Inside the Teen Diaries of Sydney Cool Girls
This article was originally published as seperate blog posts on Dead Pretty ☞
It’s 2008 and I’m 14-years-old, the moody refrain of Apologize by OneRepublic resonates through the Britney Spears’ Fantasy scented air. My closet is full of gladiator sandals, lensless “nerd” glasses, bubble skirts, fringed boots and Paul Frank tees. After sitting through the mandatory “You Wouldn’t Steal A Car” warning, the DVD of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging begins. Twilight is in cinemas, Britney is making a comeback, Beyonce and Jay-Z are newlyweds. It’s a simpler time.
Nothing brings millenial women together like collective memories of Supre slogan tees and Blue Light Discos; so I profiled a few creatives who are around my age to reminisce on their most tragic fashion moments and nostalgic throwbacks. Take a peek inside their teen diaries...
MEET MIA
Mia is a project manager and freelance content creator who has somehow managed to stay effortlessly on-trend since the early 2000s (see photo for proof). Between writing for a number of Australian and international publications and managing creative projects in the areas of tech, fashion and arts; she’s bringing a unique perspective to the Sydney cultural scene.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I work on Business Development for Pitch Studios, and on Special Projects for Andpeople. I freelance in different ways too - mostly writing for publications about creative industries, and creative people that I genuinely like. My personal passion is self-publishing physical and digital zines, so I'm keen to start doing that again.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A TEENAGER?
I wanted to be in a punk band. I still do, but I'm just absolute trash at making music.
DESCRIBE THE BEST/WORST OUTFIT YOU EVER WORE AS A TEEN.
Lots of eyeliner, platform black boots, white super-flared hipster waist Supre pants, and a black boob tube with Chinese characters on the front that translated to 'Study Hard, Party Harder'. I'd honestly wear this today if I still had it.
WHICH CELEBRITY DID YOU HAVE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL?
Leonardo DiCaprio asRomeo Montague in Romeo + Juliet. So hot.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TEEN COMING-OF-AGE OR ROMCOM FILM?
This is truly my favourite film genre, but it has to be Clueless because it shook my whole world up. Close second is Mean Girls, because it resonates between multiple generations of women.
WHAT’S THE MOST UNDERRATED BANGER OF THE 2000S?
Bring It All To Me - Blaque ft. *NSYNC. This video clip is WILD. It's like 'No Scrubs' on a whole new level. The obsession with future-forward aesthetics really started post-Y2K, and has had a clear influence on my adulthood. Blaque were absolute baddies. Let's never forget their killer performance as Clovers in Bring it On. RIP Natina Reed!
I'd also like everyone to know that I was one of the first *NSYNC fans in Australia. My dad bought me a copy of their first album from overseas, long before it was available or serviced in Australia - so I've truly been a stan since day one.
RAPID FIRE:
PARIS OR NICOLE?
I always loved Paris, and wanted to be her so bad when I was growing up. She is responsible for my pink ugg/denim mini-skirt/Von Dutch accessories phase, and I have absolutely no regrets about it. As I grew older, I felt a lot more connected to Nicole, mostly because she is funny as hell, and watching her blossom into herself has been very relatable.
SHUTTER SHADES OR OAKLEY WRAP-AROUNDS?
Early Kanye is an icon, but it has to be Oakley wrap-arounds - I still wear the style to this day!
SINGSTAR OR GUITAR HERO?
It was all about Dance-Dance-Revolution for me. I had the play at home mat to practice, because it was a huge mood in highschool if you were good at Dance-Dance-Revolution. At the local mall people would gather around Timezone to watch you play if you were good (I was not).
CLUB PENGUIN OR HABBO HOTEL?
I missed out on both of these because I got a fake ID really early and started going to the club! I would have LOVED to play Habbo Hotel back then, it is so my vibe. I'm still salty that I missed out.
FLO RIDA OR T-PAIN?
T-Pain. I worked on a Beats by Dr. Dre campaign a few years ago, and we had him play a special performance at a party during the Australian Open. It was very surreal.
BLINK-182 OR SIMPLE PLAN?
Blink-182 forever. When 'Dammit' plays in 'Can't Hardly Wait' it literally defines my entire teenage life. I went to the XXL Freshman showcase in New York a few years back; and mid-show I headed to the bathroom. As I walked into the foyer, I saw Travis Barker just standing there. I locked eyes with him and froze. Then all these people started screaming and running at him in slow motion. It played out exactly as it should have: absolute chaos, with me melting into a puddle like Alex Mack.
