Blog Posts by Teen Vogue

The curse of the good girl can be stressful on teenage girls as the media plays into their desire to be perceived a certain way. A good girl may have tons of friends, but can also be a people pleaser, doing what others want to keep the peace in her friendship. She doesn't get angry, but she holds everything effortlessly right, so when she inevitably makes a mistake, she reacts poorly. As seen on popular shows like Gossip Girl and 90210, classmates police behavior, punishing any "social violators" with gossip and dirty looks. And due to the ubiquity of cell phones, it can seem like everyone's watching-bad behavior can easily be captured or texted to friends with the click of a button.

Top Tips for Zapping School Stress.

It's important to be aware of your daughter's behavior, to ensure her desire to be "good" is not affecting her life in more threatening ways. These common actions often exhibited by teenage girls may be a reflection of the stress to be constantly perfect:

• To avoid

Is your child in or applying to college? This year, nearly 1.8 million graduating college seniors left school with student loan debts-$22,500 on average. Teen Vogue's Leigh Belz outlines some important tips to help keep your child in the black:

1. Generation Debt: The amount of outstanding loans has more than doubled in the past ten years, growing from $41 billion to $85 billion. Of the loans taken out, 77% are federal and 23% come from private sources, like banks. Know that private loans can be riskier, have high or variable interest rates, and may require a cosigner. Be aware of the terms before taking one out!

2. Do Your Homework: Many students think they won't qualify for state-aid but there are several routes to go for assistance. Investigate subsidized federal aid programs (where the government pays the loan interest while you're still in school at least half-time) before taking out unsubsidized federal and private loans.

Related: Is competition bringing out the worst in your

As a school day standard, a great pair of jeans is the ultimate back-to-school must-have. From denim leggings to baggy boyfriends, we've rounded up the most stylish-and budget friendly-jeans teens are craving this fall.


The Boyfriend Jean

Last season's It skinny jeans get a whole lot more legroom with this fall. These boyfriend jeans from Aeropostale maintain cool proportions without looking clownish.

Aeropostale Kylie Medium Wash Jean, $35. Aeropostale.com.







Bleached Denim

From Balmain to Beyonce, fashion's trailblazers are bringing back the Eighties with the help of acid-washed denim. These Billabong skinnies test out the retro trend without breaking the bank.

Billabong jeans, $54. Billabong.com

Check out this week's best-dressed young celebrities for some more style inspiration.






Distressed Denim

Favored by runway rebel Erin Wasson, distressed denim channel the classic rock-star staple, and these Bongo jeans won't slash even the most frugal back-to-school budget.

Bongo jeans,

In our informal, tech-savvy culture, experts are noticing a change in how teens are interacting with adults in charge, like teachers or bosses. Technology is changing the rules of etiquette so rapidly that most people do not know what is right, wrong, too professional or too friendly anymore. Teens are now communicating with adults in charge through the same medium as they do their friends, resulting in a somewhat confusing balance of power.

When adults open themselves in a personal way to younger counterparts, the lines are easily blurred. Though teachers, coaches, or bosses may act friendly, when the adult thinks the child has crossed the line, the can use authority to penalize them. Keep a look out for red flags and be sure your child is complying within the boundaries:

• When communicating with adults, do not use alias' that can be misconstrued or later used against you in case the situation or relationship were to suddenly change.
• Although we live in a tech-savvy culture,

It has always been a mystery as to why smart, savvy girls end up swooning over the "bad boy." Nowadays, pop culture keeps us constantly infatuated with the not-so-nice guy. With his leather jacket and rebel-without-a-cause attitude, nearly every high school TV show and movie has one written into the script. Just think Edward and Bella in Twilight, Danny and Sandy in Grease, Johnny and Baby in Dirty Dancing, or even Elizabeth Bennett's obsession with Mr. Wickham in Pride and Prejudice.

But, it's not just pop culture too blame, society does put a lot of pressure on teenagers today to be perfect all the time. Girls say their attraction to the "bad boy" is because they are an ideal distraction from the pressures of their often picture-perfect reality. Attempting to master academics, sports, college, and the social scene, conquering a boy who is the polar opposite is somewhat of a challenge. It's fun to step outside the box.

Is your daughter attracted to bad boys? Take this fun quiz with

It's no secret that the recession has had its effect on our seemingly indulgent culture. From companies laying off millions to stagnant or decreased salaries, most of the working force has felt the pressure to stay above water. But, how is the economy affecting your teenager?

• In a recent TeenVogue.com poll, over 1,700 girls weighed in on their woes over the recession.
• More than 95% are at least a little worried about the economy. Almost 10% of those girls are, specifically, "freaking out."
• Over 50% say they have moderately changed their spending patterns, and another 16% say they have cut back drastically.
• Just over 52% of respondents know one adult affected by the recession. Nearly 30% know three or more.
• More than half of the girls polled think the economy will start picking up in the next few years. A more optimistic 24% think it will happen this year.

Photo via www.commons.wikimedia.orgCollege application rates are skyrocketing and school is becoming more and more competitive by the year. Teenagers are striving to be the best among their friends and their class mostly since their peers make-up part of the applicant pool to which they're competing. What schools they do or do not get into is often a source of judgment, leading to fights, added stress, and loss of friends.

Related: College grads sues school for lack of job.

Further, competition stemming from who has the best clothing or who is in the more popular social group can be mentally grueling on not only on your teen, but on parents as well. It's not about having one nice bag, it's about having five-everyone is trying to outdo one another. The constant comparisons to other teens breed a competitive attitude.

Has too much competition become a problem for your child? Take this quiz with them to see how competitive they are.

Here are some tips for making sure competition between your child and their friends

Each day, I generally see about 50-100 new products come across my desk. So, unless a product is REALLY rocking, it often escapes my notice... But not Wallett Cosmetics' new Eco lipglosses! These definitely qualify as "really rocking"... They go on super-smooth and are really hydrating. And I just love the sheer, pretty, summery colors (my favorite is Delirious Diva). You'll love them! Visit wallett.com for more information.

Check out more eco-friendly fashion and beauty products.

-- Eva Chen

More from Teen Vogue:

• Cheap and chic lipgloss from Sally Hansen.
  
• Model Skin: Josie Maran's Earth Day kit.
• Cruel Summer: Risking your life for sun-kissed skin.
• Separating diet facts from fiction.