Last week’s entry started a conversation between Ross and I about some of our own experiences during that long ago decade.

Mostly about fashion and the horrible choices we made as teenagers. Because we did make horrible choices. I personally was a fan of flannel shirts. I may have been the only person listening to grunge rock in my small town. There was a lot of country happening around me. I might have also had my share of denim overalls. I realize now that past the age of 9, those are not acceptable. However, then they seemed pretty cool. I may have also had a slight fixation with Teri Hatcher’s original hair cut in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. This show is on HBOMax and do NOT think that I won’t watch it again, because I will. I carreid that hairstyle in some form or another through my high school years and a bit into college. In case you don’t know or don’t remember what that looked like, please compare.

There were dents in the picture from where it was stored. It looks like I have piercings and therefore cooler than I actually am. I don’t, unfotunately. Also, at some point, I decided I needed a fringe. I immediately regretted it. I ALWAYS regret it. I hate hair in my eyes.

I also had a weird fixation with the 1940’s. There were a lot of senior pictures with hats and shit. I acknowledge that this was not a good decision, but I was young and didn’t know better.

In full disclosure mode, there might have also been some mild cultural appropriation happening at my senior prom. I did wear a mandarin style dress that probably wouldn’t fly today. Ross asked me if I wore chopsticks in my hair. I honestly can’t remember but I’m pretty sure I did. Which just makes this whole thing worse.

Although, looking at this picture now, I can clearly see that I didn’t have chop sticks in my hair. That makes me feel better, just a smidge.

Ross, on the other hand, was some weird mix between Keanu Reeves and a beatnik poet. I think the closest comparison is Mike Myers in So I Married an Ax Murderer. Which Isn’t a good look on anyone.

He is not going to be happy with me but sometimes we all have to die on the alter of shenanigans and stupid blog posts. Also, can we discuss that tie he’s wearing for a moment. It’s an M&M tied. HE STILL HAS IT! Along with many other weird ties that I have no idea why they even exist, let alone take up space in his closet. He also won’t let me get rid of them.

To be fair to Ross and myself, we weren’t the only ones making horrible choices. I distinctly remember Umbro soccer shorts and shoes making rounds. My school didn’t have a soccer team. Hell, I’m not sure that everyone knew what soccer was in our podunk area of the world. I think into the early to mid 90’s I was still wearing British Knights shoes. God, I loved BK’s but I also had a pair of Fila’s a time or two. You know, because they went with my flannels and subversive Co-Ed naked t-shirts.

I started college in the fall of 1996 and basically all fashion went out the window. I was wearing jeans and t-shirts non-stop. mostly, because I hate shopping but also, it was just more comfortable to go to class in. However, at some point (I don’t remember when because time is a blur to me), i started working retail. I worked for a while at Lane Bryant where I had to wear the clothes to work. This didn’t help because none of the clothes were shaped well and they just hung off me from the boobs down. Then I got a job at a high end department store. I had to wear suits and dresses. I’m not sure why. Anyway, my mom took me somewhere to buy a few suits. Here again, I did not make good decisions. I purchased an electric blue, double breasted pant suit. I looked like Violet Beauregarde walking through the mall. Yes, this was in an actual mall. I also remember a burgandy suit. Not the nice wine shade but something closer to a red plum that isn’t ripe yet. I should have burned those things.

I spent my entire high school and college existence in the 90’s (for the most part). I graduated college in the spring of 2001, taking an extra year because I had 3 majors. There was A LOT of Dave Matthews playing in my apartments/dorm room, in addition to Live, and Alanis Morissette (do not judge me!). But this was also the strange uptick of swing bands and already having established my strange fixation with the 40’s, I was definitely down for some Big Bad Voodoo Daddies and Squirrel Nut Zippers. I was actually at a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert the day Frank Sinatra died. Homage was paid as was proper. However, I was wearing jeans and an oversized Navy t-shirt (the branch of the military and not the color . . . not my best look), which I still have – by the way.

Now, that I’m thinking about it, I do remember my mom crocheting me a vest, because doily chic was in or some shit. I wore that with platform shoes and a blouse that had bell sleeves at the wrists. WHAT THE EVER LOVING HELL WAS I THINKING????

The point here is that we all made mistakes in our youth and those of us who lived through the 90’s were not immune.