Laura Dower - For Girls Only: Everything Great About Being a Girl

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for Olivia

To Liz Szabla, Allison Remcheck, Jessica Tedder, Dave Barrett, Rich Deas, and all the friends at Feiwel and Friends, but especially, Jean Feiwel, who always believes in me, even when I stumble; to the mega-talented design team at Headcase Design; to everyone who brainstormed with me while writing this book, but especially, the amazing Wohls; to the Bronxville Five writing group: Madisen, Margot, Perry, Madeline, and Lauren (you grrrrls were my inspiration!); to the original girl in my life, Mom, who always told me I was smart and pretty, even when I felt the opposite; to any girl with whom Ive ever shared a deep secret or stayed up all night, especially Liisa and Melanie; to my non-girl contingent at home: Rich, Myles, and Nate the Great; to Ro Stimo, my ber-agent (among other things); and to Ms. Karen Fein, my sounding board and beacon, who proved her true girl power by having baby Noel in the middle of this project.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT
BEING A GIRL

Sugar and spice and everything nice.

Thats what little girls are made of.

Wait a minute. Is that really what girls are? Last time I checked in the mirror, I was made of a lot more than sugar or spice.

This nursery rhyme was penned in the early nineteenth century, but it lingers. When I was small, my mom told it to me. Back then, I didnt mind being classified as everything nice. After all, being made of nice was way better than being made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails, from the boy version of the rhyme.

In elementary school, I decided that I was going to read every book in the library. My friend John did, too. And I won this battle of the fourth-grade sexes, claiming a small victory as the smart girl in class. But still, I suffered a little bit from a girl identity crisis. I wasnt just nice or smart or good at softball or piano. Who was I?

When the song Girls Just Want to Have Fun came out in seventh grade, I gladly traded my super-sweet and super-smart and super-sporty girl-dentities for something a little more fun and, at the time, cool. My favorite lyric in that song was, I wanna be the one to walk in the sun. I wanted to be in the spotlight, just like that. Although I like reading serious books, talking about serious feelings, and getting serious about anything, I know Im also a girl who wants to have funand lots of it. Im guessing you do, too. Go ahead, admit it. I wont tell anyone.

The fact is that girls like us defy expectation and explanation. We can be a kickin, kung-fu mama and a pretty princess all at the same time. A girl can chart her destiny, ace that soccer penalty kick, get an A on the science quiz, and plan the best sleepover all in the same day. She can sleep late and daydream about getting a makeover, or she can grow up to be the next conductor of an orchestra or president of the United States. Or she can do it all. Girls really do rule, just not necessarily by following the rules.

A quick note on the books title: For Girls Only. That doesnt mean boys cant read it. They just might not get it. But thats okay. Because, girls, were just here to have fun. And we dont need boys for that.

Your amigo / friend / buddy / pal / BFF / comrade in arms (the hugging kind),

Laura Dower

xox

Our closets are crammed with last years hot looks and this years cool looks. No matter where we go or what we do, someone will be watching us and our clothes. Personally, Ive never really cared what anyone thinks of my fashion choices, whether it be my clogs or too-faded jeans, or the funny-looking, homemade holiday sweater my aunt gave me about ten years ago. But it does make me wonder what counts as style through the ages. Here are some hits and misses from ancient tunics to really big hair:

35002600 B.C.

Ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians don calf-length sheepskin skirts and shawls over one shoulder. A fashion statement is born.

30001000 B.C.

Because the dyeing process is slow to arrive in ancient Egypt, most Egyptians wear white. But they decorate themselves with brightly colored, jeweled collars, otherwise known as ancient bling.

5001 B.C.

Greeks and Romans wear variations on the tunic including chlamys, chitons, peplos, and togas, all belted fabric of different lengths. Centuries later, college kids will throw toga parties at their Greek fraternities.

1900

Whats that smell? Outer clothing in the Middle Ages is rarely laundered, but some say its super-strong smoke scent (from cooking or tanning) was as good as perfume or deodorant.

9501100

Although Vikings sewed modest tunics, aprons, and cloaks for practical wear, their wardrobes are anything but ordinary. Vikings bring fine silks, linens, and wools back to Scandinavia from their trades (and raids!) in the Mediterranean and Asia.

11001200

The emperors court in Chinas Sung Dynasty forces young women to bind their feet with bands of silk or cotton. These bandages are wrapped and tightened every few days for years, until the girls feet are three or four inches long! Some say that the story of Cinderella (and Prince Charmings search for the fair maiden with the smallest foot) actually evolved from this painful, crippling ritual.

11001300

During the Crusades, rich Europeans begin to wear more silks, satins, damasks, brocades, and velvets in bright colors. With the invention of the spinning wheel and the loom, clothes become more ornate. Thankfully, it will be many, many years before tacky sequins hit the scene.

14001500

Show off your swag! European women wear the fabric-heavy houppelande gown with sleeves that reach the floor. Also all the rage in your medieval town: mantles (cloaks), templets (hair coils), headdresses, and turbans.

15001600

From corsets to farthingales (otherwise known as hoop skirts), English women get pinched, poked, and prodded for the ideal Elizabethan look. Best fashion statement of the bunch: ruffs, those honeycomb neckpieces you see in art and movies about Shakespeare.

16001700

Real stars of the Baroque period? Curls, curls, curls. Everyones got long, poofy hair, including the men. Bring on the stylists!

17001800

Order in the court? Women wear more elaborate gowns, puffed-up petticoats, and oversized wigs like Marie Antoinette. However, as the century goes on, hoop skirts and high heels morph into narrow skirts and flat shoes. Why the switch? The French Revolution and the American Revolution are partly responsible. Popular fashion is not all about the rich anymore; its about all the people.

18001840

Average women in the early part of the century really go for the layered look. A typical outfit: a chemise (slip), corset, more than one petticoat, underwear (also known as drawers), matching skirt and bodice, stockings, shoes, gloves, bonnet, and shawl. And you think it takes you a long time to get dressed in the morning!

1846

Sew Important Moment: Isaac Singer patents the first-ever sewing machine, which allows mass production of clothing.