Every grade school girl with access to cable wanted a cool older friend like Clarissa. And why not? She was just a regular junior high girl with regular problems... except she had everything an aspiring pseudo-alternative suburban teenager could hope for: the world’s coolest room, her own computer, a killer fashion sense, a pet reptile named Elvis, and a skateboarder guy friend named Sam who had a mushroom cut and never visited through the front door, opting instead for a ladder to her bedroom window. Plus, she listened to Pearl Jam and spent an inordinate amount of time plotting revenge against her obnoxious younger brother, Ferguson.I'd also like to add that she had two very visible, unbelievably understanding parents; advanced computer software that did exactly what she wanted with just a few clicks; and full-color illustrations that popped out while she delivered her opinions on everything. Sometimes she even had a bit of magical powers like Sabrina the Teenage Witch (a.k.a. Melissa Joan Hart's other memorable '90s role).
From namecandy.com, A tribute to Clarissa Darling: The Best-Named character of 90s Nickelodeon
Early 90s Preteen Fashion Checklist:
- Oversized soft denim button-down shirt
- Printed Vest
- Cycling shorts with bold print
- Retro head scarf
- Slap bracelet and / or friendship bands
- Worker boots
In Clarissa's world, life seemed so easy and breezy. Sure, she had problems like an ordinary teen, but everything was resolved before the twenty minutes were over. How perfect could life be for a young girl? That's pretty much why Clarissa was fun to watch - even I thought so, and I was a few years older than the intended audience.