MEET HANNAH & ELIZA:
I don’t have enough space to list the accolades between these two sisters, so I’ll just stick to what they’ve done this year alone. Their acclaimed TV show Growing Up Gracefully was picked up by STAN; Screen Australia has granted funding for the crime series that they are developing with an all-female creative team; as well as her sold-out one-woman Sydney Comedy Festival show, Hannah was announced as the winner of a Comedy Commission award by none other than Rebel Wilson; they hosted the FBi SMAC Awards and the Australian Directors Guild Awards... I’ll just leave it there. Basically, they’re the type of actresses I hope teenage girls have on their bedroom walls these days.
WHAT DO YOU TWO DO?
Hannah: We write our own television projects. We’re currently writing a narrative dramedy and we’ve done some doco comedies before, also some radio and stand up. We’re basically a creative duo.
Eliza: We’re writers, directors, products and actors. We’re mostly working on our own projects at the moment.
WHAT DID YOU EACH WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A TEENAGER?
Eliza: Pretty much exactly what we’re doing now! I wanted to do a bit more acting, but this was kind of always the dream.
Hannah: I wanted to be a photographer for a while there, and an archaeologist when I was really young. But yeah, luckily what we’re doing now!
DESCRIBE THE BEST/WORST OUTFIT YOU EVER WORE AS A TEEN.
Eliza: It has to be the outfit that I was known for throughout the whole year group. It was navy blue with a contrasting stitch, a bell-bottomed full denim jumpsuit. I wore it to orientation day and was forever known as Denim Jumpsuit. It was the lamest, funniest thing but looking back it was pretty ahead of the time, it’s definitely my best/worst look.
Hannah: There’s actually a lot… I had pretty wild fashion sense. I used to love wearing a bright red bandana around all of my hair, it even went over my ears, I looked like I had no hair and I wore it really, really tight. I also had a bright purple tank top that said “Funkster” in silver writing that I wore everywhere.
WHICH CELEBRITY DID YOU HAVE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL?
Hannah: Mine was Xena Warrior Princess and Ricky Martin.
Eliza: It was definitely Paris Hilton at around year 7 and 8, also Innocent Eyes stage Delta.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TEEN COMING-OF-AGE OR ROMCOM FILM?
Hannah: I’d have to say Bring it On.
Eliza: Not Another Teen Movie, I wasn’t allowed to watch American Pie so I watched a satire of the genre.
Hannah: Cruel Intentions was the only thing that our boarding school had on VHS so I watched that a lot, too.
Eliza: And probably Legally Blonde.
WHAT’S THE MOST UNDERRATED BANGER OF THE 2000S?
Eliza: Madison Avenue - Don’t Call Me Baby
Hannah: And Crush [by Jennifer Paige]
Eliza: Also it’s not underrated, but Lovefool by The Cardigans
RAPID FIRE:
MYSPACE OR MSN?
MSN, for sure.
VON DUTCH OR JUICY COUTURE?
Juicy Couture!
JEANS WITH RHINESTONES OR JEANS WITH NO POCKETS OR WAISTBAND?
Rhinestones, always.
PUNK’D OR THE SIMPLE LIFE?
The Simple Life. Paris!
DOLLY OR GIRLFRIEND?
Dolly - because of Dolly Doctor.
HOT PINK MOTOROLA RAZR OR BABY-G WATCH?
It’s gotta be a Motorola Razr.
SUN-IN SPRAY OR HAIR MASCARA?
Hannah: Sun in spray, I did that one.
Eliza: Yeah Hannah went to TONI&GUY after using it and they yelled at her. It’s hair mascara for me.
RICK ROLLING OR SALAD FINGERS?
Eliza: Salad Fingers.
Hannah: Rick rolling.
GUY SEBASTIAN OR SHANNON NOLL?
Shannon Noll, without a doubt.
MEET OLIVIA
WHICH CELEBRITY DID YOU HAVE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL?
I didn’t have any on my wall at the time but I currently have Biggie and Tupac on my wall, as well as TLC.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TEEN COMING-OF-AGE OR ROMCOM FILM?
10 Things I Hate About You. I had a moment where I was deeply in love with Heath Ledger.
WHAT’S THE MOST UNDERRATED BANGER OF THE 2000S?
RAPID FIRE:
KELLY ROWLAND OR MICHELLE WILLIAMS?
Michelle Williams- she’s the underdog of Destiny’s Child and I hate the jokes people make about her.
LIP SMACKERS OR IMPULSE BODY SPRAY?
Lip Smackers- does anyone know where I can buy them now?
NOKIA SNAKE OR MINESWEEPER?
Nokia Snake
RAZOR SCOOTERS OR WHEELIES?
Razor Scooters
SO FRESH CDS OR LIMEWIRE?
Limewire- I owe my DJ career to it!
