It’s 2008 and I’m 14-years-old, the moody refrain of Apologize by OneRepublic resonates through the Britney Spears’ Fantasy scented air. My closet is full of gladiator sandals, lensless “nerd” glasses, bubble skirts, fringed boots and Paul Frank tees. After sitting through the mandatory “You Wouldn’t Steal A Car” warning, the DVD of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging begins. Twilight is in cinemas, Britney is making a comeback, Beyonce and Jay-Z are newlyweds. It’s a simpler time. 

Nothing brings millennial women together like collective memories of Supre slogan tees and Blue Light Discos; so I profiled a few creatives who are around my age to reminisce on their most tragic fashion moments and nostalgic throwbacks. Take a peek inside their teen diaries...

Meet Hannah & Eliza:

I don’t have enough space to list the accolades between these two sisters, so I’ll just stick to what they’ve done this year alone. Their acclaimed TV show Growing Up Gracefully was picked up by STAN; Screen Australia has granted funding for the crime series that they are developing with an all-female creative team; as well as her sold-out one-woman Sydney Comedy Festival show, Hannah was announced as the winner of a Comedy Commission award by none other than Rebel Wilson; they hosted the FBi SMAC Awards and the Australian Directors Guild Awards... I’ll just leave it there. Basically, they’re the type of actresses I hope teenage girls have on their bedroom walls these days.

What do you two do?

Hannah: We write our own television projects. We’re currently writing a narrative dramedy and we’ve done some doco comedies before, also some radio and stand up. We’re basically a creative duo.

Eliza: We’re writers, directors, products and actors. We’re mostly working on our own projects at the moment.

What did you each want to be when you were a teenager?

Eliza: Pretty much exactly what we’re doing now! I wanted to do a bit more acting, but this was kind of always the dream.  

Hannah: I wanted to be a photographer for a while there, and an archaeologist when I was really young. But yeah, luckily what we’re doing now!

Describe the best/worst outfit you ever wore as a teen.

Eliza: It has to be the outfit that I was known for throughout the whole year group. It was navy blue with a contrasting stitch, a bell-bottomed full denim jumpsuit. I wore it to orientation day and was forever known as Denim Jumpsuit. It was the lamest, funniest thing but looking back it was pretty ahead of the time, it’s definitely my best/worst look. 

Hannah: There’s actually a lot… I had pretty wild fashion sense. I used to love wearing a bright red bandana around all of my hair, it even went over my ears, I looked like I had no hair and I wore it really, really tight. I also had a bright purple tank top that said “Funkster” in silver writing that I wore everywhere.

Which celebrity did you have on your bedroom wall?

Hannah: Mine was Xena Warrior Princess and Ricky Martin. 

Eliza: It was definitely Paris Hilton at around year 7 and 8, also Innocent Eyes stage Delta.

What’s your favourite teen coming-of-age or romcom film?

Hannah: I’d have to say Bring it On.

Eliza: Not Another Teen Movie, I wasn’t allowed to watch American Pie so I watched a satire of the genre. 

Hannah: Cruel Intentions was the only thing that our boarding school had on VHS so I watched that a lot, too.

Eliza: And probably Legally Blonde.

 
What’s the most underrated banger of the 2000s?

Eliza: Madison Avenue - Don’t Call Me Baby 

Hannah: And Crush [by Jennifer Paige] 

Eliza: Also it’s not underrated, but Lovefool by The Cardigans

Rapid fire: 

MySpace or MSN?

MSN, for sure.

Von Dutch or Juicy Couture?

Juicy Couture!

Jeans with rhinestones or jeans with no pockets or waistband?  

Rhinestones, always.

Punk’D or The Simple Life?

The Simple Life. Paris!

Dolly or Girlfriend?

Dolly - because of Dolly Doctor.

Hot pink Motorola Razr or Baby-G watch?

It’s gotta be a Motorola Razr.

Sun-in spray or hair mascara?

Hannah: Sun in spray, I did that one. 

Eliza: Yeah Hannah went to TONI&GUY after using it and they yelled at her. It’s hair mascara for me.

Rick Rolling or Salad Fingers?

Eliza: Salad Fingers.

Hannah: Rick rolling.

Guy Sebastian or Shannon Noll?

Shannon Noll, without a doubt.

About Arabella Peterson:

Arabella is a freelance writer and content creator from Sydney. She cofounded The Ladies Network, a multifaceted platform for women in the creative industries where she was the editor-in-chief. Since then she has worked as a freelance writer, creative consultant and marketing specialist with the odd modelling gig on the side (on this very website, in fact). She is particularly interested in the intersection of fashion, feminism and environmentalism; specifically supporting local brands and sustainable practices and she loves exploring culture, art and fascinating people. She also cohosts a podcast about Adam Sandler, is obsessed with horror films and loves a good game of Dungeons and Dragons. Follow Arabella on Instagram: @arabella_peterson

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