Been there, done that. This is how most of us feel when we try to recall our teenage days. But ‘doing it right now’ is how most teenagers today think and live by. Indeed, the teenage fashionistas of today are thinking out of the box in order to make a mark and create that ‘wow’ factor. And if you thought a regular teenager’s wardrobe was the only way s/he would use to show that s/he really stands apart, think again. From head to toe there’s a huge range of accessories that strike the fancy of today’s teens and help them experiment with different looks.

An interesting fad that one notices among teenagers today is that of tattoos. Since there are very few professional tattoo artists available, permanent tattoos are not very popular in our part of the world. However, the creative youngsters have found many alternatives to get the ‘permanent tattoo’ look. The other day, I spotted a young boy showing off a fiery, black tattoo on his arm. Rather surprised (and fascinated too), I looked carefully, only to realise that he was wearing a skin-tight, arm glove bearing the gothic image.

On another occasion, I was surprised to see an immaculately drawn, and rather modish, sketch on a teenage girl’s arm. When I asked her where she got it done from, she replied proudly, “I did it myself, using a ball point pen!”

To create eye-catching looks, young boys and girls come up with the most daring and unconventional hairstyles as well. Among boys, one will find mohawks—shaved heads with very little hair on it—or the very popular Becham style—spikes that live up to their name—and layered cuts shorn to give the impression of a small pony tail at the back, and the list goes on.

For girls, new trends and colours in makeup have just made the job of looking different and standing out in the crowd easier. From coloured eyeliners, to silver eyeshades, there are all kinds of things in a makeup kit to make any girl want to experiment.

The eager teens pay attention to the minutest of details when they’re making an attempt to try something different, as is very obvious when you look at the nail art in vogue these days. There are zebra prints in funky colours, cute little stars, spider webs, and even nail-piercing that is in vogue among many youngsters.

Then, there are accessories for accessories. No, you didn’t read it wrong. Look at the alarming and catchy key chains available in various stores these days, badges and stickers to put up on satchels, purses, wallets. There are also stickers and posters in various sizes and shapes that can cut and pasted on notebooks that teens carry around. Talk about how far teen fashion can reach.

As far as clothes and shoes are concerned, while the obsession with designer labels seems to be a relentless trait, tee shirts with hilarious messages and caricatures doodled on them, with a less symmetrical cuts, bold colours and shapes are quite common. Even the footwear shops are flocked with sneakers and boots in loud colours to give a finished ‘cool’ look from head to toe.

Many might criticise the new teen trends. But the fact remains that these youngsters manage to look different and yet are not gaudily dressed, and contrary to what may appear, a lot of effort is put into that look. This is the age when such experiments look rather cute. As long as it doesn’t cross the bounds of innocence appropriate for that age, let the boys and girls have fun and strike it hot in order to look cool.