I think those were only in fashion for a brief period spanning about the second half of 1989 through the end of 1990… at any rate, they didn’t appear until toward the end of my jr. year in high school, and were long gone by the time I hit college in 1991, or at least nobody wore them in college anyway.
I guess people in backwaters may have worn them up through the mid-90s though. I looked through my friend’s tiny rural Iowa hick town 1994 highschool yearbook once- it was like some weird time capsule to mid-high school for me… but it was 6 years later! His 1994 graduating class stuff was what we’d worn in 1988 or so.
What were those baggy-ass, brightly colored shorts and pants called? Jams? Those things were inexplicably popular, despite being colossally stupid looking even then. Now only middle-aged bodybuilder types and Hulk Hogan wear them.
40-some years ago, when I was junior high age, Bobbie Brooks was the height of fashion in my area. They went out of style, were bought by Garan and ended up as a plus size line in Walmart and now Dollar General.
“Dribble off those Bobbie Brooks, let me do what I please” Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp
Army-Navy, carried by A&N stores. I think they were just in the Mid-Atlantic states, but I bought a lot of clothes there. It wasn’t really military affiliated, but they were cheap and reasonably well made.
Were these the ones that were also called “chukka boots” with the soft crepe-y soles? Those were all the rage when I was in grade school (mid 70s). I loved mine!
Actually, a quick GIS shows me that desert boots are the same as chukka boots, but the ones I’m referring to were called “wallabees” (I misremembered wallabees/desert boots/chukkas as being the same thing).
Does anyone else fondly remember “waffle stompers”? You can’t find them anymore–I’ve looked! No particular brand, but they were brown suede hiking boots with waffle soles and red laces. I discovered I still have an old pair that still fit, but again in grade school these were the “must have” boot for both boys and girls.
We called those “Grebs” and they were big when I was in Grade 3, IIRC.
It looks like Swatch is still around - I found my old Swatch Watch and next time I go to Vegas I plan to take it to their store at Caesar’s Palace and get it working again. Those were the thing to have when I was 13.
“One brand I used to wear off-the-rack back in the day was Gloria Vanderbilt. I know that her couture line is still available, but I never see her pret a porter anymore. Maybe I’m just not paying attention, though.”
It looks like some stores still sell her jeans, but not nearly in the volume they sold in the 70s-80s (long past my high school days, but who’s counting?) Damn, I LOVED that brand, best fitting jeans I’ve ever worn, before or since. I used to call them “Glorious FannyBuilts”.
*“No Fear - At first, it was huge in various racing crowds because you had to know someone to get the clothing. Then, it became more mainstream and the death knell sounded when it was picked up by a major retailer. I believe they were sold off to a manufacturer with several brands, but they’ve lost their caché…”
*
Yep, they sold them at Road America in the 80s. Good times…
I adored my waffle stompers. My mother would always make nasty comments because she “knew” they shouldn’t be worn with shorts. About the only time I would take them off my feet the summer of '73, was to go swimming.
Wallabees was the popular brand name, chukka was the style. Many brands offered chukkas. It just appeared to be a new spin on my beloved waffle stompers to me.
I have a shirt that I got from Target several years ago with Maggie Simpson and “baby got back” on it. I usually wear it to bed though or under a sweater.
I saw someone wearing a Bart Simpson button down the other day. The person (can’t remember if it was a man or a woman) pulled it off surprisingly well.
How about Banana Republic t-shirts? In the second half of the 80s, about the time Coca-Cola labeled shirts were also popular, you just had to have one of those BR t-shirts with the engraved wildlife illustration on the back. As usual, by the time I got one, it was passe.
I don’t remember the T-shirts, but I really miss the old-style BR catalog. I didn’t realize until many years later that they were copying the J. Peterman style (I get that one in the mail now) but I used to love the hand-drawn illustrations that made the clothes and accessories look so much cooler than mere photographs.
