Vintage 80s

We've been working to reorganize Tyler's bedroom. It had gotten rather crowded with toys and not enough play space. One of the problems is we've been using his closet for storage. As a youngster, he really didn't need the big closet. We had a wardrobe and dresser that worked perfectly for all his clothing storage needs. Now he has lots of things that would work well with closet space to store them.

So that meant going through all the non-Tyler stuff. Included in that were a bunch of clothing items of mine, primarily from the 80s. Talk about a trip down memory lane! I have the dress I wore for my high school graduation. My favorite "date" clothes from my high school days, including black Gloria Vanderbilt jeans that are circa 1982. A stone washed Jordashe denim mini dress from 1987 (tags still on it). A pale blue cotton prairie style full-circle skirt with buttons up the front circa 1986. On and on...

Something about that prairie skirt and seeing my black jeans, I suddenly found myself welling up with tears. Why was I crying over a bunch of old clothes? I think it was the sudden rush of memories associated with them. People wonder why I hold on to things that no longer fit me and that are 20+ years out of date. I'm a sentimental fool, that's why. I cried over having to throw some of those items away (they had gotten discolored or were damaged). Some items I had no problem earmarking for GoodWill. They were old work clothes.

But those "fun" clothes... The outfits that marked significant milestones in my teens and early 20s; I can't throw those away. I can't give them away. Some of them would probably sell on eBay to kids who like vintage 80s wear. Maybe I could pass them on if I knew someone was enjoying them to the same extent I did back in the day.

I don't know. I'm still torn. What should I do with them? I fear once these items are gone, the memories associated with them will fade. What would you do?

I wish I could really wear this skirt rather than just drape it over my legs. I'd give anything to have a waist that small again.


Every guy I dated in the 80s saw me in this outfit at least once. I loved this soft gray angora sweater with the pearls and my black jeans that looked painted on. Add my gray suede elf boots and I was HOT.

My periwinkle floral graduation dress is on the right and so stone wash faded it almost disappears on the left is the Jordash mini dress I never lost enough weight to actually wear (I put on a few pounds my first year in college and that started a downhill spiral of weight gain I never recovered from.)

This bat wing shirt was so ugly it was cool. Anyone remember the Adam Ant inspired over the top Native American wear of the mid-80s? All the beading on this top...not a single bead is missing. And those HUGE shoulder pads. Hilarious!

And the Army wear craze! Everything was camo, khaki and army green. I looked great in those dark olive shades. This dress had a sort of militaristic but feminine flare. Dig the sexy lacing up the bodice!

P.S. To the comment in my previous entry...about my voice. I am recovering from tonsilitis so that is NOT how I normally sound. In that recording my voice is too deep and I sound congested and phlegmy. Nice, eh? LOL!

Comments

Ally said…
oooooooo, i remember the 80's ...

ya know that first picture of the shirt, i think i might've had the same one. i can't tell by the angle, but the color and buttons are the same.

those were some good old days.
Robbie said…
OMG! I totally tripped down that lane with you. Remember the poofy sleeved ruffled collared prairie-ish tops too? Sheesh I worked all summer one year babysitting three kids for 8 to 10 hours a day so I could buy those tops, some Jordache, Gitano, and Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, and a pair of dock sidders. OMG! Yikes!

Um...yeah. It's time to get rid of the stuff, unless you want to hold them until your daughter is ready to fit in them. Or should I say, Ty's daughter? Um...no! ;-)
amy said…
Christ, I'm glad all my 80's clothes bit the dust years ago! The 70's clothes were even worse...I remember having a turquoise-colored gaucho outfit...sadly, that is immortalized in pictures :(
Maybe you could make a quilt or something out of them, or find a vintage resale shop...
Anonymous said…
Let them go. You are making memories every day. Save a swatch from each of your favorites and sometime when you are old and have time, make a memory quilt. So exciting finding about your birth Mom
I've saved some of the girls more silly things for when they are our age, so they can look back and smile. Keep them. If it makes you feel nostalgic. And after you afopt your baby girl, then she'll have some way cool dressup stuff when she gets older. My daughters love my GunneSax dresses.

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