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Sunday 10 August 2014

1985

Here I am, aged 14, in 1985 at my friend Kelly's house (who kindly sent me this picture the other day):


By this point in my life, I was in denial about being a girl. I was a tomboy through and through, and only grew out of it in my early 20s. The look on my face had been the go-to expression for every photo since the late 1970s, It would continue until the late 1990s, when I decided to prove again to the world that I indeed, did have a set of teeth.

I remember this photo and the day on which it was taken, even though it's been almost 30 years. Life was a small, localised affair then. There was no internet. No mobile phones. We hung out with friends. We spoke on the telephone.

And, fashion was obviously different then too. No online shopping. My wardrobe in 1985 consisted of hand-me-downs from my big sister Tanya, the odd new purchase (necessities mostly), and things I managed to save up for using my pocket money. The following year I got my first after-school job which changed everything on the fashion front for me. By the late 80s/early 90s, more fashion labels were starting up in New Zealand. In 1994 I was shopping up a storm in London.

The outfit I'm wearing is a quite wonderful example of sporty-chic. Since Kelly sent me this photo I have been reminiscing about my 1980s wardrobe. On this particular day in 1985, I wore a blue satin baseball jacket. This, from memory, was gifted to my sister by a friend's older sibling just returned from overseas, and I acquired it somehow. The red pants are authentic Adidas track pants, complete with under-foot stirrups. And the trainers are Adidas Oregon in white and silver: my first-ever 'proper' running shoes. I had them on layby for weeks and I treasured them, until they fell apart.

How, I wonder, would I style this outfit nowadays?


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