what are the "must have items" when you was in high school?

[diamondfan]

Jen, I was probably 15 or 16. My mom often did not pay attention or I would change at a friend''s house. I had all the tricks down. I would sometimes leave home no makeup, baggy sweat shirt and jeans. I kept my really tight jeans that I had to put on lying down and zipping with a hanger at my friend''s too. I was skinny and I remember trying to shrink my size 24 jeans but they always stretched. I would wear the high wedges and the jeans and tube tops and think I looked soooo stylish...we all had long curls and bangs and I even put decals on my nails! It was quite the look.

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 6/11/2008 12:29:19 AM
Author: diamondfan


I also wore Candies mules and Roots earthshoes, and I had my share of micro mini''s. When I went to the Roxy and The Troubador and The Rainbow I wore North Beach Leather strapless leather mini'' dresses and stilettos, or their mini skirts and bustiers. Sometimes I even wore fishnets. A couple of girls and I used to go and hang out in the early 80''s, when Ratt and Motley Crue and Great White were starting out. I used a ton of spray to get that big hair on a girl in a rock video look, and lots of black eyeliner, frosty pink lipstick or red lipstick. I wore earrings that looked like feathers made out of metal or huge hoops. It was a kind of trashy look but still we thought it looked great! Met a couple of rock stars that way!

Pictures or we don''t believe you!

Dancing Fire, those were some nice cars you guys had!

 

[diamondfan]

I will look but my mom cleaned house after I got married and a few photo albums ended up in the trash! I am so mad because I thought they were hysterical. I used to love the big hair, and I always wore that Skipper blue liner and this opalescent gloss and liner pencil from Borghese. I streaked my hair too. I think we all had that look when we would go out Saturday nights. The 80''s were not kind for the most part fashion wise!

Remember those parachute pants, and the puffy pants that got tight at the ankle? EEEEUUWWW. I knew guys who wore those pants with tight tank tops and high top black reeboks. They also had mullets.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 6/11/2008 2:04:52 AM
Author: diamondfan
I will look but my mom cleaned house after I got married and a few photo albums ended up in the trash! I am so mad because I thought they were hysterical. I used to love the big hair, and I always wore that Skipper blue liner and this opalescent gloss and liner pencil from Borghese. I streaked my hair too. I think we all had that look when we would go out Saturday nights. The 80''s were not kind for the most part fashion wise!

Remember those parachute pants, and the puffy pants that got tight at the ankle? EEEEUUWWW. I knew guys who wore those pants with tight tank tops and high top black reeboks. They also had mullets.

Hilarious! I think some guys I went to school with still have mullets.

 

[matildawong]

When I was in middle school the big brand was Esprit. We''d drive up to San Francisco to go to the big warehouse store. Oh and Benetton and the perfume, Colors, from Benetton.

Also fluorescent-colored (green, pink, yellow, orange) ankle socks and those funny little plastic coil bracelets in bright colors. Or else tons of those black jelly bracelets.

Remember those sweaters that were big in the ''80s, like with a lot of little white sheep (or scottie dogs) and then one black one? I saw a new t-shirt in that style at Nordstrom''s Rack the other day and nearly died.

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 6/10/2008 11:07:50 PM
Author: bebe
wow, I must be a lot older than the rest of you guys - we couldn't even wear jeans to school! It was only in my junior year were we allowed to wear pants, with our behinds covered by a long top. And it had to be matching!! Our dress hems had to be no shorter than 3 inches above our knees. Many of the girls made their own clothing, it was hard to find fashionable things that fell into the school dress code. So the halls were awash in double knit pantsuits. GAG. This was a public school just outside Houston. We did wear pants and jeans to school games and such. And we really enjoyed that freedom, ha ha!

I do remember high waisted pants, nylon 'Nik Nik' shirts, cork wedge sandals, long straight hair, chunky heel shoes, wide flare legs pants, peasant blouses.

