When we last left off from yesterday’s post (you may want to read that first – otherwise this might not make any sense), my early twenty-something friends and I were staring at older thirty-something women and thinking that we must have fallen into a time warp.
In the Fall of 1996 I was two years out of college and fully committed to my short skirts (skorts even!) and Jennifer Aniston shag. On this particular night, we were helping my roommate with some envelope stuffing for the non-profit she directed. The non-profit was established by Georgetown University students, so there were a number of older alumni on the board of directors.
The four of us were sitting at a table looking like a low budget version of the cast of Friends. How full of ourselves we were – and how confident in our style. Although we had varying poor body image obsessions, we managed to mask them with well thought out wardrobe choices. And as any self respecting insecure young women should be, we were very aware of the appearance of others.
It was obvious when we arrived that we were the youngest ones there, and we joked about how we were banished to the “kids table” in the front room while the older group that had known each other for over a decade gathered around a larger table in the back room. Our position afforded us a perfect view of everyone as they entered the house. And what a parade of 1980-ugly that was! (That last line was from the point of view of an obnoxious 24 year old fashion snob of course.)
When each woman walked by, our “Rachels” would swish in unison as we tracked their progress to the back of the room. Every one of them sported trends that harkened back to Ally Sheedy’s St. Elmo’s Fire wardrobe of boxy blazers and drop waist floral dresses. And horror of horrors, most matched the color of their heels to their outfit! We could barely contain our giggles and finger pointing. Of course I’ve exaggerated a bit for effect…we didn’t ALL have that particular Rachel-inspired hairstyle. My friend Maureen preferred a shorter “Monica.”
I started to list some of the comments I remembered us making, but deleted them since they made us sound far meaner than we actually were. We felt comfortable in our cattiness among friends, but wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to hear us (such is the way with everyday derision…). Let’s just say that our conversation included the following words and labels: “feathered,” “Laura Ashley,” “yoke,” “Forenza,” “pumps,” “electric blue,” “fire engine red.”
After a fair amount of laughing down memory lane, Maureen astutely observed that we would be next. She said, “ten years from now, younger girls will be sitting here laughing at us with our flip hairstyles and clunky shoes.” While this honest image made us laugh louder than any of the snide quips did, it also made me think. It actually made me a little uncomfortable – and this had nothing to do with the body suit I was wearing. I just didn’t like the idea of being outdated.
And I still don’t. But starting with that minor observation from a friend, I had to recognize the fact that I would someday show traces of my own early style influences. And I would likely get stuck in my own fashion time warps. I would get busy with life and not notice that hair didn’t curl up anymore. I would continue to clomp around in my sturdy heeled pilgrim shoes while other women tippity tapped on pointier toes. While I couldn’t predict the future trends that would sweep past the stake I had so firmly driven into my claim for a 1996 identity, I began to feel the noose I had been fashioning for myself.
But knowledge is power right? And that evening, my friend inadvertently gave me some sage advice. You don’t really have to get stuck in a particular style era. And if you do, you can always pull yourself out of it. The first step is to open your eyes and realize that there is a lot of great style out there and not all of it conforms to what celebrities of the hour are wearing on screen. It’s perfectly fine to find a look that works for you – the trick is to make it translate into the current styles. This is where those 80s ladies went wrong. They didn’t update the styles that they liked – they just kept wearing the old version.
I’ve always preferred to learn from the mistakes of others. Seriously – let them do the dirty work. And I am happy to report that I am not in fact stuck in 1996. I’d say that I’m AT LEAST holding strong at a respectable 2006. So I’d like to thank those women who never gave up on their trusty green eyeliner or their tried and true Mia flats. And I’d also like to acknowledge any 80s die hards who stuck it out for another decade. If this is you – give yourself a pat on the back. Congratulations girls – the fickle fashion world is cyclical and you are now back in style!
What a fun read!
Speaking of update your look…are you going to buy anything plaid this year?
Connie – I have a love/hate relationship with plaid since I wore it every day of school from third grade through senior year of highschool (well – that’s not entirely true – the warm weather skirt for high school was a solid dark green – but winter days are longer right? Then I think I embraced the grunge flannel trend just a little too enthusiastically at the end of college…
These days – my winter scarves tend to be the only plaid in my wardrobe. But we’ll see. We’re a little poor at the moment – so I’m not sure that I’ll be buying anything new – but when I do go shopping, I’m not ruling anything out.
So funny and so true! I am not nearly as aware of current fashion these days as I used to be. For instance, I just bought my baby an adorable onsie in pinks and oranges (from hanna andersson – if you don’t already shop there for your kids, especially Eleanor – check it out!)and bought myself a matching dress! I’m sure that’s not en vogue. But it makes me happy! :-)
Love this story!!! I like to think that I’m still pretty much in style and I’m so ready for the new Fall looks! I’m with ya on the “poor” statement…I need to save my pennies for shopping!
Your comments never fail to crack me the hell up! I’ve posted your latest one because it was just too good. :)
Great post. My mother is stuck in the late 70s/early 80s. She still has her hair feathered. Ugh. It is awful, but there is no reasoning with her.
I totally wanted the Rachel-do. And then my hairstylist said “On your hair? No. You don’t.” And that was that.
Sigh. I totally wish I had had that hairsytle to look back on still.
I read somewhere that people tend to get stuck on the style of when they were happiest in their life.
I kind of miss the clunky shoes though.
I laughed so hard at this because it described me and my friends too. I look at some of the old pictures and have to laugh.
I’m so un-stylish, it’s not even funny. Especially my hair. It’s not like I’ve given up, but it’s gotten so much curlier as I’ve gotten older that it can’t hold a style. Think “Annie”.
But I was glad to see that leggings and big tops are in again. That style will hide a multitude of sins. :)
Coming to you by way of Best Posts of the Week and this is a great post!! I loved the 80’s style and I really want it back. I have to say that I could never get used to or looked good in the straight hair style of today…I have naturally curly hair. What is a girl to do? I want big hair back!!!
I love this post. Both of them actually. 80s-ugly…so true, and yet so many young people are making the same mistakes now that we did the first time. I vow to never again wear jellies, stone-washed jeans, or socks with flats. Please shoot me if I do. I feel the same way as you do about Katie Holmes’ pegged jeans. I fear that it will become the norm again. I will buck that trend as well.
I went fall shopping the other day and was very mindful about what I bought. I hope that I look fashionable in what I’ll be wearing and not some 30-something mom trying to look too young :)
Thanks for submitting again!
I don’t believe I’ll keep up with the changing fashion trends for much longer. I like to look nice, but I have a feeling I’ll get to the point where I’ll stop trying…