Lessons Learned From Your Favorite Girl Squads

For most women, having a tried and true girl squad is pretty much a way of survival in this sometimes (lots of times) terrifying world. You need a group of ladies who care about, support, and love you. You need ladies who will have your back no matter what. Girl squads have been around since well, women have been around, and thanks to this rich, storied history the Girl Squad Phenomenon has, there are so many lessons we can learn from those who’ve squad-ed before us—lessons to help our girl squads be the best girl squad it can be. Here are five of our favorites.

It’s never too late to form a girl squad because girl squads have no age limits.

Think you missed out on your shot to be part of a girl squad just because you didn’t have one in your youth? You’re wrong! Girl squads have no age limits. Wherever you are in your life, you’re going to need your girls by your side. Look at the #GirlSquadGoals that is The Golden Girls. Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia don’t form their enviable group until they’re retired down in Miami. They didn’t let age stop them because they knew the power in having a supportive group around at any and every age. Plus, who wants to hang out on the lanai alone?

Diverse squads are the best squads.

Speaking of age limits in squads, it also behooves you to be part of a squad with women of all different ages and backgrounds. It’s the best way to learn about the world and yourself! Even Taylor Swift’s squad is full of women in different age brackets, who bring different experiences to the table. Fill your squad with mentors, with moms and aunts and grannies, fill it with people who have pursued wildly different paths in life. Who wants to be part of a Stepford Wives Squad? That’s not rhetorical, the answer is no one.

Mixing business with friendship can be hard, but mostly worth the trouble.

There are lots of obstacles and frustrations to be felt when you and your girl squad decide to go into business together. It’s easy to see why you’d do it—who do you trust more than your best girls? But once financial and business decisions get thrown into the mix, feelings can be hurt and trust can be breached. It doesn’t have to be a bad experience though! So many girl squads do it—and we mean more than just all those kickass girl bands out there. Be sure to lay it all out on the table before getting started and do what some of the most successful girl squad businesses like the Baby-Sitters Club and Sugarbaker and Associates—always remember that the squad comes first.

Not all girl squads survive, but you’ll eventually find the one that’s meant to be.

Take Destiny’s Child for example. When this girl group came on to the scene in the 90s, it was made up of Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett. Alas, that configuration was not meant to be. After a few years of shuffling, Destiny’s Child turned into the group we know it as today—with Beyoncé and Kelly joined by Michelle Williams. That final iteration of the group seemed to do pretty well for itself, no? There’s no shame in walking away from a squad that isn’t the right fit for you, or breaking up a toxic squad in the hopes of building a new one. Is re-squading a thing? If not, it should be. Feel free to re-squad, should you need to. Self care is real, you guys.

You may have some ups and downs, but girl squads are forever.

Case in point: The Spice Girls. Remember when Ginger Spice left the band in 1998 and it was as if the world had been ripped in two? Up was down! Down was up! How could the ladies hawking girl power not get along? But all the anxiety was for naught: the ladies ended up working it out and remain friends. Look at them now—here in 2018, the Spice Girls have announced a reunion tour! Sure, Posh Spice’s participation remains up in the air, but regardless, this news still reinforces the message that girl squads, like any other relationship, are always evolving. There’s no expiration date on girl power.

Interested in learning more from famous girl squads throughout history? Head to Quirk Books’ holiday pop-up shop and take a look at our Girl Squads: Squad Pack!