Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Mumsnet classics

Relive the funniest, most unforgettable threads. For a daily dose of Mumsnet’s best bits, sign up for Mumsnet's daily newsletter.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Early Noughties teen mag ridiculousness

665 replies

SmidgenofaPigeon · 27/02/2021 10:21

Does anyone remember the little nuggets if totally ridiculous advice they’d give you in teen magazines?

I used to be an avid reader of Shout! magazine. The main goal of these magazines seemed to be being popular and having boys notice you obviously, and were filled with totally mad tips on how to achieve these things and not be a ‘geek’ who wasn’t interested. Which is totally inappropriate advice these days, happily.

I remember one was ‘if you are invited to a party, arrive late and leave early! You are a social butterfly who has had to squeeze the party in between other engagements’

Happily I HAD been invited to a party in my local pub function room that very weekend! I spent a long time applying glitter hair mascara to my fringe to make it clump together attractively (why) and I think I even had on one of those fetching skirt with trousers combos with a vest top from Tammy girl. I got my dad to drive round the block a bit so I could try to be late, but it didn’t take very long and I think I turned up at ten minutes after the start time. I had a few dances to All Saints and Steps and drank a couple of cans of Coke and an hour before it was due to finish, I did a big show of having to rush off.

Now, we lived in a very small town. There was NO WAY any other parties were happening on the same night. But desperately trying to stick to my social butterfly narrative I said goodbye and off I went.

I sat round the corner in the bus shelter until it was time to get picked up. While everyone else was having a nice time at the party Confused

What a knob! When I got to school on the Monday everyone was saying it was rude to leave the party early and I felt like such an idiot.

Can anyone remember any more of the ridiculous things they used to spout in these magazines? I’d love to get my hands one now as I think it would be hilarious Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
31
MeowPurrGrr · 04/03/2021 12:36

Another Just Seventeen comb, nearly 30 years old! Shock

Early Noughties teen mag ridiculousness
MeowPurrGrr · 04/03/2021 12:33

@bendmeoverbackwards

Here’s my comb. Got a few teeth missing but I still use it
I’ve just taken a pic of mine too! We can never throw them away!
FrankskinnerscRoc · 04/03/2021 12:31

I used to absolutely live for the problem page in any mag, & used to wonder WTF was heavy petting ... Although I suspected it was something rude, & continued to read in the hope that I would learn about sex for when the time came 😆

footballfan1963 · 04/03/2021 12:15

Here’s my comb. Got a few teeth missing but I still use it

Early Noughties teen mag ridiculousness
WhereDoMyBluebirdsFly · 04/03/2021 08:57

@blowdryrat it's when a bit of the front of your hair constantly sticks up and to the side like this picture. In the days before straighteners this was a big problem. Obviously at that time I wanted the 90s style of twelve, evenly spaced wisps of a fringe (that looked like the infamous J17 wide toothed comb actually).

Early Noughties teen mag ridiculousness
BlowDryRat · 03/03/2021 22:27

I just googled cowlick and it just looks like normal hair to me. I was expecting Hey Arnold!

Spidder · 03/03/2021 21:54

I had a horoscope book from j17 that was my bible. It told me what your body type was for your sign, your personality was and what your potential man's would be like. I can still remember the pictures. And being envious that the piscean or scorpian girl got to look curvy and sexy, whilst I was rangey and ponytailed.

MeowPurrGrr · 03/03/2021 17:38

@bendmeoverbackwards

Oh and I STILL have and use my Just Seventeen comb! Will post a photo later.
Bloody hell I still have mine and use it all the time!! The green wide tooth one? It’s amazing! Wow it’s gotta be nearly 30 years old!! Shock
Bbq1 · 03/03/2021 15:32

Great memories!

footballfan1963 · 03/03/2021 13:01

Oh and I STILL have and use my Just Seventeen comb! Will post a photo later.

footballfan1963 · 03/03/2021 13:01

Great thread, I’m still reading through it.

I was born in 1972 so probably older than most of the posters here but I loved magazines. I read Just Seventeen from about 13-15, I got it every week. I also dipped in and out of Jackie, Mizz and Smash Hits.

Preceded by those when I was about 8-10, it was very much loved Girl comic full of photo stories about ballet, school and horse riding. This was the hilight of my week! There was also a long running drawn story called Patty’s World

goldielockdown2 · 03/03/2021 11:42

Superdrug do an own brand wash in wash out shampoo I find them to be really good and make your hair look shiny as well. Cheap as chips and always on offer

MrDarcysMa · 03/03/2021 11:40

They were so fucked up, looking back.
Heat/ closer etc were also absolutely vile. 'Circle of shame' If a celeb dared to have a bit of cellulite or a vaguely normal body. Absolutely vile.

