Being a teenager isn’t as easy as what most people think. They deal with uncertainties, high expectations, unfamiliar emotions, and so much more. These things can be overwhelming for them.
Teenagers from the 60s are no different from the teenagers of today.
Teenagers back then were primarily interested in the present. One paramount concern they had, specifically teenage girls, are boys. The majority of the girls back then were so concerned about making themselves look pretty.
They had so many questions in mind.
For one, they were interested in what they should wear for the various occasions of their time. They wanted to know all about looking beautiful.
Unfortunately, they didn’t know where to look for guidance.
They had their girlfriends. However, since they both possessed the same level of understanding of the world and how it worked then, the guidance they could offer was limited.
They couldn’t ask older people, too. Although they had the answers, they were too busy to even care about the teenagers back then.
Their parents weren’t an option as well. They have this fear of getting misunderstood and questioned.
One publication served as a source of guidance for the teens of the 60s.
The magazine had over 5 million readers that time and it wasn’t surprising why. They sent editors on cross-country tours to really get to know teens and the issues they faced. Apart from the letters they received each month, the magazine also held press conferences with student editors. There, the editor-in-chief answered teenagers’ questions.
One teen asked how one can be more attractive to boys.
“Well, I think one of the ways to be interesting to boys in your school or anyplace else is to be interesting yourself. Learn about hobbies and other subjects. For instance, you take art. You would go to different museums. You might ask about their youth groups. You would meet young people there who would have the same interest as you do. You could do volunteer work and join clubs. the important thing is to care about people. When you care about people, you become interesting yourself and other people would want to know you.” -Seventeen’s editor-in-chief Enid Haupt shared her vintage advice.
One teen asked about the right age to get married.
For Enid, some girls are ready for marriage at the age of 17 while some aren’t even ready at 27. There are girls who are never really ready for marriage. Since marriage means merging of two people, it’s important that both are ready for it.
She was also asked about how one can be pretty.
For her, any girl can be pretty. You just have to learn how to style yourself. Find out what colors are flattering for you and what kinds of dresses flatter your figure.
These pieces of advice might sound boring for some adults. However, for teens who are desperately looking for answers to their questions, they are immensely helpful. And it doesn’t really matter if these insights came from the 60s. Teens today are more likely dealing with the same issues as teens back then.
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