Do I dare say I graduated high school in 1973 !!

bebe, it looks like you and I are the same vintage! And I suspect Dancing Fire wasn't too far behind us !

I went to HS in California though, so there was no dress code by the time I graduated. I think they tried to enforce something about skirt lengths -- they were supposed to be a few inches below your fingertips? -- but I do remember wearing 501s to HS with a (probably recycled) teeshirt. I suspect (I know!) my mother wished there were a dress code though...

 

[reader]

I was a catholic school kid, but everyone in middle school wore a Swatch, and if you had two of them to wear at the same time, you were rich! I wasn''t allowed to do this, but everyone had really permed hair with huge bangs, and blonde streaks. Shoes were either pumps with lace trimmed ankle socks or leather high ankle boots. The jewelry was yellow gold and a lot of it. Weekend clothes were Swatch, Bennetton (sp?), and OP for boys. And, Oh yes, Jams
The car to have was a used BMW..

 

[Delster]

Dancing Fire you start fantastic threads!

So in Ireland no schoolgoers have a car unless in the super affluent areas. There was one girl in my school whose Dad used to let her drive the car to school in the morning and then he''d take over and head to work. We thought she was out of this world cool.

We wore a school uniform. Think heavy gabardine fabric pleated skirt, cotton shirt, tie, and acrylic sweater (it was majorly uncool to have handknit wool sweaters - I begged for the acrylic sweater as my Christmas present in 1992!). We also had a wool felted school blazer, a school scarf, and school sports gear. Think itty bitty skirt and matching underknickers that were so hideous all the girls replaced them with bicycle shorts

Like that was so much better!

Even shoes and socks were regulated. So in short, it was a bit difficult to express fashion sense in all that get-up!

Outside of school the cool kids wore Levis and lumberjack shirts with Doc Martens and bucketloads of make-up in the aim of looking like you were wearing no make-up. This was the era of Kate Moss wearing nothing but a slick of Vaseline on her lips and eyes and still somehow looking fabulous. Really lucky kids got to go to Dublin to Ireland''s one and only TopShop and get their clothes there. The rest of us shopped in men''s shops - the aim was to look swamped by your clothes and to exude an aura of general misery!

The clubs played the Spice Girls, Run DMC, and All Saints but the cool kids listened to Pearl Jam and Nirvana. There were no lessons the day it was announced Kurt Cobain took his own life because so many of the girls were too distraught to sit through class. Same thing when it was announced that Boyzone split up!

 

[justjulia]

Farrah hair and ridiculously high platform shoes.

 

[steph72276]

--Cell phones became huge my senior year...I had one of the first ones out of my friends and for some reason I still had it stored away when I met my hubby and he called it "the brick" because it was so huge!
--Esprit and Gap were the big brands
--Liz Claiborne perfume and purses
--Acura Integras were the fave cars
--you had to have a Jansport backpack or you were not cool...but I got the messenger style when I was a senior, and thought I was so cool...haha!
--jumper dresses with a white t-shirt under were huge.
--all the cheerleaders would wear Umbro shorts to practice with the waistbands flipped down so we could get the football players' attention

.
--ponytails tied with big ribbons.
--V neck sweaters from the Gap

That's all I can think of for now!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/11/2008 7:52:44 AM
There were no lessons the day it was announced Kurt Cobain took his own life because so many of the girls were too distraught to sit through class. Same thing when it was announced that Boyzone split up!

 

[Delster]

Date: 6/11/2008 8:10:25 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/11/2008 7:52:44 AM
There were no lessons the day it was announced Kurt Cobain took his own life because so many of the girls were too distraught to sit through class. Same thing when it was announced that Boyzone split up!

Sadly, I am not kidding

We had no cellphones when I was in school. I didn''t get a cellphone till I was 20 and even then I was the only one of my housemates who had one (my parents were worriers). I had that thing for years and we called it ''the brick'' too!

