Being a tween or pre-teen in this era is unlike anything we’ve seen in generations past. The advent of social media and its resulting economy of influencers, hyper-vigilance, and highly contested influence on beauty standards has drastically altered the adolescent journey from child to teen. Instead of just the regular concerns like hormone-induced acne, Sadie Hawkins dances and algebraic crises, young teens also have to navigate and, in some instances, wholly curate a desirable online persona.
This, coupled with often unregulated access to adult influencers and content creators, has shifted how tweens dress and act in a way society at large hasn’t had to grapple with — at least not on this scale.
To be clear, kids and young teens have always looked up to the older “cool” kids. Who didn’t sneak into their sister’s room to use her goopy Great Lash mascara or that pale pink Nars lip gloss?
Even beyond familial ties, being inspired by influential figures is nothing new. Rihanna did and still does inspire a lot of what I define as stylish, and Kelis was integral in my appreciation for alternative Black girl chicness. Unlike the tweens of today though, unfortunately for 13-year-old me, I was unable to tap an Instagram post of my style heroes and see tags of where every item was from or a direct link to purchase it myself.
There was no LTK app or links in bio posts, so my digital fashion and beauty inspirations remained just that—inspirations. My ceiling for tangible replicas was stunted, if not entirely void. This mystique was a part of the allure. Part of its intrigue was steeped in the accessibility of it all.
Now, on TikTok, 12-year-olds have unmitigated access to the exact products and items the 22-year-old influencer they are obsessed with has, which has blurred the lines beyond recognition. This is not the fault of the influencers nor the tweens; social media has just exacerbated the process of achieving the desired ideals of those ten-plus years their senior.
The struggles of adolescence have always been there, and when you add in any level of marginalization, things get more complicated. However, the pressures of social media, specifically sites where the influencer space is booming, like Instagram and TikTok, have inflamed these challenges.
This has made back-to-school outfit styling much trickier, specifically for parents who want to maintain some level of age-appropriateness but understand the importance of self-expression for kids during these formative years.
To help ease this transition and lay the groundwork for super good fits that are tween-approved, read on!
Internet trends can still be applied
Join me in suspending our collective disbelief when I say that the internet is not all bad. For all of its risks and harms, it can still be used as a source of inspiration. But instead of following trends to the T, interpreting and then tailoring them to your needs can be a mindful way to stay on trend within the bounds of what is school and age-appropriate.
One such trend is the ultra-prepped-up aesthetics that have taken place via the tennis core trend that’s taking over the internet. Thanks, Zendaya!
Wilson
Westside Tennis Skirt Lite
Price: $44
Classics last forever
Now, we can all appreciate a good trend moment. But there is something about trusted basics that offer invaluable insurance against the test of time that fleeting trends can’t provide. One brand that has this down to a collared science is Polo Ralph Lauren. Since its inception, Polo Ralph Lauren has stayed true to its button-down core.
Now, with historic collaborative collections with HBCUs, there’s an abundance of timeless pieces that can resonate with younger, more diverse audiences than ever before.
Ralph Lauren
Plaid Pleated Double-Knit Skort
Price: $85
Invest in good basics
In the same vein as trusted classics, basics are another area worth investing in when it comes to the tween stage. Good denim, well-made t-shirts and structured hoodies are the building blocks of any wardrobe. By equipping these growing wardrobes with pieces, they can defer to throughout the ebbs and flows of fashion fads.
Calvin Klein
Cotton Contour Rib T-Shirt
Price: $36
There are some age-appropriate influencers
One disclaimer that can serve just about anyone navigating social media is that these people online are essentially strangers. That is to say, we should not be idolizing these people or expecting them to serve as role models in any capacity. However, there are still some influencers that can offer some style or just general inspiration for a younger crowd in a way that’s appropriate but not patronizing.
Yara Shahidi has been charming our screens for years, playing the headstrong, outspoken older sister time and time again.
Yara Shahidi. Image: Stefanie Keenan for Getty Images for the Broad.
She’s definitely not a tween by any stretch of the imagination, but her style is such a great display of sophistication that meets funk in the best way.
Gabrielle Nevaeh has been a Nickelodeon darling for a while now, but her talents expand beyond her hijinks with That Girl Lay Lay or her Monster-fueled balls. She also has a clothing brand, The House of GNG, that includes patterned crochet garments. Even better, a portion of the proceeds go toward arts programs.
Gabrielle Nevaeh. Image: Paul Archuleta for Getty Images.
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