A Girls Blog

1. 1
   Have a clique. Your close friends should love you, not worship you, actually, because that would be extremely freaky and could mess you up later in life. Your official "clique" should consist of 2-6 girls. They should be loyal, smart (no Karen Smiths- I mean you aren't Regina, right?), COOL, pretty, fun, well-dressed, and nice people. Be super nice to them- help them when they need it, give them little gifts sometimes, invite them to do fun things, etc. This will max out how much fun you have in life, and keep them loyal. Remember, though- you want true friends, not idol worshipers (if your less close friends and classmates worship and idolize you, though, that would be a good thing). If you think people are straying, or less loyal to you (friends or acquaintances or whatever) then get a secret from them- never do anything nasty with it, that's really low, don't even threaten to, they'll just assume and understand and be nicer- or at the very least, if they do stray, won't turn on you. Individual clique members vary, but here's a list, pick what you will

• The sidekick. She loves but doesn't particularly idolize you. It's perfectly safe to let on to her that you aren't perfect and mention your problems. Yes, there is a risk to this- but life without risks is boring. She is, in short, your Best Friend Forever. It's convenient if she's a slightly watered down version of you- not quite as fabulous, but quite fabulous. To avoid being boring, she should have some modifications- if you play tennis, she runs track, for example.
• The sweetheart. Not that you're all heartless people, but, you need one awesome nice girl in your clique, ideally. This is good because she can act as a buffer during fights, is great emotional support when anyone's feeling down, and is great at dealing with adults. She should still have similar qualities to the rest of your clique- fun, pretty, interesting, cool, smart- but softer and sweeter.
• The nice weirdo. [She's optional because she could confuse people about what kind of people you hang with.] The one most people ignore or even bully because she's judged without actually talking to her, and once you do you'll be overwhelmed and pleasantly surprised by how nice and delightful she is, even compared to the sweetheart, but adults and youth alike think of her as an unpleasant girl. She has a style of her own that could compare her to another group of people but ask her to tone it down a bit and try to be a bit more social for her and the "clique"'s sake.
• The pro. This girl has got talent- serious talent. Maybe she's an actress and practically runs the community theater. Maybe she's in the New York City ballet. Maybe she's in training for Olympic swimming. She's very busy, very with it, and looks great in whatever uniform or costume she has to wear for her niche. And yet still finds time for you guys? Well, who wouldn't?
• The party animal. No, she does not get trashed, stoned, and wasted. She's a blast and a half, yes- but she does it with class. She doesn't party all the time- it just feels like a party, being around her! She's witty, gorgeous, an amazing dancer... oh, um, yeah, did we mention how fun she is?
• The middle ground. She's basically your standard popular girl. Average, in the best sense of the word. If most of your clique is "out there" talented and outgoing, you need a little middle ground. So she's exactly that, to tone down the rest of the group. NOT to say she has no life other than popularity. Have you seen her calendar lately? But aside from, say, tennis lessons, she really is just interested in your basic teenage/preteen stuff. She's just better at it than any "basic" teen ever will be. Who's normal now?