 

[nytemist]

-Parachute pants
-Member''s Only jackets (still)
-Jordache jeans with the zip at the ankle
-White Nike high tops
-Doc Marten''s (to me at least, which was odd since usually it was the skinheads that wore them during that time and I most certainly was not one of them!)
-Polo shirts with the popped collar
-Anything neon
-Jelly shoes and jelly bracelets
-cone ponytail holders
-Big sweaters
-giant hoop earrings

I also did the French braid with the big Berlin Wall bangs. Looked weird with a punk/goth wardrobe.

 

[fieryred33143]

I remember when the "in" thing was to wear a pacifier hanging from a necklace around your neck. And the color depended on your mood.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 6/11/2008 1:27:12 AM
Author: luckystar112

Date: 6/10/2008 11:38:37 PM
Author: somethingshiny
I graduated in ''98. The COOL thing to have was a great truck. (yes, another midwesterner!) Vehicles were such a big deal, our prom premiere was actually outside! We drove down the hill around the school so everyone could admire the beauties. Then, we had valets that helped us out and drove our vehicles off to ''oohs'' and ''aahs''. BUT, none of them were less than 5 years old. Most of them were jacked up with big mud tires! In this neck of the woods, mom and dad NEVER buy you a car.

Vaguely remember the dark lipliner/light lipstick thing. Lots of flannel, jeans and boots. We didn''t even have a ''popular'' group. With only a hundred kids in the school, you''re all friends.


ETA- I just remembered the other ''thing'' at my high school. Our Science teacher (yes, we had ONE. He taught everything from Earth Science to Anatomy to Physics) had loads of VHS tapes. It was the job of all to confiscate the tapes and rerecord stuff. Sometimes it was really INAPPROPRIATE, if you know what I mean. But, we were also good for music videos. There is one that is still lasting at the school (I know because my sis just graduated) It''s a video of ''Call Me Al''. We watched it everyday at lunch time. People frequented the halls singing, ''Na na na na. Na nana na na na. Na na na na.''

I''m gonna guess........................94?

I miss the 90''s SO freaking much. lol. I''ve been watching nick at nite everynight before bed. I love me some Fresh Prince of Bellaire, Home Improvement, and Roseanne. hehehe
If only they''d start airing blossom. WHOA!

I''ve been doing this lately, too! I love Roseanne and Fresh Prince, haha! I even watched an episode of Full House and Home Improvement the other day. You know what I miss? The holiday-themed shows. I remember being excited about the "halloween" episode (especially on Roseanne) or the "Thanksgiving" episode. Those were good times!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 6/10/2008 9:58:45 PM
Author: Kaleigh
DF,

You start these threads asking us all these questions. My question to YOU, is what was cool when YOU were in HS?

I''ve noticed this too! Why don''t you ever answer your own questions?

We wore uniforms...so that cuts out a lot of the fashion items but I remember desperately wanting a Northface jacket.

 

[Delster]

.

 

[Delster]

Date: 6/11/2008 9:57:10 AM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 6/11/2008 1:27:12 AM
Author: luckystar112

I''m gonna guess........................94?

I miss the 90''s SO freaking much. lol. I''ve been watching nick at nite everynight before bed. I love me some Fresh Prince of Bellaire, Home Improvement, and Roseanne. hehehe
If only they''d start airing blossom. WHOA!

I''ve been doing this lately, too! I love Roseanne and Fresh Prince, haha! I even watched an episode of Full House and Home Improvement the other day. You know what I miss? The holiday-themed shows. I remember being excited about the ''halloween'' episode (especially on Roseanne) or the ''Thanksgiving'' episode. Those were good times!

Oh gosh ladies, we have this TV show here called Reeling in the Years. They show archived TV footage from a particular year of all the big news items of that year, the sad things that happened, the great people we lost that year, the sporting and cultural achievements, and the big trends at the time. All to a soundtrack of music from that year, particularly favouring Irish bands and Irish music. They only show up the year at the beginning and the end so if you come in halfway through you have to guess the year. It''s such a tearjerker. Prime example here at this YouTube link. I''m a sap. I love that show!

