The Skirt | Teen Ink

The Skirt MAG

March 8, 2008
By EmilytheAuthor DIAMOND, St. Francisville, Louisiana
EmilytheAuthor DIAMOND, St. Francisville, Louisiana
55 articles 20 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be who you are and say what you feel because those that mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind. -dr. seuss


I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic. My friends label me as a goody-goody; my parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. I don’t wear bikinis, and none of my skirts or shorts end above my knees. That is my choice.

So why, why did I feel so tempted? My family and I were in Target, and there it was, waiting. A skirt, specifically designed not to cover anything. It was tan and looked like something one of those anime schoolgirls would wear.

I checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my pals’ jaws dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. I could buy it – no, I should buy it.

I showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on enviously.

I went into the dressing room to try it on. So sure was I that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid my jeans off and put it on. Now for the decisive moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was – a geeky girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry.

The skirt did not change me. Though it fit well and might make me look good in the eyes of ­today’s world, it was not me. I am not a girl who flirts or wears cool clothes to fit in.

I took the thing off and slid back into the ­comfort of modesty. My mom knocked on the door. “Emily, are you okay?”

I wiped away my tears. “I’m fine.” I looked in the ­mirror again and saw a blond skinny girl with dorky ­glasses and a ponytail. I saw myself.



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This article has 341 comments.


on Oct. 13 2021 at 7:46 pm
WolfGurl PLATINUM, Not A Real Place, Indiana
20 articles 5 photos 177 comments

Favorite Quote:
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. –Anatole France.

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. –Josh Billings

Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.- George Carlin

A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. —Franklin D. Roosevelt

Never lose. Either win, or learn. - Me

Yas, verr good

Garin_2424 said...
on Mar. 3 2020 at 3:25 pm
Garin_2424, Granite Falls, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
this is a great story

on Dec. 8 2019 at 2:25 pm
SheressofPower, Arverne, New York
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
Progress, not perfection

I like the story and I respect your choice. I admire different styles of clothing but in your situation I would do the same thing. However, I think that it’s okay to change your style to become the you you imagine ( as long as it doesn’t go against your core values). Great piece!

Whaleshark57 said...
on Jan. 6 2019 at 11:51 pm
Whaleshark57, West Chester, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Nice! I like how casual the tone is because I think it really makes it sound like teen thoughts. I enjoyed it! (As a super minor note, maybe "I _was_ not a girl who flirts or wears cool clothes to fit in" would be better since the rest of the story is in past tense)

Wow! This is wonderful!

on Oct. 11 2017 at 11:51 pm
WritingAddict03 SILVER, Saint Peters , Missouri
5 articles 0 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. - Albert Einstein

Wow! This is wonderful! I feel like in our society we often forget the importance of modesty. Dressing modestly helps you people to be attracted to you because of who you are, and not because of revealing clothes. This piece reminds people to be themselves and not worry about what others think of their attire. Thanks so much for putting this out there! I think this is a message the world needs.

Eswzem BRONZE said...
on Oct. 5 2017 at 11:55 am
Eswzem BRONZE, New Castle, Pennsylvania
4 articles 9 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
“For I have a plan for you. A plan to give you peace not for disaster, but a plan to give you hope and a future.” -Our Heavenly Father

Wow. Amazing story. I absolutely love how it's so relatable, and makes a very good point. We should be who we are, and nothing more, nothing less. Don't step of your comfort zone to "fit in." You fit in as you are, because you are YOU.

on May. 4 2017 at 8:36 pm
HereSheIs BRONZE, Wellesley, Massachusetts
3 articles 0 photos 187 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." -Plato

That is me and a lot of other girls I know. We can't all be Cinderellas transformed by a nice outfit, and yours is pretty much the only piece of writing that has talked about that, and in a beautiful way too

on May. 4 2017 at 3:19 pm
invisible_to_all BRONZE, Corning, California
2 articles 0 photos 11 comments
good job keep writing

on May. 4 2017 at 3:19 pm
invisible_to_all BRONZE, Corning, California
2 articles 0 photos 11 comments
Yea it's just like me as well.

on Feb. 27 2017 at 8:21 am
AditiVibgyor BRONZE, Bhopal, Other
4 articles 0 photos 10 comments
Wow ...this is so much me.

on Jul. 1 2016 at 12:47 am
Kalianah_Wogoman BRONZE, VENETA, Oregon
4 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
You may See me struggle but you will never see me quit.

The ending was so relatable. You are awesome at writing!! Nice job.

on Jul. 1 2016 at 12:47 am
Kalianah_Wogoman BRONZE, VENETA, Oregon
4 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
You may See me struggle but you will never see me quit.

The ending was so relatable. You are awesome at writing!! Nice job.

samdawg BRONZE said...
on Mar. 30 2016 at 8:38 am
samdawg BRONZE, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
I can relate! Nice work.

on Mar. 12 2016 at 1:57 pm
WriterExpert7 GOLD, Lahore, Other
19 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What I am looking for is not out there, it's in me." ~ Hellen Keller

Nice writing-style!

on Mar. 3 2016 at 11:32 pm
throwinshayde SILVER, New York City, New York
6 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
“These are the seasons of emotion, and like the winds, they rise and fall.” -The Rain Song, Led Zeppelin

so so good. we have all had these moments in some way or another

on Mar. 3 2016 at 10:18 am
madisonmarkley BRONZE, Wilmington, Delaware
3 articles 0 photos 1 comment
I really like this story. It's so important to be yourself and not try to impress others by doing something you're not comfortable with.

sami98 said...
on Feb. 19 2016 at 8:57 am
sami98,
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I really relate to this

BigRed said...
on Feb. 19 2016 at 8:16 am
Too many people worry about there image today, more people need to be like you.

on Feb. 14 2016 at 4:25 am
Elaineshao PLATINUM, Shanghai, Other
32 articles 2 photos 2 comments
i like it. this story is really fun