WhereDoMyBluebirdsFly · 03/03/2021 11:34

I tried to buy some Wella Colour Mousse this lockdown just to spice things up a bit (you have to make your own fun) but they don't make it anymore, and there doesn't seem to be anything similar? The only colours I could find were semi permanent, and I wanted one that washed out after 3 washes (even though the box said 8 washes).

I didn’t have the Ginger Spice highlights but I bet they look ages. I couldn't have the very wispy thin fringe made of about 12 strands of hair either, my stupid hair had a cowlick so I had to make do with a quiff instead. Sad

DrSbaitso · 03/03/2021 11:27

The Ginger Spice style highlights, just stripes of red, brown and yellow all over. They were pretty thin stripes, how long did they take to get done? I never had them.

ChristOnAPeloton · 03/03/2021 11:13

And that Wella colour mousse that came in about 8 colours that all turned your hair orange.

Original poster
SmidgenofaPigeon · 03/03/2021 10:38

I LOVED wash in wash out colours!!! They cost a £1 and I’d put one in every Sunday night.

OP posts:
GreenSlide · 03/03/2021 10:20

@CherryValanc

You could get wash in-wash out colour too, couldn't you? I think they came in sachets - Shaders and Toners possibly was the name.

Also one in a triangular packet - Harmony, maybe?

I used to use those a lot. possibly more than I used glitter. Which is saying something.

Yes!! Shaders and Toners! Why don't they still make these Grin
MonsterRehab23 · 02/03/2021 23:04

I loved Shout magazine in the late 90’s as a preteen. I was selected to do a product testing for clear mascara. Got my hair and make up done and photoshoot and was paid £10Grin one of the highlights of my childhood. I lost the magazine issue I was in years ago, would love to find it again Smile.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 02/03/2021 22:54

Anyone remember sponsored 24 hour fasts?

Ah yes, the 24 hour famines. An excellent way of encouraging eating disorders...

MeowPurrGrr · 02/03/2021 22:53

[quote SmidgenofaPigeon]@MeowPurrGrr ooh yeah we did one of those, actually arranged through school, to make you think about what it was like to be starving! We were 13. Naturally, we loaded up on pizza and chips the night before, stayed up late, slept until 11 and spent the day lounging about watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, it passed quickly and before we knew it we could eat again! Certainly didn’t make us think about poor actually starving people but oh how we bragged that we’d ‘fasted’ all day and not given food a single thought as we virtuously collected up our sponsor monies! BlushConfused[/quote]
We went into town and decided McDonalds milkshakes were ok to drink so we drank them all day Hmm and yes then collected our sponsor money for ‘starving’ all day!

BitOfFun · 02/03/2021 22:51

[quote SmidgenofaPigeon]@MeowPurrGrr ooh yeah we did one of those, actually arranged through school, to make you think about what it was like to be starving! We were 13. Naturally, we loaded up on pizza and chips the night before, stayed up late, slept until 11 and spent the day lounging about watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, it passed quickly and before we knew it we could eat again! Certainly didn’t make us think about poor actually starving people but oh how we bragged that we’d ‘fasted’ all day and not given food a single thought as we virtuously collected up our sponsor monies! BlushConfused[/quote]
As was beautifully recalled in an early episode of Derry Girls, IIRC Grin.

murmurlade · 02/03/2021 22:45

Vaseline as 'clear eyeshadow'
WHAT must we all have looked like...

Original poster
SmidgenofaPigeon · 02/03/2021 22:07

@MeowPurrGrr ooh yeah we did one of those, actually arranged through school, to make you think about what it was like to be starving! We were 13. Naturally, we loaded up on pizza and chips the night before, stayed up late, slept until 11 and spent the day lounging about watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, it passed quickly and before we knew it we could eat again! Certainly didn’t make us think about poor actually starving people but oh how we bragged that we’d ‘fasted’ all day and not given food a single thought as we virtuously collected up our sponsor monies! BlushConfused

OP posts:
RoseyMinerals · 02/03/2021 22:03

Love reading the replies! I would religiously buy Shout and occasionally Just17 and Mizz for a bit (also felt reckless for being 14/15 and not 17!)
I remember a Collection 2000 lipstick freebie in a coffee colour which lasted me literally years.
One article that stands out in memory was about appropriate outfits to wear on a date, and they had different scenarios where the girl would carefully choose the ensemble and then it would get mildly critiqued by a boy! 😂 E.g. I chose these trousers to feel comfortable but a nice top with a bit of sparkle and heels to make an effort". And the boy would be drawn to whatever was "fun" looking but not OTT. I recall picking up that boys prefer skirts to trousers.
A lot of "what boys really think" articles, and I loved the "embarrassing stories" pages for some reason!
I once wrote in to Shout's agony aunt page. Lets just say I feel the same way now as I did then - follow your instincts and dreams. Sadly all of that innocence disappeared fairly quickly but Shout always holds a special place in my heart.