1. 3
   Be confident! Though it sounds a tad bit desperate, type up exactly 1,000- no more, no less- reasons you rule. Read it about every other week, or whenever you need a pick-me-up. If that doesn't work, just try these tips:
   • If you aren't happy with how you look, here's a trick - put on way too much make-up. Every kind possible, to the point it looks really sickening. Then, wear it for an hour, during which you spend a lot of time looking in mirrors. Then wash it all off, and look in a mirror again - see how cute and fresh faced you look? That's how the world really sees you.
   • Go fish. Ask a family member or close friend what they like about you.
   • Listen to music from both sides of the story. First listen to "Ugly" by Brie Larson. Then listen to "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilara. See the contrast? Not to say that this is all you can listen to- but feel good type songs versus sad ones really can give you a boost.
   • Tackle something. Something big. Clean your room, even. Ouch. Did you just throw something at me? Once you see how far you've come (lower the stiletto and nobody gets hurt, Okay?) it'll make you feel great.
   • Tackle something long term. Take up tennis or ballet or modeling or whatever, and do great in it. It really will make you feel good.
   • Get new underwear. Lame sounding, I know. Potentially pricey, I know. Especially if you want it to be really cute. But it'll make you feel hot.
2. 4
   Look good. Scratch that- look amazing. From the top down...
   • Hair can be the defining feature, can make or break the bod. So be nice to yours. Take a shower daily, with decent shampoo or Marc Anthony. Wash your hair thoroughly and for a solid 3 minutes at least. Get a good lather going, really massage your scalp. Next, condition with a conditioner that complements your shampoo, leave the conditioner in for 2 minutes, and rinse out. Repeat if you want, and for extra silky hair, and wash with lotion once in awhile. Remember- if your hair's soft and clean, it'll be very, very shiny. Blow dry if you want it to be straight, or if you have to be somewhere- NEVER show up anywhere whatsoever with wet hair. Next, brush with a quality brush (boar bristle is best) and style as desired. Don't use too much gel or spray, though. Just a tiny, tiny bit is good. If you have to. Your best bet for a hair cut is short hair. Why? Because it's actually more feminine. If you have short hair and still look like a girl, it means that you're feminine through and through, and don't need to prove anything by growing 6 feet of hair (plus, it's easier to keep it nice this way). It also looks very sophisticated. So get it cut around shoulder length, layered, and maybe side swept bangs and a bit of a flip. Get your hair cut every 4-8 weeks, and go to the same stylist and salon every time. Get something special, like highlights or a gloss treatment once in awhile, too. Some popular hairstyles are: flippy with the top part pulled back, Messy buns with one of those skinny headbands, two skinny headbands, crimped in a half ponytail with a skinny headband... you get that skinny headbands are always in, right?
   • Your face should be clean, clear, and cute at all times. Don't get salon facials, as a good one will make your face blotchy and gross for a day before it kicks in- do them at home, with mud masques, every other week or so. Get a skin prescription to keep acne at bay (a blackhead or two is fine and you can still look gorgeous, but a pimple the size of a pineapple is not exactly what we're going for) ask your doctor, don't count on proactiv. Wear only natural make-up, so that you don't actually look like you're wearing make-up. Besides, guys hate it when you look painted and nobody will consider you pretty if they think you owe it all to sephora. Tinted moisturizer, concealer, face powder to set, mascara, lip gloss, some rosy blush and maybe neutral eyeshadow is all you really need.
   • You should have good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth, floss, and use mouthwash and mints. Brush your teeth and tongue two to three times a day (not in school, though). If you need a motive to brush, use flavored toothpaste, like cinnamon, vanilla, or lemon. Use crest white strips if necessary.
   • Take showers every day, and scrub everywhere thoroughly with a loofah and good soap.
   • Shave/ wax any hair that you think needs removing. This should not include your head. It keeps things clean, smooth and good-looking.
   • Stay in shape. Run track, do pilates, whatever it is, it's better to eat a little junk food and exercise than to lounge on the couch and eat nothing but celery.
   • Get manicures and pedicures professionally about every other week, but do your own when you need to. Use great nail polish, though, so it seems cooler.
3. 5
   Get the attitude. Not "an attitude" but "the attitude". Don't be evil. Be sweet to anyone you can possibly stand to be sweet to, civil to anyone you can possibly stand to be civil to, and if you can't handle them, try to avoid them. Don't be a goody two shoes- if someone jabs, jab back a little- but just remember that truly popular people don't need to bully- they're cool enough that their stats doesn't depend on it. The queen never openly attacks anyone- it's more the commoners, the nervous middle classes, that do it. If someone in your circle disses you, don't dump her, demote her a tiny little bit and get a secret from her- this is more effective, and less mean.
4. 6
   Dress Cutely. You know what the popular brands are (Abercrombie, American Eagle,Topshop, Hollister, Forever21, Old Navy, Aeropostale, GUESS?, Tommy Hilfiger, etc). If you want to go the extra mile: Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel. You want to look extremely classy. Be casual but fabulous. Wear amazing clothes, and have great style. And please, don't snub people for weird outfits, that's THEIR style and that's how THEY want to dress. Dress however you want but obviously, don't go to a dance wearing a tennis dress. You should love your outfits. The first step to getting everyone to want to be like you is looking great. You really cannot wear a five thousand dollar Oscar De la Renta gown to English class, and it might not even be advisable for your next school dance. Just brand name jeans, a lace edged top, and a Henley over it can work wonders. And don't forget jewelry and shoes! Have at least one pair of designer shoes, preferably heels or flats, and otherwise just have a lot of shoes, even if they aren't the greatest brands, because it's the mark of being girlie. For jewelry, never wear anything tacky or fake looking, get only quality jewelry, so no tacky plastic rings with glitter. It doesn't have to be 100% Tiffany, just so long as it's good quality. If you want people to follow your lead (or at least love you for your style), you need to show that you are a genuine person, and fake jewelry is most certainly NOT genuine. Diamond studs work wonders. And a designer purse. Knock-offs are fake, and fake bags are for fake people. Now, you don't want to be fake, do you? So the lesson there is, NO KNOCK-OFF PURSES, they don't look real and everyone knows it, you're not fooling anyone. Also, stay away from very flashy colors since this makes you look tacky and makes it seem like you're trying too hard to grab attention. Jeans should be a great fit, not making your hips overlap the edges (thus, muffin tops are born). Read fashion magazines to be inspired by the newest looks. I highly advise Nylon.
5. 7
   Learn to handle gossip delicately. Listen, babe, there is no way people can totally refrain from gossiping. It's how you do it that counts! Don't ever gossip about your close friends, and only trash someone behind their back if you think they deserve it said to their face- don't say it to their face, though, that's horrible. Make sure to only gossip with your trustworthy best friends, too. It's nothing whatsoever to be proud of, but it's human nature. Or, well, okay, girl nature.
6. 8
   COME BACKS: If a girl keeps annoying you, use some of these comebacks. Calling me ugly won't make you any prettier, calling me poor won't make you any richer, calling me fat won't make you any skinnier.

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