High School, Not the Musical: Ideas, Style for Teens

High school is a land of academic achievers and desperate kids with dropping grades. It’s a place for football heroes and cheerleaders, for kids with piercings and hidden tattoos, for the popular and the lonely to mix with the Goth girls and the baggy pants crew.

It’s no place for the faint of heart.

The transition into high school can be tough, whether you are at a sprawling public school or a small, sheltered private academy. The raging hormones, insecurities, temptations and exhiliration are the same.

So we’ve got some ideas: wardrobe advice from experts and upperclassmen, ways to spiff up your bedroom and pick the best accessories. Oh, we even know what parents and teens will fight about — with tips on keeping the peace.

Fall Fashion Forecast: The ’80s With a Digital Edge

There’s been a lot of retro fashion going ’round recently, but this season you’ll find an odd convergence: An ’80s vibe in a wired world. Retailers are aiming a message of music, media and fashion at teens to pitch their back-to-school lines. Rock stars and Web sites will be in the mix. A touch of early Madonna and a dash of Avril Lavigne. We’ve been digging and have a long list of looks for girls and guys.

Some Significant Advice from Your Elders

Who knows better about what you should wear? Your mom, or a cool senior? Sorry Mom: Here are some fashion suggestions from a handful of high school upperclassmen from around the country. And we think their ideas are awesome.

Your Requisite Gadgets and Gear with a Green Touch

You know about your cell phone. You know about your laptop. But do you know what you need to have to protect or enhance your wonderful gadgets? And if you’re enviro-conscious, here are some extra touches to show you care about the world.

Lose the Kiddie Decor: 5 Nice Design Touches

Time to put the American Girl dolls away on a very high shelf and lose that Winnie the Pooh wallpaper border. Teens want their favorite place — their room — to reflect their more mature interests and activities. They want to make their own decor statement. Fortunately, you needn’t sacrifice style in the process.

Purse Pressure, Jewelry Jungle: It’s All in the Details

Sometimes, it’s the little things that speak the loudest — and in high school the wrong book bag or the old earrings can make a student feel out of sync. Remember that they’re really not staring at you, but a few snappy finishing touches might give a teenager that much-needed boost of fashion confidence.

Five Things We Know Parents and Teens Will Argue About

Guess what? You’re not alone. Virtually every household with a teen and a parent will get into a heated debate over something on our list of irritating issues. But there’s a silver lining to every cloud, so consider our experts’ words of wisdom on how to lower the decibel level and make peace.