Fad, Fashion, and Peer Pressure

by Jason Huffman

As a youth minister and a substitute junior high and high school teacher, I come in constant contact with teenagers and youth culture. I think one of the most frightening aspects of our youth culture is the way we allow our teens to dress. Teenage fashion has always been a hot topic, but I think the 21st century has brought new precedents for what is acceptable. In the 60s it was bell bottoms,   the 70s afros and butterfly collars, the 80s brought denim jackets and feathered bangs, the 90s brought baggy jeans for boys and the return of hip huggers for girls. What will the new millennium bring us?

Already we¹ve seen the rising popularity of backless shirts, spaghetti straps, and exposed navels. It seems girls fashion is in a race to see who can cover the least amount of area with the least amount of material and still call it decent. It doesn't stop there, though. It seems when clothing does cover an appropriate amount of body space (i.e. t-shirts) it seems to carry messages with phrases of defiance, crass humor, and vanity. I remember the 80s when everyone who had a t-shirt had to have their name on the back in iron-on lettering. I don't know why. There was no underground criminal group out to steal our t-shirts - it was just a fad. Now, though, the messages on our teens' clothing has messages like, "slacker, hottie, princess, bad girl, etc." These are messages that glorify the self and promote ideas of superiority and laziness.

Peter spoke in I Peter 3:3 that a lady's beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of jewelry and fine clothes. I do feel like there is a correlation between popular fashion and the rate of teenage sexual behavior. Young ladies often do not understand that their dress can be a stumbling block for young men. Fashion trends such as "Daisy Dukes" (very short shorts), halter tops, tank tops, backless tops, mini-skirts, etc. are invitations for girls to be looked at in a negative way by their peers. It is the role of parents in today's culture to supervise what teens should and should not wear. Parents should first of all, model appropriate dress, and second, encourage their kids to dress in a Christ-like manner. Am I saying that you kids should be frumpy? No, of course not. Can teenagers dress in a way that is godly, stylish, and attractive? The answer to that is a resounding "Yes!" What I am saying is that Christian parents have a responsibility to dress their children appropriately but can do it in a way that makes mom and the kids happy.

Jason Huffman is Minister of Youth and Music at Meadowbrook Baptist Church in Rockdale.