans.

You can't help but wonder whether you're in the '60s or the new millennium.

According to Webster's New World Dictionary, fashion is "the current style or mode of dress, speech, conduct, etc.'' However, this definition is not entirely accurate today, with such older styles as wide jeans, long hair for both guys and girls, peace signs and smiley faces popular again.

However, no one in the '60s ever heard of Abercrombie & Fitch or Tommy Hilfiger, two name brands popular with today's youth.

Then as now, fashion is an individual preference, influenced by a variety of factors. Of these, the opinion of peers is one of the biggest.

"I buy what my friends wear,'' explained Sarah Smith, 12, a student at Fall Creek Valley Middle School.

David McKown , 13, also of Fall Creek Valley, noticed "a big change from elementary school to middle school, because in elementary school I didn't even care what I looked like and I wore whatever I wanted. But in middle school, I actually take a lot of time to figure what I want to wear.''

And just what are kids wearing today?

"Right now I'd say that a lot of popular kids have Abercrombie,'' said Davey Hiatt , 14, also of Fall Creek Valley.

Nikki Fancher , 15, a student at Tech High School, reported that name brands are popular at her school, too.

"At Tech, I see a lot of people in Tommy and the Gap,'' she said. "If it's cute, then I get it. I like it to be a brand name.''

Beech Grove student Tara Wilson , 15, also loves name brands. "Mainly I buy it because I like the name. I want it big -- 'Tommy,' 'Polo' -- and I want everybody to see what I got.''

Old Navy, Fubu and Nautica are other popular brands among teens.

With the exception of Old Navy, most name brands are expensive. Doesn't that discourage young buyers?

Not Dorothea Wells, 14, a student at Douglass Middle School.

"If I like the colors, I'm getting it. If I like the style of it, I'm getting it. Don't matter what the price is,'' she said.

"I don't want cheap clothes,'' added Nicole Gamble , 15, a student at Horizon Middle School.

According to a survey from Target Marketing magazine, U.S. teens spent $35 billion on clothes in 1998.

Today's youths are definitely concerned with their appearance, and by combining work and their parents' help, many can garner sufficient funds to fuel their pricey desires.

"I'm working this summer, and I worked last summer. So I get most of my outfits from that and my mother and dad,'' said Tara.

"In the summertime I work, and every paycheck I go shopping,'' Nicole said.

Many shopping trips are spurred by the media, which influences teens' fashion choices.

"The way that they advertise it . . . and the people they advertise it on, it looks so good that you want to go out and buy the same thing,'' Tara said.

Parents may have some influence on what kids wear as well. "My parents sometimes say to dress up dressy. You're getting older and some of that changes,'' said Dannika Winston, 12, a Shortridge Middle School student.

"Sometimes your parents don't want you to be going outside with real, real short shorts and showing your back,'' Tara said. "But since I am a teen-ager, I'm going to get it anyway.'' But overall, many kids have their own sense of style and aren't moved by factors beyond their own personal preference.

"If I don't like it, can't nobody influence me to get it,'' said Nikki.

"I just like my own style. I don't like being like nobody else,'' Dorothea said.

With so much emphasis on fashion, it's often easy to make assumptions about people based on appearances. But most teens agree that clothes don't make the person.

"I don't think people should judge how people look for their personality and everything,'' Davey said. "That's like a totally different side to people.'' But still, Davey has criticized others' appearance.

"I've teased people a lot 'cause I'm kind of mean. But lately I've been thinking that maybe they can't help it, like maybe they're poor and that's all they can really get,'' he said.

Nicole doesn't like the teasing. "When people are getting teased about what they wear, it makes me angry with the person who's teasing them,'' she said. "I feel bad about it because just like me, they can't afford everything.''

Although fashion seems superficial at times, it's become a part of who we are. "The reason why I take so much time is because I want to be happy with myself,'' Tara said.

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Rachel Goertemiller, 15; Zach Nolden, 14.

REPORTERS: Molly Nolden, 13; Katie Qualkinbush, 13.