Finally, an honest revelation about the way teenagers handle themselves today. GRanted my ripe old age of 23 makes me much older and wiser -HA!- but where are the parents, the role models and the values for these kids? Thank you Lena for raising the issues you have with a piece far overdue.
I've listened to a lot of youth radio stories over time, but none have outright disturbed me as much as this one. It didn't regale me with stories about gang violence or cautionary tales about eating disorders - rather, through humor, it made me realize something downright CREEPY about myself: I had become one of those irritating and shallow girls who bought pants to impress my boyfriend.
The piece started out on a good note, with overlapping freshmen describing what they were wearing. This effectively created a sense of chaos while emphasizing that all these girls were in essence wearing the same thing. Then, through probing and incisive interviewing, the piece's author made listeners question why they bought and wore what they did. I found myself looking down at my American Eagle shirt and Gap pants more than once, and realizing I didn't really have a good answer to that question. Throughout, the narration juxtaposed quotes from Seventeen magazine with these fashion-obsessed ninth graders for a very effective dose of humor.
This piece is, on the surface, very light-hearted, but the issues it exposes are not. I have read many a feminist "expose" on why women dress the way they do, and none were as revealing as this piece. I'd listen to it again, but I'm off to the local thrift store now to pick up some tye-dye.
Everyone, at some point, has had to play a balancing game between what they want to wear and how they want to be seen, between comfort and style, and between personal preferences and societal pressures. The girls interviewed in this piece wear revealing clothing for one of two primary reasons--because they like the attention from guys or because they feel more self-confident when they think they look pretty. The similarities the producer surfaces between the girls' opinions about clothes and the ideas presented in the magazine Seventeen provide a very fascinating, almost disturbing insight into the perpetuation of more revealing styles. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of these girls' clothes with the producer's own attire provides conflict which moves the piece forward. To improve this piece, the producer could add transition music and either separate the beginning actualities, or, because the idea of overlapping them is unique and effective, reduce the level on one of the girls.
I like dry wit of the narrator. The content of this piece was a bit much, but unfortunately, this is what it's come to. We've seen the displays at the stores in the malls so it should not be all that frightening to hear the information coming from the teens.
The producer leads us through this narrow path where the popular “in” kids are on one side and the “outsiders” are on the other. The interviews are funny and interesting, especially when “dressing like a skank” becomes the issue, bringing about stories that are gold. I loved how the producer used references from teenage magazines as well as how she attacks them, although this may cause a bit of a problem with some stations that may advertise those same magazines. Overall, however, I left with positive feeling about myself, overly lifting my self-esteem and making me feel comfortable in my trusty jeans.
This piece is an important look into what sort of rationalization teenage girls have for wearing, you know, skanky clothes. It's a good idea, going straight to the teenage girls themselves and asking them, but unfortunately, the reasons that they could gave were kinda unsatisfying.
The beginning, with overlapping bits of speaking, is actually kinda annoying, and it really makes it hard to actually picture the people who are speaking, and to asscociate the image with the name. But yeah. Nice job.
This piece made me think about my clothing and why I'm wearing these jeans. I know that i wouldn't chose pants "based on how tight my pants were on my butt." It's interesting for me to listen to girls who choose their style and clothing, or lack there of, based on completely different reasons. These girls base their clothing on attracting guys, while I just wear what i think is pretty. I also liked the 17 magazine quotes. In the beginning though, when the girls are saying what they're wearing, it is hard to understand exactly what they are saying. I like the overlapping idea, but maybe the volume on one of the voices can be turned down.
Comments for Dressy Girls
Produced by Lena Eckert-Erdheim
Other pieces by SpiritHouse Inc/Youth Noise Network
Rating Summary
7 comments
Emily Schwing
Posted on January 31, 2006 at 07:19 AM | Permalink
Review of Dressy Girls
Finally, an honest revelation about the way teenagers handle themselves today. GRanted my ripe old age of 23 makes me much older and wiser -HA!- but where are the parents, the role models and the values for these kids? Thank you Lena for raising the issues you have with a piece far overdue.
