My first bra was a B cup. I got it when I was 11, before 6th grade. Though friends of mine wore training bras, I didn't see the need. I didn't want to wear something I saw as uncomfortable if I didn't have to. My boobs were a major source of woe in middle school; I blossomed from a B to a C by 7th grade. Compared to the other girls, I had quite a rack, and I got mercilessly teased because of it. One pair of girls on my bus proved to be real bullies. One of the girls made a habit of asking me for tissues on the bus in 7th grade; she quit when I very nearly flashed the entire back of the bus to prove that thanks, but these are real, sweetheart. The other girl stuck gum in my hair; I ripped it out and threw it back at her in front of the bus driver. She got written up for it, as the bus driver had known me since kindergarten, and this girl for six months.
I don't wear pushup bras; I find that my breasts do their best to pop out of them. I prefer Body by Victoria bras with no padding or lining. Comfy yet lots of lift, so the girls always look great.
I wore makeup for the first time in 3rd grade. A classmate and I snuck into the girls' bathroom together during recess and made up our faces. We didn't look terrible or obvious because we didn't want to get caught. I didn't like the sneaking around aspect of it though, and quit wearing makeup until 6th grade and middle school. I don't wear makeup often now--my SO doesn't like the look of it, but I do and I think it's fun, so I will wear makeup for special occasions or when I get dressed up. I last wore makeup at Easter.
I used tampons for the first time during my first menstruation, at 12. We were going on vacation, and I wanted to be able to go in the pool and on the waterslides. I'd read in
Seventeen magazine that using tampons was perfectly fine for someone my age, and my mom agreed.
And honestly, I dress about the same. I've upgraded the snarky t-shirts of my youth to nicer tops and blouses, but they're still paired with corduroy trousers and cardigan sweaters. I even have a pair of Doc Martens from high school that I still wear from time to time.
All in all, I turned out all right. I think my parents did a good job of guiding me through adolescence and beyond, and I thank them for it. They provided autonomy with clear boundaries, and it worked very well.