By Laurie Montoya

If you are old enough to remember the term “hot pants,” then you are too old to wear them now.

Much has been written about the importance of age-appropriate dressing in your 30s, 40s and 50s, but the 20something set is not governed by those same, stodgy rules. Sure, it’s wise to be tasteful, but burgeoning fashionistas with the benefit of youth on their side are far more able to take risks and push the fashion envelope.

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That’s because we will always be more forgiving of the young — or more to the point, a 45 year old woman in spandex leggings and stilettos is never a pretty sight, no matter how toned she is from hours of pilates at the gym. The fashion statements that we make in our twenties are often rooted in a deep seated need for personal expression and flaunting our independence…gone are the days of having to change in the car on the way to a party after saying goodnight to mom and dad in a different, more staid outfit. In college and the ensuing years, you are free to show as much skin as you please, be as grungy as you like and generally dress in whatever manner you choose. The only exception to this is in the workplace where being more conservative is usually an asset if you want to be taken seriously and climb the corporate ladder. At the recent Fashion at the Park shows in Dallas, uninhibited twentysomething style was evident on the runway with clothing from popular young lines such as Miss Sixty, Diesel, Seven for all Mankind and others. From simple jeans and tee-shirts to micro mini skirts and spandex, here’s a glimpse at clothing for the young and occasionally restless.

Photo: Evans Caglage/Fashion at the Park at NorthPark Center, Spring 2008