Bad Decisions Make For Good Blog Posts

I spent my weekend at home, but I didn’t mention it here on The Crib because everyone who reads this blog already knew that and in case someone else stumbled across my blog I didn’t want them to rob my apartment blind while I was gone like I’ve been hearing so much about (maybe I only heard that one time but it has stuck with me and scared me ever since then).

Anyway, on Saturday, Chelsea and I went out to lunch and we were discussing all of the various style mistakes we had made in our past.  It seemed that the most painful and embarrassing were from our Junior High years.  It makes sense that those would be the years you work harder to fit in, so you force your parents to buy you completely ridiculous stuff in order to be cool.  It doesn’t make sense why it’s the most embarrassing.  I mean, somewhere there is a picture of me wearing a tie-dyed shirt with a t-shirt tie at the bottom, hot pink shorts and my hair is in a bow that I’m pretty sure was made from those curly-cue gift-wrap ribbons and I think I look super cute and in it.  But the fashions from 6th-8th grade?  Not so much.

Here were a few of my favorites:

1. Starter Jackets.

I had a big ole maroon and white Texas A&M Starter Jacket (Chelsea’s was a purple K State starter- only because it was purple).  As a point of interest, Chels reminded me of how awesome that front pocket was.  She used to store her Trapper Keeper in there so she could walk to the school bus with free hands.  I used it to store my pencils and pens for school.

I have to say that when I was researching the Starter Jacket for my blog, all the sites said that it was a trend in the early 1990’s.  This made me very sad because I didn’t get my jacket until at least 1996.  I’ve always been behind the fashion times.

2. Doc Marten’s

I begged for these for quite some time- promising my Mother I would wear them daily (a whole other fashion offense for a whole other post).  These were all the rage in my little hometown when I was in 7th grade.  Why I felt the need to join the crowd on this particular trend is beyond me- I didn’t even own the boots which might have been cooler, I just had the super-thick-soled shoes.

What is particularly upsetting about this is that they are still making these.  And if the price today is anything CLOSE to what they were when I had to have them, then I’d like to issue an apology to my parents for making them pay that much.

3. Flannel

There’s no picture necessary.  It’s shocking to think that the Grunge trend managed to find its way to my small Texas town but, unfortunately, it did.  Shocking and embarrassing, but I loved my flannel shirts.  Last week when it was –4 degrees here I briefly considered buying a new flannel shirt but then decided that this is a situation in which two wrongs don’t make a right.

4. Overalls

I have an incredibly clear memory of going with my Mom to the Gap in Plano (because we didn’t have one then) to shop for a pair of overalls.  I was 13.  I found a super cute pair of overalls that I wore quite a bit that year.  Also, I think I stored pens and pencils in the pockets of those too.  Why was I so concerned about my clothing having storage?

More than one friend has recently mentioned to me that they were on the lookout for a pair of rockin’ overalls.  Let me just stop you there and say: no.  Not a good idea.  I tell you this in love- fashion love.  And I reserve the right to change my mind the next time I take up carpentry and need the extra pockets for my hammers and pencils… or for the next time I can imagine looking cute in a pair of overalls.

5. Scrunchie’s

Scary, but true.  Who didn’t love to pull their hair back with the perfect accessory?  A scrunchie in a coordinating color to complete your ensemble.  The scariest thing of all is how long these stayed cool.  Or maybe the scary part is that I ever thought they were cool.

So, I hope you enjoyed the longest blog post in history, but that’s about all of the 90’s I can take for now.  I’m sure you all will be waiting anxiously for my next post dedicated to Lisa Frank, pogs, Beanie Babies and Furby.

What middle school fashion was your favorite?