"Teens and their parents are spending 34% more on prom expenses this year, or $1,078 on average…" Uhhh… on WHAT!?

“Oh my God, I can't watch,” says Tim, covering his face with his hands.

“Are you ready?” Derek asks from behind me.

I squeeze my hands into fists, nails digging into my palms. My heart is pounding, but when I speak, my voice is low and controlled. “Do it.”

I am fifteen years old, standing in the hall outside my math classroom, and my hair is straight and soft and — for this last glorious moment — comes down to my hips. Having long hair is central to my identity, the way that a hairstyle can only really be in adolescence. It's the one thing that, despite my [...]

Melissa McCarthy used to wear turtlenecks for pants when she was in high school. (They keep referring to her as "goth" in this clip but this was pre-goth, kiddos.) What beautiful fashion trends did you set back in the day?

I found this 1990 grade school yearbook the other day at the junk shop where I work, and it's a mimeographed goldmine of clip art, candid photos, and unedited student poetry. Please enjoy.

This delightful monstrosity is apparently "one of PromGirl.com's best-selling dresses this year," according to the Wall Street Journal. It costs $378, and it's also on some high schools' "Unacceptable Prom Dresses" lists. (Here are three such lists.) And here's PromGirl.com itself — the dress pictured is from their seemingly endless "Sexy and Sleek" collection. (I like this elegant one. This one is good, too.)

"A new study from Queen’s University has found obese teenage girls are three times more likely to be bullies than the slimmer girls in their class — a finding that highlights the very cyclical nature of bullying."

“Grand slam,” called out a boy (who’d later tell me with disarming matter-of-factness that “the one thing Mr. V. talked about that made me feel really good was that penis size doesn’t matter”).

“Now, ‘grand slam’ has a bunch of different meanings,” replied Vernacchio, who has a master’s degree in human sexuality. “Some people say it’s an orgy, some people say grand slam is a one-night stand. Other stuff?”

“Grass,” a girl, a cheerleader, offered.

“If there’s grass on the field, play ball, right, right,” Vernacchio agreed, “which is interesting in this rather hair-phobic society where a lot of people are shaving their pubic hair — ”

Sex! [...]

THINGS FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS THAT MY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ODDLY OBSESSED WITH

My So-Called Life Laura Ashley dresses Lady Brett Ashley Minesweeper A Moveable Feast Doc Martens Making mixtapes from CDs The Cranberries Empire Records Tupac, specifically “Dear Mama” Overalls (shorts and full) Cruel Intentions Shaving the side/back of their hair Nicktoons Buffy Sublime

"Our girls are not allowed to [ask boys to the prom] in our house. They have to wait for the boys to call." —As the Hairpin has fast become many people's No. 1 source for political information, it seems appropriate that we should bring you the news that Michele Bachmann didn't go to prom because no one asked her, and that she doesn't believe in girls inviting boys. I asked a boy to prom, is that why [everything]?

Last night I fell in love. With a television character. Who is a teenage girl. Named Tessa. Sorry! I'm a creep I guess! No, but seriously, are you watching Suburgatory? I accidentally saw it last night and it's my new favorite thing. Selling points other than the girl: Jeremy Sisto FINALLY in a comedic role and he is hotlariously playing a single dad who is in the PTA with Cheryl Hines and Ana Gasteyer, actual jokes, and a character named "Kimantha." Back to Tessa: She's the human, likeable Daria we've all been waiting for. Snarky, but nice. Pretty in an edgy way. Short. She skips class in the bathroom like we [...]