Emily Raymond
Posted on January 30, 2006 at 02:52 PM | Permalink
Review of Dressy Girls
I've listened to a lot of youth radio stories over time, but none have outright disturbed me as much as this one. It didn't regale me with stories about gang violence or cautionary tales about eating disorders - rather, through humor, it made me realize something downright CREEPY about myself: I had become one of those irritating and shallow girls who bought pants to impress my boyfriend.
The piece started out on a good note, with overlapping freshmen describing what they were wearing. This effectively created a sense of chaos while emphasizing that all these girls were in essence wearing the same thing. Then, through probing and incisive interviewing, the piece's author made listeners question why they bought and wore what they did. I found myself looking down at my American Eagle shirt and Gap pants more than once, and realizing I didn't really have a good answer to that question. Throughout, the narration juxtaposed quotes from Seventeen magazine with these fashion-obsessed ninth graders for a very effective dose of humor.
This piece is, on the surface, very light-hearted, but the issues it exposes are not. I have read many a feminist "expose" on why women dress the way they do, and none were as revealing as this piece. I'd listen to it again, but I'm off to the local thrift store now to pick up some tye-dye.
Eilis O'Neill
Posted on December 09, 2005 at 04:08 PM | Permalink
Review of Dressy Girls
Everyone, at some point, has had to play a balancing game between what they want to wear and how they want to be seen, between comfort and style, and between personal preferences and societal pressures. The girls interviewed in this piece wear revealing clothing for one of two primary reasons--because they like the attention from guys or because they feel more self-confident when they think they look pretty. The similarities the producer surfaces between the girls' opinions about clothes and the ideas presented in the magazine Seventeen provide a very fascinating, almost disturbing insight into the perpetuation of more revealing styles. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of these girls' clothes with the producer's own attire provides conflict which moves the piece forward. To improve this piece, the producer could add transition music and either separate the beginning actualities, or, because the idea of overlapping them is unique and effective, reduce the level on one of the girls.
kim fox
Posted on April 05, 2010 at 02:31 PM | Permalink
Quick Review of Dressy Girls
I like dry wit of the narrator. The content of this piece was a bit much, but unfortunately, this is what it's come to. We've seen the displays at the stores in the malls so it should not be all that frightening to hear the information coming from the teens.
Carlos Maeda
Posted on November 14, 2005 at 07:07 PM | Permalink
Review of Dressy Girls
The producer leads us through this narrow path where the popular “in” kids are on one side and the “outsiders” are on the other. The interviews are funny and interesting, especially when “dressing like a skank” becomes the issue, bringing about stories that are gold. I loved how the producer used references from teenage magazines as well as how she attacks them, although this may cause a bit of a problem with some stations that may advertise those same magazines. Overall, however, I left with positive feeling about myself, overly lifting my self-esteem and making me feel comfortable in my trusty jeans.
Ben Lavine
Posted on November 14, 2005 at 06:09 PM | Permalink
Review of Dressy Girls
This piece is an important look into what sort of rationalization teenage girls have for wearing, you know, skanky clothes. It's a good idea, going straight to the teenage girls themselves and asking them, but unfortunately, the reasons that they could gave were kinda unsatisfying.
The beginning, with overlapping bits of speaking, is actually kinda annoying, and it really makes it hard to actually picture the people who are speaking, and to asscociate the image with the name. But yeah. Nice job.
Johanna Greenberg
Posted on November 14, 2005 at 10:48 AM | Permalink
Review of Dressy Girls
This piece made me think about my clothing and why I'm wearing these jeans. I know that i wouldn't chose pants "based on how tight my pants were on my butt." It's interesting for me to listen to girls who choose their style and clothing, or lack there of, based on completely different reasons. These girls base their clothing on attracting guys, while I just wear what i think is pretty. I also liked the 17 magazine quotes. In the beginning though, when the girls are saying what they're wearing, it is hard to understand exactly what they are saying. I like the overlapping idea, but maybe the volume on one of the voices can be turned down.