MEET AMELIA
An early adopter of blogging and veteran of the genre, Amelia’s made a serious name for herself in the fashion industry since the early days of social media and has been creating beautiful content ever since. Her chic, minimalist style with dashes of gothic, Parisian and tomboy elements has seen her gain a devoted online following. Her style is basically what we’ve all been aiming for since the MySpace era, but I for one have seldom (okay, not once) pulled off.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I work at a social media/PR agency in Sydney and am represented by CHIC Management as a Content Creator, predominately in beauty and fashion on Instagram over at @ameliagoldie
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A TEENAGER?
The sixth member of The Horrors. Or a cat.
DESCRIBE THE BEST/WORST OUTFIT YOU EVER WORE AS A TEEN.
The most memorable, not to mention my best AND worst would be the consistent wearing of oversized band tees with ripped stockings and a lip piercing. My mum told me she wouldn't let me go to the supermarket with her.
WHICH CELEBRITY DID YOU HAVE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL?
I had a big crush on Duckie from Pretty in Pink and the guitar playing brother in Bring it On. Pretty sure I had them on my wall or school books. I remember having a Queens of The Stone Age, Ramones and MISFITS posters on my wall.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TEEN COMING-OF-AGE OR ROMCOM FILM?
Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink or Suddenly 30.
WHAT’S THE MOST UNDERRATED BANGER OF THE 2000S?
Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer
RAPID FIRE:
SLAP BRACELETS OR SCOUBIDOUS?
I used to wear about 20 black scoubidous on one arm in sixth grade.
TO GET YOUR CRUSHES ATTENTION: START A FACEBOOK POKE WAR OR CONSTANTLY SWITCH YOUR MSN STATUS TO ON AND OFFLINE?
Definitely going online and offline on MSN, and making my status a song lyric. MSN was a true addiction in seventh grade.
THE KETCHUP SONG OR CRAZY FROG?
The Ketchup Song
BRITNEY AND JUSTIN OR BRITNEY AND K-FED?
Britney and Justin, never forget their denim on denim moment.
It’s 2008 and I’m 14-years-old, the moody refrain of Apologize by OneRepublic resonates through the Britney Spears’ Fantasy scented air. My closet is full of gladiator sandals, lensless “nerd” glasses, bubble skirts, fringed boots and Paul Frank tees. After sitting through the mandatory “You Wouldn’t Steal A Car” warning, the DVD of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging begins. Twilight is in cinemas, Britney is making a comeback, Beyonce and Jay-Z are newlyweds. It’s a simpler time.
Nothing brings millennial women together like collective memories of Supre slogan tees and Blue Light Discos; so I profiled a few creatives who are around my age to reminisce on their most tragic fashion moments and nostalgic throwbacks. Take a peek inside their teen diaries...
MEET MADISON
Madison’s poignant poetry, art and writing offer beautiful and insightful social commentary. While we were all writing cringeworthy emo lyrics in the back of our school diaries, Madison was probably penning Plath-esque verse and chapter. She’s currently producing her own podcast, Tender, a raw and intimate exploration of women’s experiences; essential listening for adults and teens alike.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I’m a writer, artist and audio producer. But I mainly just curse at my Co-Star daily updates.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A TEENAGER?
When I was teenager, I was back-and-forth about whether or not to pursue something creative, academic or both. On any given day of the week, I had something new in mind: I wanted to be an artist, a lawyer, a journalist, an author. Sometimes all at once.
DESCRIBE THE BEST/WORST OUTFIT YOU EVER WORE AS A TEEN.
Gosh! I used to wear this absolutely terrible tie-dye blouse I bought from a suburban Just Jeans. I wore it everywhere. But, in saying that, I had a killer pair of high-waisted shorts I used to get around in. My grandma found them at an op-shop.
WHICH CELEBRITY DID YOU HAVE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL?
I had a huge crush on Meredith Godreau (Gregory and the Hawk). I had many, many photos of her pinned to my wall.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TEEN COMING-OF-AGE OR ROMCOM FILM?
This is embarrassing… but He’s Just Not That Into You is a guilty pleasure of mine.
WHAT’S THE MOST UNDERRATED BANGER OF THE 2000S?
I know it was 1997… so a little out of range, but Lighthouse Family’s High is such a banger. Honestly.
RAPID FIRE:
AVRIL LAVIGNE OR HILARY DUFF?
Hilary Duff. Only just. Metamorphosis was the first album I ever purchased.
TAMAGOTCHIS OR I-ZONE CAMERAS?
Tamagotchis!
PERFECT FRIDAY NIGHT: BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO OR THE SIMS?
The Sims!
THE OC OR GOSSIP GIRL?
Gossip Girl.
LIGHT BLUE EYESHADOW OR RHINESTONE TATTOOS?
Definitely light blue eyeshadow.
