The Spice Girls Are the OGs Of Girl Bands

If you were a young girl growing up in the mid-90s, there was a certain life lesson that you couldn't make it through that decade without learning: if a guy wanted to be your lover one day, he had to get with your friends. Obviously, I'm referring to the infinite wisdom passed down to all of us young'uns by the OGs of "It" girl bands, the Spice Girls. When it came to teaching young women all about Girl Power, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell were the be-all, end-all professors of female empowerment, and we loved them for it.

Long before singing competition shows like The X Factor churned out fleetingly popular female pop groups like Little Mix and Fifth Harmony, the world was awash in Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger, and Posh, and it was virtually impossible to escape their reign. Rolling Stone journalist and biographer David Sinclair summed it up pretty well in his book Wannabe: How The Spice Girls Reinvented Pop Fame, when he cited the Spice Girls as "the most widely recognized group of individuals since John, Paul, George, and Ringo."

These days, the world still loves the Spice Girls, but a new breed of pop groups have taken over. X Factor alums Fifth Harmony have been nominated for a Moonman at the 2014 VMAs, and 2013 was all about Little Mix (and their connection to 1D, obvz).

Since these ladies are just starting out, I figured it's best to clue them in on a few tips that the best girl group in the history of the world (in my humble opinion) laid down. After all, they have some pretty big Union Jack-printed heels to fill.

1. Don't be afraid to show off your individuality

While most of the girl groups that are super popular right now have been sticking to the Destiny's Child way of dressing (aka slightly varied versions of the same exact thing), the Spice Girls were all about doing their own thang. Could you imagine if Sporty tried to pull off Baby's blonde pigtails? How about Crazy Spice in one of Posh's LBDs? No. Freakin'. Way.

2. Tell it like it is

One of the reasons these 90s babes were truly kick-ass role models for all of their young female fans was because they weren't singing songs about catering to their respective men. Instead, the lyrics were all about how to get what you want by standing up for yourself. If you didn't belt out those empowering tunes into a hairbrush in front of your bathroom mirror then you were clearly devoid of an authentic 1996 childhood.

3. Dance it out

Flashy choreographed routines are by far the norm now, but just check out these vintage moves. Say it with me Fifth Harmony, "step and touch, step and touch."

4. Don't let other people stand in the way of your vision

Being forged in the depths of the X-Factor laboratories no doubt comes with certain restrictions and obligations, but the Spice Girls always made sure their number one objective (GIRL POWA) was front and center, and weren't afraid to let their feelings be known.

5. Don't let the haters keep you from doin' yo' thang

The Spice Girls had their fair share of haters, but did that stop them from being one of the most amazing quintets of fabulous ladies to ever grace the planet? NO. They took that criticism and rolled with it.

6. Create a beloved film that will be celebrated for all of eternity

Hey Fifth Harmony and Little Mix, do you hear that? It's just the sound of one trillion girls still fangirling over Spice World. Make a classic like that and you'll be golden.

7. Have some killer pipes

Despite the flashy costumes and aforementioned intense choreography (lol), the Spice Girls had some sick vocals to back up their performances. Luckily, Little Mix has that base more than covered. Get it, gurlz.

8. Don't shy away from being labeled a *gasp* "feminist"

Unlike Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, girl groups today have a real opportunity to take that label and run with it. With so many young fans, they can really bring about a wave of girl power that hasn't been since since... well... the Spice Girls (duh). Fifth Harmony is already doing wonders with it thanks to their smash "Boss," and it'll be exciting to see where they go from here.

9. Be iconic

Okay, this is obviously way easier said than done, but when it comes down to it, if your girl group is everyone's favorite Halloween costume for years to come, you've officially made it.

Long live The Spice Girls!

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