Dear Straight Talk: I moved in with my dad and step-mom over the summer and am attending eighth grade at my third middle school. My stepmother obviously knows what it’s like to be a teenager because she got me braces for my teeth, took me to a hair stylist, and bought me clothes that look good. At my old schools I was automatically considered a geek because of the way I looked. Now I’m finally accepted. A lot of parents don’t realize how important it is to fit in. Looks really do make a difference.—Looking good, feeling better
Dear Looking good: Yes they do. And your experience confirms what studies have shown for years: society favors the better looking. What I especially like about your experience is that you MADE yourself better looking using the simplest of methods: a good hair cut, flattering clothes, and cared-for teeth. Yes, you needed a bit of money and support, but your experience shows that whether one is pretty or plain is mostly a matter of management. Of course, to be truly attractive one needs to have beauty on the inside, too. I suspect you already had that going on.
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