Trends among teens!

By V. Swapna @ Sulekha.com

Who sets the trends? Is it the film celebs or models dressed in designer outfits sashaying across the ramp, or just a little creative college girl who wants to stand out in a crowd? Sporting a neck-kerchief was considered cool in the 70’s with the dudes trying to emulate the typical Rajesh Khanna ‘ishtyle’. Then there was a gradual progression in the usage of the scarves from the neck on to the head in the form of ‘bandanas’.

Ravishing Zeenat Aman of the 80’s set the trend of figure hugging tops and bell-bottoms and now the recent Kareena ke pujaris get themselves dressed in bright spaghetti tops. While the ‘macho mania’ hunks sport sleeveless T-shirts, showing off their biceps, the more calmer segment of the male population get a triangular patch of hair done on their chins, for the typical cho-chweet look! It certainly wouldn’t be wrong to say that celebs in an attempt to craft an image of their own set trends which are then widely emulated by the youth of today.

I strolled by in a nearby shopping mall, which is frequented by young girls and boys, to enlighten myself on the latest trends. Blonde hair, with shades of streaky purple, sleeveless top and skin-tight jeans showing off her pierced belly button - a true embodiment of a trendy girl, the one who stood next to me.

A long beaded rudraksha mala around the hip or the neck is sure to tell you that he or she is a Madonna fan. The traditional mehendi no longer adorns just the hands and the feet alone. Intricate designs on the shoulders, hip and around the navel looks sexy and cool. Better still is to get erasable body painting or tattooing done by a professional. Nail enamels with shiny embellishments are catching up too. Th trendy look however does not stop with the way you look.

Attitude and accessories need to be trendy too. Having been influenced by Maneka Gandhi’s friendliness towards animals, fox-furs and rabbit-skin purses have been replaced by the more eco-friendly jute and paper bags.