How to raid your parents closet

Hey Uglies,
I’m super excited to introduce our newest TeenUgly contributing writer and one of my favorite Chictopians, QueenElizabeth. Not only is she super cute but she’s got beauty and brains and that in itself is pretty damn chic. So anyway, here’s her guide to raiding your parents closet…and the fact that she lives at home makes her practically a pro.
xoJuliana
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Being a teenager means living with your parents – a fact that sets us apart from (the majority of) adults, and sometimes has an influence on the way we dress. Living at home can mean having less freedom, but it also has an unexpected benefit: the ability to borrow clothing from your parents. You’d be surprised at some of the things they have lying in the back of their closets, and borrowing clothes from your mom or dad can be a great way to add to your wardrobe. Here are some tips on adapting your parents’ old clothes to your own style.

What To Expect

Simply asking “Hey Mom/Dad, do you have any clothing you don’t wear anymore that I could have?” can yield some unexpected results. Even if your parents wear bland, boring office-wear every day, you can probably still find some interesting pieces that they’ll lend you. As an example of what you might find, I’ve borrowed silk blouses, printed scarves, and big, crazy earrings from my mom, most of which were from when she was younger. A trip to your dad’s closet (with permission, of course!) might lead to finds such as oversized sweaters, plaid shirts, and even neckties if you feel like going for a menswear-ish look. And you never know what kind of gems your parents might have lying around. In my case, those gems include a purple Christian Dior coat and a mink bow tie!

Keeping It Modern

A lot of the things I’ve gotten from my parents are from the 80’s, and it’s really easy to look dated in these clothes if you’re not careful. To make these pieces look more modern, try wearing them in different pairings or in different ways than they were meant to be worn. This shoulder-padded blouse can look cool and relaxed with jeans and tons of necklaces, or Victorian when worn backwards with a high-waisted skirt. Neither one of these outfits screams “80’s”, while wearing the top with a pencil skirt, big earrings and pearls practically begs for turquoise eyeshadow and a bad perm. (What not to do, picture 3.)

Make it more youthful

Along those lines, it’s possible to look frumpy in your parents’ clothes, since (obviously) they were made for adults. Although this purple dress has a great 40’s shape, leaving it at its current length would have made it too old-looking for everyday wear. An easy way to fix this is to belt dresses and hike up skirts to make them shorter, or (if your parents let you) hem them for a neater look.

And remember, ask nicely!

There might be some things your parents might not want you to wear – in which case, be respectful and acknowledge that. (After all, you are still living under their roof.) But in all likelihood, your parents have clothing that they’ve stopped wearing long ago and would be more than happy to give to you. So good luck, and happy closet-raiding!