The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a teen drama series that premiered on ABC Family (now Freeform) on July 1st, 2008, and followed teenage characters that represented the pinnacle of high school fashion trends during this unique period in time for five seasons.
Often spotted in the show’s wardrobe choices are bold and chunky accessories, denim, floral boho patterns, graphic t-shirts, babydoll tops, and lots (and lots) of layering.
The costume department during the runtime of the series included Sherry Thompson, Sharon Sampson, and Roselee Showe. Through their creative input on the show, the outfit choices that each of the characters wore represented an extra layer and insight into their personalities.
Amy Juergens (played by Shailene Woodley)
Amy Juergens is the central main character of the series, and the show opens with her walking into the kitchen of her family home in her marching band uniform. When she reaches her family kitchen table, she removes the band jacket and showcases the first (of many) layered outfits: a black sleeveless dress that is fitted on top of a long-sleeved, blue striped shirt.
Amy’s fashion profile on The Secret Life of the American Teenager is characterized by a blend of casual comfort, youthful trends, and preppy elements. As her character grows older through the seasons and experiences more and more difficult life challenges, her outfits mature in a subtle way to reflect this transition.
Some notable fashion moments for Amy are featured in the first season. One memorable outfit is the one that Amy chose for her first date with Ben at the football win afterparty in the church gymnasium (“Falling in Love”), a soft long sleeved light purple and maroon shirt over a grey tank dress with ties in the front, dark leggings and slouchy boots.
In the second episode “You Are My Everything” Amy is spotted wearing a green tank top that is layered over a plain red t-shirt, which is then again layered on top of a white short-sleeve button up shirt.
Another memorable wardrobe choice of season one’s Amy was after her mother took her on a shopping spree for ‘dating clothes’ (“I Feel Sick”) and wore on her second date an embroidered white tank top paired on top of a pink and purple t-shirt with skinny jeans and slouchy boots once again.
A vintage blog post found from September 2008 details some aspects of Amy’s street style:
“As for her everyday look, Amy loves layering cozy cardigans over tanks or tees. She’s also been seen layering multiple, solid-colored tank tops with a brightly colored cardigan … like a white racerback tank under a pink spaghetti tank, all topped off with a green cardigan. Rolling the cardigan at the sleeves, too, makes the look casual instead of stuffy.” (ABC Family).
As quoted in the book based on the first season of the show (The Secret Diary of Ashley Juergens, 2010), “Amy wears long, loose tops and has never met a scarf she didn’t like.” This is showcased extremely well through the entire season, her style staying consistent even as her pregnant belly grew around her clothes. This clip in episode twelve of the first season, “The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager”, represents Amy’s fashion style in this point in her life quite well. Her wardrobe in the first season included brightly colored tops, knitted cardigans, scarves, and leggings of all kinds.
Another extremely memorable fashion moment for Amy in season one occurs in the episode “That’s Enough of That”, in which she wears a short-sleeved knitted yellow cardigan over a graphic tee, accessorized with a loose red and black striped silk tie. The outfit is completed with spotted black tights and a soft black pleated skirt.
In season 2, she started sporting headbands on many occasions and styling her iconic straight brunette hair into sleek ponytails. She continued showing off her love of cardigans, particularly her new yellow one, while slowly starting to shift away from her colorful wardrobe in favor of more mature earth tones.
A shift in Amy’s style started to appear in season 3 with her wearing less layers than previously seen and showing off more muted and earth-toned colors in her wardrobe. Her love of scarves and cardigans also seems to shift to a love of sweaters and light jackets. This change began to appear when she traveled to and stayed in New York for the duration of her teen mother music program. This trip signified a transition in her character through many of her choices, and when she returned home, she decided to give up the French horn and play only for fun while pursuing a relationship with Ricky, the father of her child.
