Teenagers has just dropped on my website and is finally making it's way over to a feed near you thanks to the OG girl gang Olive and Frank. With that said, now seemed like the best time to give you insight into the making of Teenagers, what Heathers actually is if you’re somehow not in the know and my ultimate style tips for creating the ultimate 80's mean girl look.
Greetings and salutations, welcome to Westerberg High.
Heathers is one of my all time favourite movies, long before the ever popular Heathers: The Musical but admittedly after my discovery of the teen movie.
Like any 90's kid, my first taste of the cool girl clique was Mean Girls though for those who have never seen Heathers it no doubt served as inspo along with the book Queen Bees and Wannabees. Before there was Regina George, there was Heather Chandler and she makes her look like a pussycat.
Heathers defined the concept of "the mean girl" and unlike the 90's who sited "booger" as a zinger of an insult, Heathers wasn't afraid to cut deep spawning famous quotes such as "did you have a brain tumour for breakfast?" and "fuck me gently with a chainsaw" all from the original HBIC Heather Chandler.
The 80's/90's were the best decade for movies but maybe not for fashion by 2017 standards.
Introduced to "real movies" (80's and 90's) by my mum and her sisters, they tend to be the backbone that inspire my work, though I always try and put a signature Jessica spin on every shoot I style and direct.
Heathers spoke to me particularly due to the film's fashion, each girl having their own unique colour which has a different meaning. Whereas the plastics are typically seen in pink and muted tones, Heather Chandler will always wear red, have a red room and always use the red croquet ball.
The challenge of Teenagers was taking the film's aesthetic of 80's prep and keeping that wearable to a younger generation. Most cosplays I see of Heathers are exactly that and as much as I love my girl Heather C, those shoulder pads and golf socks should stay in '88 where they belong.
So how do you make '88 fashionable in 2K17?
Looking at each character individually I noted what was integral to set the character in the world and what needed an overhaul.
To keep it current I went to Pinterest and moodboarded my new modern world then made each girl an Instagram profile to help clearly define their looks and after making a few I started to get a few reoccurring themes.
Skater skirts, sports shoes, long socks, statement jackets and baggy shirts became the wardrobe of the girls whilst slushies, high ponies and pom-poms were must-have accessories.
From that moment I came up with their wardrobe I had Olive and Frank in mind and I luckily their team loved the vision and agreed to send me some items I’d requested.
Regardless of outcome the centrepiece for the entire project was always going to be Heather C's "Heartbreaker" jacket which my mum even offered to buy as a gift if Olive and Frank said no. Though Veronica is the film's heroine, Heather C is a "mythic bitch" and nothing said mythic like the O+F jacket.
Olive and Frank made the shoot for sure and all outfits featured are still on sale if you want to unleash your inner 80's bad girl.
Despite being an 80's shoot, there's deffo a 90's influence.
If at any point you looked at the edit and thought Clueless you weren't alone. Both Paige (Heather McNamara) and Krystyna (Heather Chandler) asked if I had seen Clueless before Teenagers to which the obvious reply was "Duh!”
One of the best styling tips I have ever remembered was from the stylist behind Clueless about Cher and Dione's socks. Both characters are mostly seen wearing them over the knee to look more high fashion and less schoolyard which under the knee typically suggest. Thigh high socks plus Cher's famous yellow plaid skirt made it's way into Teenagers though Heather M's skirt is purely a coincidence.
I hope this gave you some insight into Teenagers and if you have not yet seen Heathers you will. What's your damage? You so totally won't regret it.
Until then,
How Very.
Jessica