 

[Erin]

Date: 6/11/2008 2:14:27 AM
Author: matildawong
When I was in middle school the big brand was Esprit. We''d drive up to San Francisco to go to the big warehouse store. Oh and Benetton and the perfume, Colors, from Benetton.

Also fluorescent-colored (green, pink, yellow, orange) ankle socks and those funny little plastic coil bracelets in bright colors. Or else tons of those black jelly bracelets.

Remember those sweaters that were big in the ''80s, like with a lot of little white sheep (or scottie dogs) and then one black one? I saw a new t-shirt in that style at Nordstrom''s Rack the other day and nearly died.

We must be about the same age.

 

[LAJennifer]

Did anybody have the Trapper Keeper?

 

[isaku5]

Date: 6/11/2008 12:01:48 AM
Author: Linda W
OK OK, I am the old battle ax of the group.

Madras shirts for the guys.
Peg legs pants for the guys.
Saddle shoes in brown and white.
Anything for the guys that made them look like the Beach Boys.

For the Girls.

Saddle Shoes in brown and White.
Ratting your hair ten feet high then spraying it.
Button down sweaters and matching skirts
Jumpers
Funky looking nylons, but I can''t remember the name of them
A-line dresses
Jr. year we wore pea coats, everyone had to have one
Mohair sweaters

Yes, I graduated in 1967. The 60''s were an uneasy time. Lost many classmates to drugs and Vietnam.


Linda

You''re off the hook, Linda. So far, I think I''m the old goat

. I graduated in 1961 from grade 13 (Canada, eh).

It''s great reading all these memories because many of them, I can relate to through my own kids'' experiences and also from teaching HS from 1968-1987.

Thanks DF for starting the thread; it''s been a real *blast from the past*

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/11/2008 8:05:57 AM
Author: justjulia
Farrah hair and ridiculously high platform shoes.

LOL....found my 6" pair at my dad's house. i threw it away.should of took a pic of it.

 

[Linda W]

Date: 6/11/2008 12:41:10 AM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 6/11/2008 12:01:48 AM

Author: Linda W


Yes, I graduated in 1967. The 60''s were an uneasy time. Lost many classmates to drugs and Vietnam.



Linda

Linda

are you a Beatles fan?

DF: LOL, YES I am, along with the Rolling Stones, ha ha ha ha ha.

My dad was a DJ in San Francisco and he MET the Beatles. He said they were very nice, except for their long hair they needed hair cuts. ha ha ha ha ha. My brother is a big time Paul McCartney fan, so am I.


Linda

 

[Linda W]

Date: 6/11/2008 11:43:40 AM
Author: isaku5

Date: 6/11/2008 12:01:48 AM

Author: Linda W

OK OK, I am the old battle ax of the group.


Madras shirts for the guys.

Peg legs pants for the guys.

Saddle shoes in brown and white.

Anything for the guys that made them look like the Beach Boys.


For the Girls.


Saddle Shoes in brown and White.

Ratting your hair ten feet high then spraying it.

Button down sweaters and matching skirts

Jumpers

Funky looking nylons, but I can''t remember the name of them

A-line dresses

Jr. year we wore pea coats, everyone had to have one

Mohair sweaters


Yes, I graduated in 1967. The 60''s were an uneasy time. Lost many classmates to drugs and Vietnam.



Linda

You''re off the hook, Linda. So far, I think I''m the old goat

. I graduated in 1961 from grade 13 (Canada, eh).


It''s great reading all these memories because many of them, I can relate to through my own kids'' experiences and also from teaching HS from 1968-1987.

Thanks DF for starting the thread; it''s been a real *blast from the past*

Isabel,


ha ha ha ha ha. Well, I am glad that I am not the only "old goat" ha ha ha ha ha.

