Back in high school, during my senior year, we had this assignment in writing class where we were su

Written: September 5, 2024

Back in high school, during my senior year, we had this assignment in writing class where we were supposed to dig deep and write something personal--something that only the teacher would read. It felt like an odd request at the time. I mean, what's a 17-year-old supposed to write about that's deeply personal? But the point was to open up, talk about feelings and emotions rather than just facts or events.
So, after thinking about it for a while, I decided to write about the one thing that truly consumed my mind at that age: girls--specifically, how confusing they were, and how I had no clue what to do about it. And, of course, how their clothing wasn't helping at all.
Here's the deeply personal paper I turned in: "Dang it, why can't girls just dress like truckers and stop driving me nuts."
"Dang it, why can't girls just dress like truckers and stop driving me nuts"
I don't understand girls. I just don't. I'm 17 years old, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that trying to figure them out is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube in the dark. Every day I walk through the halls, and I'm hit with this wave of confusion--Who likes me? Who doesn't? Am I imagining this? And to make it worse, they keep switching up their outfits, making the whole thing ten times harder to figure out.
Let me explain. When I see a girl dressed up, my brain automatically kicks into overdrive. I start wondering, "Is this for me? Is she trying to get my attention? Or is she just dressing like that because she feels like it?" The truth is, I have no idea, and it's driving me insane. One day she's in jeans and a t-shirt, the next day it's a dress with shoes that I'm pretty sure came straight out of a fashion magazine. And I'm sitting here, trapped in this endless guessing game, wondering if her shoes are some kind of signal I should be picking up on.
It's not that I don't like the way girls dress--trust me, I do. The problem is that I don't know how to read any of it. The outfits don't tell me anything. Does this mean she's into me? Is this a friendly look or a romantic one? I can't keep up. It's exhausting, and my brain just can't handle it.
Which leads me to this: Why can't girls just dress like truckers?
Flannel shirts, simple jeans, maybe a trucker hat. Something straightforward. I mean, if a girl walks in wearing flannel and jeans, I know what I'm getting. There's no guessing, no wondering if the shoes match the mood or if today's the day she's sending secret signals. It's clear. It's simple. I wouldn't have to sit here overanalyzing every little thing.
Truckers have it figured out. They don't change outfits three times a day, and they definitely don't wear something that makes you wonder if it's a message meant for you or just a random clothing choice. A flannel shirt means one thing: I'm here, and I'm not playing mind games. That's what I need. That's what every confused teenage guy needs.
And don't get me started on makeup. One day she's barely wearing any, the next she looks like she stepped out of a makeup tutorial, and I'm supposed to just understand what that means? It's too much. With trucker clothes, none of that matters. Flannel is flannel. Jeans are jeans. And a baseball cap is just a baseball cap. Life would be so much easier if everyone just agreed to keep it simple.
So, here's my plea: Can't we make trucker fashion the standard? Let's just get rid of all the guessing games, the mixed signals, and the wardrobe changes that make my brain feel like it's about to explode. Flannel, jeans, and caps--for everyone's sanity, especially mine.
I'm tired of the fashion parade, tired of trying to decode what every outfit means. If girls dressed like truckers, I'd at least have a fighting chance to figure out what's going on. But for now? I'm lost. Totally lost.