In a world where there is constant pressure to “just grow up” or to have a glow-up, the children of our society have hastily disposed of their childhood to fit in. Especially on the female side of the spectrum, many young women have grown up to regret rushing and trying to cover up the tracks of ever being naive or out of style. Given this, the stereotypical trends of pre-teen and teenage girls have been abruptly swapped.
For the young girls who strive to seem mature, they have begun stepping into the persona of a typical teenage girl. This includes fashion choices such as cropped tops or other revealing clothing pieces. There is a sense of coming-of-age associated with showing off more skin, which is what these girls are trying to achieve. Along with this, makeup has become extremely popular among younger audiences, middle-school aged girls raiding Sephora and Ulta to achieve what they believe to be the highest levels of beauty. This situation has been acknowledged in a primarily negative manner, with teenagers frustrated by popular products constantly being sold out, rather than facing the real issue at hand.
On the other side, teenage girls and young adults have begun indulging in more “childish” looks as an attempt to restore their youth that was once forbidden. This is seen through the bow trend, resurgence of Barbie, and charm jewelry. Prior to the past year or two, girls often saw bows as a fashion “no” and too immature for everyday style. Now, they are everywhere; jewelry, clothing, home decor. Adding on, following the release of the Barbie movie in 2023, many girls have naturally reflected on their times of having dolls, baby dolls, and of course, barbies. It has become normalized to repurchase some of these items for a fond feeling of comfort. Lastly, the rise of charmed and chunky jewelry has remnants of the extravagant jewelry that young girls wear when playing dress up. Although, this is a more modernized version of the lavish fake jewels commonly purchased.
Overall, these trends have much deeper roots than what fast fashion has made them out to be. Bows, along with other items listed, are not simply a selling point, but signify liberation from societal norms.