While clothes are a vital part of life, middle school seems to welcome a newfound emphasis on the importance of one’s wardrobe. As children enter adolescence, the way they present themselves to the world becomes a focal point of their identity, and clothing plays a big part in this. In Maybe He Just Likes You, clothes represent not only a person’s individual style but the way they are perceived by those around them.

At the beginning of the novel, Mila notes that she has had a growth spurt over the summer, and most of her old clothes don’t fit her anymore. Mila decides to “keep wearing [her] fuzzy green sweater” (16) because she doesn’t want to ask for new clothes when money is tight at home. For Mila, the green sweater that makes her look like “a fuzzy green potato” (16) represents a combination of her family’s financial status as well as her changing body. Mila desperately wants to cover herself up, but she is running out of options. However, the sweater becomes a source of shame as the story continues. The basketball boys fixate on the green sweater and are determined to touch it against Mila’s wishes, so she decides to get rid of it.