Tuesday 5 August 2008

Clothes I have Loved and Lost Part Three: The Mint Stripe Girl


It is Feb 19th 1986. I know this because the picture (one of many that night) was taken on my 20th birthday.
I was in my first year at Bangor University and I had a party in my room at the Hall of Residence where I was staying.
That night there were 30 of us crammed into that tiny room.
By 10pm, 28 went down to the Student Union while I was being very poorly having mixed up Southern Comfort and Merrydown Cider.
One person stayed with me to make sure I was OK.
I had taken an instant dislike to this guy during Fresher's Week mainly because during a tour of the gym he had been training (wearing orange sweat pants and a red vest) when he dropped a weight and swore.
Our tour guide told him off because there were "ladies present."
"They shouldn't be in the gym anyway," was his retort.
My view of him changed after he lay guard on the floor all night watching to make sure I was OK.
If you hadn't already guessed, "reader, I married him."
He later confessed that his comment in the gym had been "a joke."
Three years after that photograph was taken I was a married woman.
Hard to believe isn't it judging by the girliness of it all.
I thought I was so grown up but the pictures on the wall of my friends, family and dog back home together with the pink cushions and fluffy toys tell another story.
But back to the outfit. This is so representative of my wardrobe during the mid eighties - flat shoes, tube skirt, pretty camisole and bangles.
I had skirts like this in orange, green, black and blue which I wore with equally garish sweatshirt-style tops.
But I loved this set. I had bought it during a shopping therapy trip.
My friend said: "The thing I love about you Jane is that when you are depressed because you have no money you go on and make yourself better by buying something to wear."
How true!
Tomorrow: The Purple Dress and the Perm

2 comments:

Stacy Kraus McDonald said...

Hey, I love retail therapy too! It makes everything that day feel a little less bad.

As a retail therapy aside, they are allegedly putting an H&M in next to my office. It's like retail therapy without as much guilt. My wallet is already shaking!

KT said...

Oh Jane, you are the 80's! I love this! Hey, I understand your pain. When I feel bummed about being broke I order something online. I get the initial high from confirming the purchase, the excitement of anticipation waiting for it to arrive and then the thrill of actually getting the box. Then, it starts over again with a new purchase...