The clips found below are an amazing digital compilation of Amy’s fashion progression throughout the entirety of the five seasons of the series:
The website Shop Your Tv created a page for the show and included some outfits that stood out on the show and were able to be purchased around the time that the episodes were airing. Some of the links that were inspired by Amy’s character are:
. Orange and red printed dress with a leather corset waist
. Brown metallic printed blouse with black lace down the front
. Silk dress with floral print
. Black cut out blouse
. Black embroidered mesh blouse
Adrian Lee (played by Francia Raisa)
Adrian’s fashion profile from is distinctly different from Amy Juergens’, reflecting her confident, bold, and often provocative personality.
Adrian’s wardrobe throughout the seasons are characterized by her bold, sexy, and fashion-forward choices. Her style has a mix of edgy, glamorous, and sophisticated elements.
Adrian frequently wears beautiful dresses and skirts that highlight her figure. These dresses often have form-fitting silhouettes, showcasing her confidence and bold personality as she marches and gossips through the halls of Grant High.
Her wardrobe includes tight-fitting tops and skirts, often made from stretchy fabrics that emphasize her body. Outfits are often complemented by statement accessories, such as large earrings, chunky necklaces, and bold bracelets, adding a touch of glamour to Adrian’s look.
There are occasions where Adrian’s statement accessories are represented in another manner, like the iconic graphic t-shirt shirt she wears in the episode “I Feel Sick” that reads ‘I♻️Boys’ as she struts through the hallway.
Another stand-out outfit is the blue short-sleeved zip-front hoodie that she wears in the episode “Unforgiven”.
The video featured below highlights of some of Adrian’s most iconic fashion moments from the first two seasons of the show:
In in unearthed vintage blog post from October 2008 I found advice on stealing Adrian’s on-screen style: “We suggest pairing an oversized man’s button-down with opaque tights or leggings for an effortlessly cool look. Adrian may be headed off to boarding school soon, so why not get in the private-school spirit and loop a skinny man’s tie around your shirt for a good-girl-gone-bad touch? We’ve also noticed that Adrian LOVES wearing skirts, and nothing says “private-school cool” like a plaid mini and some patent heels to top off that tie and button-down. Got a big date coming up? Take a tip from the queen of sexy and wear your favorite top OFF the shoulder. On her more demure days, Adrian can still be seen flashing a little bit of skin by pushing a plain black tee or dress off to the side just a tad, to show a glimpse of her shoulders.” (ABC Family).
Grace Bowman (played by Megan Park)
Grace’s fashion profile on the show is defined by her preppy, polished, and feminine style. Grace begins her journey as a bubbly cheerleader, eager to show off her promise ring (a trend that was heavily promoted by Disney at the time). In addition to her form fitting cheerleading uniform, she is seen wearing many pastel colors, light denim and soft fabrics. Her clothes are neatly tailored, giving her a polished and put-together look in the halls of her high school. Like Amy, Grace is also a fan of colorful cardigans. She is often seen wearing pink, lavender, baby blue, and white colors in her wardrobe choices.
As her character grows and experiences both happiness and heartbreak, her style represents Grace becoming more comfortable with herself and her ability to choose what life she wants for herself.
Shop Your TV also included links to fashion pieces that Grace was seen wearing on Secret Life:
. White lace top
. Pink denim jacket
. White printed dress
. White lace top with a black bow on the front
A post discovered from February 2009 paints a beautiful picture of Grace’s wardrobe colors and choices:
“Simple, elegant pieces that play up her natural assets are some of Grace’s on-screen musts. When she’s not showing off her school spirit in a fitted uniform with a flared, flirty skirt, you’ll find Grace in plenty of pale pinks and light aquas, which accent her big baby blues and her blonde hair. For Grace, simplicity is key: A well-tailored, fitted shirt in a light, pastel color paired with a simple pair of jeans says low-key, approachable, and undeniably sexy.” (ABC Family).
Each and every season of The Secret Life of the American Teenager both featured and reflected the fashion statements and attitudes of the mid-2010s. Amy, Adrian and Grace all each represented the different shades of popular culture and trends of the time period, all growing and maturing in both their lives and wardrobes as the show progressed through the seasons. The show is a fashion time capsule, and the spirit of 2008-2013 will be forever immortalized in the fictional halls of Secret Life’s Ulysses. S. Grant High School. 📯📓🏈
