Walking through the crowded hallways of high school, glancing at the variety of faces passing by, there is one thing in particular that stands out in every student: their clothes. Clothing creates a student’s image in high school, and people’s perception of an outfit you wear, can determine the friends that you make. Different cliques each have their own unique style, and if the clothes don’t fit, then neither do you. Most high schools find the same division of fashions; there’s the ‘fashion forward’ clique who’s straight-out-of-vogue style is always setting trends, the ‘comfort-first’ crowd who enjoys sleeping through class in the sweatpants they rolled out of bed with, and then the punk group who wouldn’t be caught dead without jet-black eyeliner and an Ipod in their ear. The clothes that students choose to wear reveal insight on their personality, and often determine the type of people that are drawn to them. Looks are definitely not everything, but in high school, clothes rule the cliques.

When portraying a perfectly put together image is a student’s top priority, never being seen without a name brand outfit, they most likely share this fashion obsession with their group friends as well. The ‘fashion-forwards’ are known for the up-to-the-minute trends they enjoy strutting around school, and their complete absorption in style. These high schoolers cannot live without their UGG boots, Abercrombie jeans, designer tops, and perfectly styled hair. They plan their weekends around shopping trips, and replace textbooks for fashion magazines. They know more about the latest line of Gucci purses than they do about what’s going on in school. Who needs Physics class when you’re going to work for Chanel? Looking good is their most valued asset, and they devote themselves to leading lives as trendsetters. Being a part of this high school fashion elite is no cheap task, hot-off-the-runway designer styles make for an expensive outfit, but this is imperative in the entrance to this clique. Many of the other students view this crowd as the stuck-up rich kids, but of course, they’re just jealous.

Almost never seen at the mall, afraid of any material besides fuzzy fleece or cotton, the ‘comfort-first’ clique is composed of high schoolers who just don’t care about their image. Often observed napping in the corner of the classroom, these lazy teens seem to put no effort into the image they portray. Showing up to class in sweats or old jeans, slippers, and their hair in knots, they look like they just rolled out of bed. Maybe its due to lack of sleep, or lack of interest, but this clique is all about casual clothing. They throw on anything laying on the floor of their messy room and run out the door to catch the bus. These kids don’t seem to be overly ambitious about attending high school, and their outfits show other people that they don’t care about their looks, or anything else for that matter.

Refusing to shop anywhere besides Hot Topic or PacSun, and owning every color of neon skater shoes imaginable, the punk crowd in high school is composed of students who want to stand out. Interests such as screamo rock music are common ties between almost all punk-dressers, and going to concerts is a weekly event. A passion for anything musical is vital in the entrance to this clique. Slouching down the hall wearing skin-tight jeans and hair covering their eyes, this clique is known for being different. Band t-shirts of their favorite artists take up most of the space in their closets, accompanied by their collection of stud belts, ear gauges, and spiky bracelets. Many punks scare little kids with the massive amounts of eyeliner that they pile on their faces each morning, accompanied by multiple body piercings and the occasional tattoo. Hair dying is one of this group’s favorite pastimes, changing up their color every couple days or so. Punks strive to make a statement with their look, but this is not always appreciated by other high school students, and this group is often viewed as outcasts.

I would like to think of myself as not exclusively belonging to a certain fashion clique in school, but I’m sure that other students have their own opinions of where they see me belonging. The existence of cliques within a high school is almost unavoidable. With so many varying personality types, its an inevitable thing for students to be drawn only to peers who have things in common with them, and oust the others who don’t fit in. High schoolers wear a variety of clothing styles, and the cliques formed between students reflect their common interests in fashion. Whether it’s the ‘fashion forwards’, the ‘comfort firsts’, or the punks, each clique in the high school scene has its own distinct image.