Sweet Sixteen: A Rite That Persists – The New York Times

Indeed, the earmarks of adulthood which the 16‐year‐old girl perceives herself as suddenly acquiring have little to do with sexual change. In Westchester, where 16 is the legal age for obtaining a junior driver’s license, the first thing that comes to the minds of many 16‐year‐olds is a car. Also important is the increased number of work hours permitted by New York State Labor Law. And preparation for college is another concern.

Like so much at the high school level, activity on the Sweet Sixteen circuit is often governed by a strict set of social mores, tacitly agreed upon by the pacesetters and adhered to until a new trend comes along.

“When I was in high school, drugs were in and Sweet Sixteens were out,” said Jennifer Chaimen, a 24‐year‐old Manhattan resident and a 1971 graduate of Scarsdale High School. “Everyone was in cliques. There were no Sweet Sixteens because that would have been part of the middle‐class status quo everyone was trying to rebel against. If you had a Sweet Sixteen, you’d be quietly but definitely ignored.”

Not so now, according to Melanie Kahn, who had a Sweet Sixteen at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase last January. “In 1976 almost everyone was having them at clubs,” she said. “Mine had a disco theme. As you walked in, a sign lit up saying Melanie’s Disco. There were posters of Peter Frampton and Led Zeppelin and lots of blinking lights. On the wall behind the rock ‘n’ roll band there was shiny foil with colored lights. I had a huge cake with a firecracker candle. It really was fun.”

Less than a year later, the Westchester Sweet Sixteen scene is already changing. Marla Weston of Harrison, Sharon Roawden of Rye, and Heidi Pokorny of Scarsdale all had their parties at home; they ranged from casual to “dressy but simple.” Nicole Nicolas of Scarsdale reported that the trend was toward “nice clothes, dancing, but at home and not super elaborate.” People like the traditional as. pects. Miss Nicolas said, but “they just don’t seem to be going all out as much.” And a more than passing yes.. tigial nod was given to the counterculture by Miss Pokorny, who explained. “You get a bad reputation if your party is too big and elaborate. People think you’re spoiled.”