Embarrassing Pictures Of Teens Back Then Look Nothing Like The Teens Of Today
If you’ve ever browsed TikTok even once, you’ll have noticed that it’s nearly impossible to tell a 15-year-old from a 20-year-old there thanks to their impressively put-together looks, makeup skills, and deft camera work.
None of us looked anywhere near as good—we sported awkward glasses, braces, and as much color in our outfits as possible. Here’s proof.
When Fashion Was About Comfort
Before the era of crop tops, TikToks, soft girls, Eboys, and whatever the kids are calling themselves these days, 15-year-olds like this one had no problem sporting a propeller hat with a hint of emo on Mackinac Island.
The Karate Kid Re-Imagined
Teens today may not even be aware that the Karate Kid didn’t start with Jaden Smith. This girl was ahead of her time and showed girls could do it just as well. Her only downfall was her choice of background, which she proudly picked herself.
Tie-Dye Is Life
This was the first day of school in junior year. He confirmed that even his boxers were also tie-dye. The good news is that tie-dye is currently making a comeback in fashion, so he’s actually still on trend.
A Young Lost Soul
Look at her face. She looks like she’s leading a very difficult life and really struggling to pull through in the mall bathroom. It looks like shopping therapy wasn’t paying off that day.
Is This Real Life?
The answer in this case is no. This is the Matrix, or at least a Matrix-inspired outfit that this kid insisted would be a good idea to wear to school. Little did he know it just looks like he raided his mother’s closet.
“Business On The Top, Party On The Sides”
Why commit to just one hairstyle when you can get away with having two? Leave it down and you look like you’re ready for a good time. Put it up and you look like…well, that’s open for interpretation.
No Need For A Holiday To Dress Up
This young man loved to dress like a vampire. To clarify, this was his everyday look and not a costume for Halloween. He looks like he could write some really good dark poetry at a hipster open mic.
Embracing The Ginger Life
Some people with ginger hair find it hard to fit in as they stand out with their orange hair. This young man had tons of confidence and decided to take the ginger to the next level by completely embracing it in everything he did.
In A Hurry To Grow Up
He shaved the middle of his head and dressed up as an old man in high school. It’s still unclear why teens are in such a rush to grow up, but specifically why a bald, middle-aged man with terrible fashion was this kid’s standard for what it meant to be an adult.
The More The Better
Forget that less is more. Back in the day more was more. Even if there was a slight risk that you might plank forward at any second from the weight of the thirty plastic necklaces on your neck.
There Was A Vision
She actually begged her parents for this picture. This is the kind of picture you show to your children when they don’t understand why you’re denying their requests. You’re just trying to prevent their embarrassment.
How Many Bangs Can You Count?
The answer looks like it’s exactly six strands of bangs. This is exactly why they warn against cutting your own bangs. Is that really going to stop you in your rebellious years, though?
The Family Who Shares Awful Haircuts Together
In 1988, this family decided that it would be a great idea for everyone to get the same haircut and then even went to commemorate with photo evidence. There is never going to be a one-style-fits-all haircut for the whole family. Ever.
Lookin Dapper
At 15, he was given the honor of being the best man, an honor he could only live up to by matching a skinny bow tie with a matching cummerbund.
“Thought I Looked Like some ’70s Folk Singer”
It’s unclear what is worse here, that creepy smile or the mushroom-meets-mullet haircut that he thought made him look like a ’70s folk singer. Let’s hope he’s gotten a haircut since.
A Refreshing Matching Outfit
This 1990s full-on watermelon walking shorts and matching button-up shirt outfit is another example of fashion that has found its way back. If it returned, then it couldn’t have been that bad in the first place…right?
It’s A Vibe
You know how sometimes you look like a kid and you feel like it’s a full-grown man trapped in a much younger body? This young man doesn’t look like someone you want to mess with.
“Me In The Late ’80s… So Edgy”
It’s hard to tell if he’s really tall or if for some reason they made really tiny benches in the ’80s… Maybe they started having to make bigger benches to accommodate the growing fast-food industry and its consumers.
A Country Boy At Heart
You’d think this young man’s outfit is a simple reflection of his country lifestyle, except he lived nowhere near cows or a farm. Perhaps he just wanted to embody the hardworking characteristics of a farmer.
It’s Not A Hobby, It’s A Lifestyle
“I asked my mom to take a picture of me with all my Pokémon.” Except, she looks like a proud mom posing with her kids on their first day of school.
When it came to Pokémon, you either completely embraced it as a lifestyle or you had nothing to do with it.
The Best Of Both Worlds
This is what happens when you have a blonde mohawk, cut the rest of the hair off, but still insist on keeping the bangs. This must be the origin of ombré hairdos.
New Year, Same You
She thought she was the coolest kid at the party, and can you blame “miss Adorable”? You can’t exactly argue with someone who wears a tiara paired with a SpongeBob belt. That’s basically royalty.
The Reason Behind Bad Eyesight
“Back when I badly needed corrective lenses and couldn’t be more than six inches from any TV.” You’ll find that a lot of us wear glasses today for this reason.
Also shoutout to the classic Cosmo and Wanda.
He Was A Skater Boy
If Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” could be googled in one picture, this is the guy that would come up. He’s hitting every stereotypical checkmark, from the Beiber haircut to the oversized graphic sweater.
Look As Scary As Possible
This is two friends posing with the manager from the Hot Topic at the mall in 2009 like he’s some sort of celebrity simply because he works at the only store that supports their haunting fashion choice.
There Is Hope
This photo is proof that even the most awkward of teenagers and those who thought using up a whole pencil eyeliner a day while dating a man who covers his eyes with bangs on purpose, can all turn out alright.
This couple, for example, is now married with a two-month-old daughter.
Nothing Like Good Ol’ Teenage Angst
I feel like every single person had at least one or two horribly embarrassing photoshoots with their friends where they took angsty photos of themselves. It was a rite of passage.
Her Haircut Added 20 Years To Her Life
Believe it or not, the woman in this photo was 18 years old when it was taken. I don’t know if it’s the haircut or her smile in the picture, but she looks like she’s on her way to pick up the kids from school.
Ready To Head To The Function
The person who posted this explained that they took this photo with all of their friends before heading to a concert in 2006—and yes, her mom was in the background ready to drive them there in the minivan.
All Is Fair In Love
This guy explained that he had a crush on an emo girl in the ninth grade and so, in order to get her attention, he put on this entire look—nail polish and all.
In Church?!?
This girl, to show off her rebellious side at 13 years old, decided to throw up a “devil horn” gesture in a photo at her Catholic confirmation. Also, her grandma sewed her dress.
Graduation Is A Special Time
This girl, for some reason, chose this outfit, golf club-prop, and a specific pose with her senior photos in high school. She also has no idea why she isn’t wearing shoes.