Linda

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/11/2008 2:46:18 AM
Author: MINIMS


bebe, it looks like you and I are the same vintage! And I suspect Dancing Fire wasn't too far behind us !

I went to HS in California though, so there was no dress code by the time I graduated. I think they tried to enforce something about skirt lengths -- they were supposed to be a few inches below your fingertips? -- but I do remember wearing 501s to HS with a (probably recycled) teeshirt. I suspect (I know!) my mother wished there were a dress code though...

nahhh....i ain't that old.

 

[somethingshiny]

Date: 6/11/2008 1:27:12 AM
Author: luckystar112

Date: 6/10/2008 11:38:37 PM

Author: somethingshiny

I graduated in ''98.


Vaguely remember the dark lipliner/light lipstick thing. Lots of flannel, jeans and boots. We didn''t even have a ''popular'' group. With only a hundred kids in the school, you''re all friends.

I''m gonna guess........................94?



If only they''d start airing blossom. WHOA!

Eh hem. Look higher in the post.... Being in the backwoods, trends hit here later than in most places!

I would LOVE to start seeing Blossom again!!

 

[justjulia]

Date: 6/11/2008 12:02:48 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 6/11/2008 8:05:57 AM

Author: justjulia

Farrah hair and ridiculously high platform shoes.

LOL....found my 6'' pair at my dad''s house. i threw it away.should of took a pic of it.

I wish I had pics of mine, too. Long gone...with the rainbow suspenders and macramé purse...

 

[mom2twogirls]

Date: 6/10/2008 9:42:15 PM
Author: diamondfan
I alternated between preppy and a bit more racy.

Dittos sailor jeans and lace ups

Polo

Crew neck pastel sweaters

pink and green together (I had pink loafers with green trim)

Jordache jeans

Lacoste shirts

Tretorn sneakers

Gucci loafers

Tapestry Dior speedy shaped bag

Satin baseball jackets

espadrilles

peasant blouses

tube tops

Dolphin shorts

kork ease wedges

Bonnie Bell lip smackers and roll on lip gloss in Strawberry by Maybelline

Skipper blue eyeliner by Elizabeth Arden

Blue roses lipgloss by Stagelights and Cherries in the Snow lipstick by Revlon

Love''s Baby Soft and Lemon perfume, Jungle Gardenia perfume

I wore my hair in Farrah wings OR french braids.

DF,

What year did you graduate? Yep, I was sporting Farrah wings and when I was nice to my little sister, she would french braid my hair. (I could never do it to my own hair because my arms would get too tired - lol!)

I almost lost it here at work when I read dolphin shorts. Holy crap ... I had a pair of purple and white striped ones. Totally forgot about that (or purposely blocked it from my mind)!

Did anyone go through the "wear your Forenza V-neck sweaters from The Limited backwards" phase?! That was HUGE at our school. What about those Le Sportsac purses? Or those little preppy purses with the wooden handles that you could change the covers??! Hmmmm .... what else? I remember being into Bennetton and my sister worked there, so we took major advantage of her discount. All the hot guys had Members Only jackets. Hilarious!

 

[Fancy605]

For Shoes:
Timberland Boots
GRAY New Balance Sneakers
Old Navy Flip Flops (Which were against dress code, but no one cared, and everyone wore them anyway)

For Book Bags:
Jan Sport (Until columbine, and then we weren''t allowed to have book bags anymore)

And for the Car:
Flowers dangling from the rear-view mirror and Weezer''s Blue CD in the disc Changer.

For Technology:
DVD players were brand new (and everyone had Matrix and Can''t Hardly Wait)
Those little Nokia phones that EVERYONE had up until the creation of the flip phone. And shame on you if you didn''t have a unique phone cover to jazz it up with.

 

[wishful]

Hahaha....
Guess Jeans (tapered or "pegged" of course)
Tretorn sneakers
Beneton clothing
(in winter) Bean Boots (as in L.L. Bean) were a must for the snow.
Aqua Net