well, I think this is just like, the best. one. ever. a seventh grade me, a 1984 new wave wannabe me (and so obviously, so very very sadly failing). even though I had no real idea what new wave meant or what punk rock was all about, I knew enough to know I wanted in. polka-dotted tees from the mall (with matching turquoise hoop earrings from claire's boutique, natch) do not exactly radiate new wave-- omg, NOT EVEN CLOSE but holy flourescent jellies, people. I was trying. I listened to my k-tel new wave compilation record album on the daily desperately hoping to absorb any coolness that might be seeping out of the brown speakers and into the air around me. the waitresses, haircut 100, bow wow wow-- I would gladly lay down on any grimy thrift store floor and cry salty-sweet tears of joy if I found this album again. you think I'm joking, but I am not. I lovingly remember how it was grey flecked with various stylishly bright-colored triangles all over it and photos of the offending bands on the back. in the far out world of thrifting, this would be my white whale.
today, I am choosing to embrace the lazy-lidded junior high me. and I will be humming I know what boys like for many, many hours (maybe even days) to come. sadly, I knew what boys liked. even at the tender age of thirteen.
the photobooth friday cats, I do so love them:
jesC
scrumdillyumscious
leSophie
sewn with gold threads
the whole self
lovegreendog
woof nanny
acumamkiki
anatomist
velvet vox
a.stray
Ooh, I love a challenge. Do you for sure want the record versus a CD version? What's the album title? I'll keep an eye out.
ReplyDeleteI love this and even though you didn't think you were new-wave cool, you look it now, oh yes you do!
ReplyDeleteI love the Waitresses and I have my most favorite Waitresses song bought from I Tunes, Christmas Wrapping. If you don't know it, you should. (=
heh heh - but see you grew into the coolesst EVER!
ReplyDeletei don't think i can show a photo of myself circa 1984. it would be too scary.
but bow wow wow. OH YES! yes yes!
Hee - so adorable! Oh, the memories - Blondie, Adam Ant, Stray Cats, Wang Chung, The Fixx, Flock of Seagulls, Depeche Mode, INXS, Violent Femmes, Sparks, The Specials... I'll shut up now. But, wow. The memories.
ReplyDeletebetween my mom and i ,we had like every color hoop earring. we always had the earrings to match. wow.
ReplyDeletethe 80's may have been the whole family's best decade - i have an aunt who still sports "feathered" hair. for me , i was hung up/in love with leg warmers.
aw so cute :) You totally have "i know what boys like" in my head now! oh no!
ReplyDeletethis is one of best! but you were wearing turquoise, my favorite!
ReplyDeletejust like lisa, i could never show a picture of me back then either.
I'm laughing so hard right now...with you (not at you)! I had an eighties facination with turquoise, too. I was so obliviously queer at age 10, I insisted on decorating my bedroom using ONLY black, white, and turquoise. It was hideous...what was I thinking?
ReplyDeleteHoly flourescent jellies! Oh this picture rules! Claires Boutique... Amy and I spent some mad babysitting money there!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are always the best and your writing charms me!
Don't drink, don't smoke--what dooo you do?
ReplyDeleteomg, becky that IS the album....!!! I had completely forgotten that it was called 'the beat'... how could I forget that? reading the list of songs was so wild, it's all coming back to me... thank you so much! should be easier to do the searches on ebay now... yippeeeeee! you have rocked my casbah today, sister.
ReplyDeleteand thank you to everyone for the lovely comments! xo
barb-- didn't know the title of the album before but now I do (thanks to anatomist!)... I'll die if you find 'the beat', cd OR record album form...!
acumamakiki-- oh yes, I know that tune...and love it. :)
lisa-- I bet you were fab in 1984!
teri-- oh, I know, I KNOW! all of those bands/artists-- violent femmes, the cure... I LOVED blondie! memories, indeed.
lovegreendog-- ah, legwarmers. one of my favorite trends too! I had these very awesome baby pink ones made by capezio. I thought I was IT.
zabs-- sorry! still stuck in your head? I've always heard that your supposed to sing 'the flintstones' to clear your head. tee hee
jan-- yeah, and I know YOU were awesome in 1984 too... just like lisa. :)
justin-- you are so funny. I would have liked to seen that room. I bet I would've thought it was RAD.
jesc-- ah, babysitting money. no better way to spend it than at claires on cheap accessories...
marigoldie-- omg, remember that video? so hideously good.
This photo is EPIC! Girlfriend, you know we wuz tryin so hard in 84! Somewhere, I know there is a photobooth pic of myself with some kind of folded up bandana around my neck and way too much blusher on. I would love to find it.Thanks for sharing this gloriously retro gem! K-Tel rocks! Did you ever have the "Breakin" album? OMG!!!
ReplyDeletepoetmama, I KNEW you would appreciate this... I almost called you to tell you I'd posted it! I know we didn't meet until high school, but still. I knew you'd dig it. I see you in that bandana, girl. how could I forget about the bandanas around the neck? and I you know I loved me some cover girl blusher (purchased at wal-mart, natch). dig deep, sister because I've got to see that photobooth snapshot. and YES! I had the breakin' album! and beat street too! do you remember that one? I was so all over the map. so into new wave but down for breakdancing too. ah, the 80s.
ReplyDeleteI'm also working on finding this album. This should bring back some more memories. (click on my name)
ReplyDelete