kids dress the way they do because they want to be accepted. I'm pretty sure most people who have ever been in high school would've liked to be "the cool/popular kid" or at least have had a group of friends. Don't be mad at kids trying to fit in.

In the '50s,  teenage girls and boys began dressing to look better than their parents, but since the '80s it seems to be a contest to see who can look the most ridiculous and waste the most money on ugly fashions. 

It's fine and quite normal for a teen/early 20s young person to want to be in style, but honestly, there are some of these latest "fashions" that don't deserve to be called "fashion".

Oh, well... to each their own.

... all of you are missing the point- if its your kid you should be keepingthem in line, they learn these things from their own parents or from the teachings of their peers parents--

. . .yes, but I see plenty of adults do this as well. . .

The more trendy they are, the more pretentious I think they are.

They practically become little fashionistas. Talking about what latest designer item they bought or plan on buying. Supposedly, it helped to bump up the coolness factor or something.