That hit me right in the gut. I remember that too, and I loved nothing more than those white t-shirts with the engraving-style illustrations of animals on the back. There was no Banana Republic store in Pensacola (STILL isn't), but when Dad had to go over to New Orleans for work or something, I would beg for a t-shirt from the store down at the bottom of Canal Street. I would love to have some of those today. And remember how the BR catalogs were like little faux-safari journals? I thought that was cool. It was a simple life.
So not only am I that old, I am so old that I used some of the first money I ever earned (by sitting in a cornfield selling corn, but that is a whole 'nother story) to buy the Footloose soundtrack. On vinyl. On that shopping trip I also bought a big pink hobo purse that was made of sweatshirt material and mesh.
I remember the beginning of MTV.
I actually took an electric typewriter to college. TO COLLEGE. It was pretty snazzy because it had a little memory buffer that could remember one line of text and let you edit it. Sadly, it got stolen my first semester because I trustingly left it in the study room. (Like I trustingly left my boombox, pea coat, and rainboots in the study room with the same result.)
I remember going to see E.T. in the theatre, and I remember what I wore. I was like nine, but this is who I am. (Navy polo shirt, khaki shorts, and a skinny red belt.)
I once thought Jeremy Irons was hot. (Dead Ringers, anyone? Who's with me? Guys?)
Okay, let's see what you got, Old Timer.
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I remember when the Beatles broke up. when Seattle had their big earthquake in 1965 (I was walking home from school) and vaguely when JFK was shot. Do I win as the oldest yet?
Man, I loved those BR shirts! I remember when we used to rent movies for the weekend and rent a VCR to bring home too! It was like this mysterious technology or something, and VCRs were far too expensive to buy for ourselves at that point. I remember PicturePages with Bill Cosby (can you get that on dvd?). Those rocked.
Girl please, I drove myself to go see ET. :)
OMG, I could have written your post! Kevin Bacon was sooo dreamy!
Oh, dear. I bet we're about the same age. My Footlose album was a cassette tape though. Cell phones weren't around when I started college. When I finished school a few people had those brick phones, but only for business reasons. I loved Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. I bet I can name all the early MTV VJs. Yikes!
I remember Sesame Street before Elmo.
You're not that old. I say this since I think you're only a couple of years older than me and that would make ME old.
I was trying to buy wine at the grocery store the other day, and the check-out guy asked me for my ID to verify that I was 21, and I was all, "Really? I'm 31." ('Cause I know I should be flattered and all to be seen as youthful-looking, but there is no way I look 19.) And he was all, "OK, if you're 31, who was the first MTV news anchor?" Can you name that anchor? My correct answer enabled me to buy my wine without fishing out my ID.
Oh, and P.S. I loved those BR shirts, and I used to wear them tucked-in and then bloused-out over my pegged Guess jeans. With two pairs of socks scrunched over each other, pink-then-orange on one foot; orange-then-pink on the other foot. While walking to the video store to rent the video and the VCR.
It was that guy....what was his name? Kurt somebody? (I could cheat and google but I ain't gonna.) Kurt Loder?? or did I make that up?
Oh, and Beck--Jeremy Irons...not so sure about hot. Handsome in a reedy, Brit sorta way.
Um...you mean Banana Republic sells something else now?
Clearly I have early onset senility, because I should remember all those things too but don't. Or possibly I just haven't had enough coffee yet.
Veronica, thank you for reminding me of pegged jeans and tucking them into my socks. A great look with the 'claw' hairdo, don't you think?
Video Killed The Radio Star. Greatest American Hero tv show.
My prom earrings were giant clear plastic rings from The Limited.
Captain Kangaroo.
When cartoons were only on Saturday mornings and very special occasions.
I have to say I went and looked at what everyone had to say over at Finslippy and went down memory lane for about 30 minutes. When I was in elem school they still showed Wizard of Oz and Sound of Music in the theaters. I smuggled in my red Panasonic tape recorder and recorded the songs. Favorite gifts my brother and I enjoyed were Spirograph and Battling Tops. On car trips we'd sit in seat in back of station wagon and give everyone we saw the "Peace" sign (two fingers held up).
--Michele in Atlanta
Michele, it's you and me, kid! I remember when we all lined up at school for polio vaccines on sugar cubes and I have a very very vague memory of practicing getting under our desks in case of nuclear and/or Cuban attacks. I also remember canvassing the neighborhood for an empty cigar box to take to school as a pencil/supply box. Moving up to the 1980/90s, I remember when Pier 1 sold hippie clothes and somebody said, "Of course you'll never be able to play those CD things in the car!" Ah, memories!
Yep, we have some clear winners! Though my dad threatened to get on here and tell everyone that he remembers Bob Keshian before he was Captain Kangaroo. (Apparently he had a role on Howdy Doody.) I told him that that was the dawn of recorded history.
And Veronica, clearly that era has such a powerful hold on me that your outfit seems totally reasonable! I used to have a crush on Kurt Loder too.
Ooh! And I just read that Zac Efron is going to play the Kevin Bacon character in the new Footloose. It's all part of the circle of life.
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