"I took this photo of myself one day in eighth grade after having gotten a haircut and some highlights. As you can probably tell, I had gone a bit overboard with those highlights and my hair had turned this shiny blond color that, coupled with its constant greasiness, I completely regret to this day. I was really low on self esteem at that time (weren't we all?) and wore really unflattering clothes, little to no makeup, and was generally very unhappy. Let's just say that college has treated me well. I am now a freshman in college, 60 pounds lighter, and a million times happier. I've also chopped off those awful blond locks and let my hair grow back in its natural color." -Catherine
"I'm the one at the bottom holding the stuffed armadillo. This photo was taken during Spanish class when I was 13 years old on pajama day of spirit week. I was obviously completely unaware of how silly I looked, probably because everyone else looked silly that day too. The difference was that I looked like that EVERY day." --Heather
"I'd just achieved the dream: My mom had let me get a spiral perm, which was the height of style in 1988. In my head I would wake up every morning looking exactly like Milla Jovovich did at the time; the reality, for a person with as much hair as I have, was that I wound up resembling a fuzzy triangle. I attempted to ameliorate this effect with 'the wave' bangs, and you could make an argument for the round glasses posing a contrast to the geometry of my general head shape. Maybe? Maybe. Also note the t-shirt, which I wore as a proud aficionado of the annual hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque." --Autumn
"This photo was taken when I was six years old, and my older sister Jess was 12. She's in the lovely ugly floral sweater that hipsters kill for now. The picture was taken on our father's first day as a House Representative in Montpelier, Vermont. I love my homemade haircut and the too big dress, and the way my mother is 'holding me back.'" --Carolyn
"I must be 16 in this 'before' photo, a freshman in college. I remembered we were having summer classes when this photo was taken. I was wearing a black stretchable top from a thrift store, jeans from Jag, sling bag from Baguio City -- a signature local product -- and shoes that were a brand I cannot remember. During these years, my outfit was always Jag jeans or mini skirt, rubber/tennis shoes, and a JanSport backpack or sling bag. I unbelievably made a promise to myself that I would never carry a handbag or a shoulder bag that is very lady-like. I swore to always carry a JanSport no matter what. Funny, I don't even have a JanSport nowadays." -Glee
