As I read in this week's US Weekly I see that Britney has hired a Christian life coach for Kevin Federline. I wish I was lying but there is something so sinfully delicious about gossip. In thinking about the repregnant Britney having to reel in her less than focused husband, coupled with my good friend celebrating the 10^th anniversary of his 21^st birthday this weekend, I somehow started to think about what life was like BB (before Britney). You see somewhere in my head I have a theory that two events completely changed the youth and particularly the female youth of America (and I realize I sound 80 years old by typing that sentence but hear me out). When Britney released Oops, I did it again and five months later American Pie came out, there was a shift. Those two actions said to college kids in the moment and also to the teens about to be in the moment, it's okay to be sexy. With that in mind I want to take you back ten years, read my description of a typical BB girl in 1996:

In 1996, if a 21 year old was going out for the night she would probably wear one of two things. She would probably wear jeans with a shirt tucked in. It would be rare for the shirt to show any cleavage. She might also wear a sun dress, the kind that would be safe to wear to a first communion ceremony in Greenwich, Connecticut. She might have her navel pierced, she might have a tattoo, if she does it is probably on her ankle, she would never consider the small of her back. She may have thong underwear, one or two pairs that she uses for special occasions, but for the most part she has standard issue panties. Her eyebrows have probably never been professionally shaped. Her nails and toes have probably been professionally done three or four times over the last year for weddings or college formals, the rest of the time she does her own. If she was hanging out at a party she would probably wear baggy jeans or khakis and either a t-shirt, rugby shirt, a baggy sweater or a sweatshirt. It is highly unlikely that she has ever kissed another girl, and wouldn't think of ever doing so in public. Her hair would probably be uniformly the same color or with some highlights, but there is no way it would have streaks. If she wore heels it was because they were part of a boot she was wearing There is a strong possibility that she owns no flip-flops. If on the rare occasion she decided to wear a skirt it probably was much closer to her knees then her waist. Unless she was on the college softball team, she had definitely been to the gym less days that week then days she had, and there is a possibility that she hadn't been at all, and guys still found her very attractive. Finally in 1996 if through some miracle you were to get a girl back to your house or had accidentally walked into a changing room and were fortunate to see a girl naked there were certain parts of her that definitely would look like the after and not the before picture for a Rogaine commercial.

I guess you could argue that all of this is a shift in fashion sense, but I can't help but think that it is more. For more proof look at an episode of Beverly Hills 90210 from 1996 versus American Pie. The 90210 seems incredibly dated, Pie does not and they are three years apart. Or look at shows from MTV's Spring Break 1997 versus 1999. A two year gap. So why do I write all of this, maybe it's because I recently tore through both The Tipping Point and Blink and my mind wants to make the case for how small things have made big shifts. Maybe its because I was in a bar last weekend where I was definitely two or three standard deviations north of the mean in terms of age. Maybe its because I want to rub it into a friend that he is turning 31. Or maybe as usual I offer it out there as food for thought. Either way I should probably stop typing I have to pluck my eyebrows.