Monday, April 7, 2008

Old Brand Names (and Amanda too)




So here we are, just at about 32 weeks pregnant. Doesnt Amanda look great? Also, isnt it so attractive to see Thomas licking his hindparts next to the fire? Its like a Currier and Ives photo!


Tonight we had our fourth class (and we are halfway through the child birth course we are taking . . .thank God). Its just so much at once that its hard to take it all in (thats what she . . .) Tonight we got a tour of the maternity ward upstairs at Thayer Hospital, where we'll be having the little guy. The rooms are so nice--almost like hotel rooms--and there is a whirlpool bath in each one. Maybe I'll let Amanda use it too! After Amanda gives birth, we move into an even nicer (less "hospitally") room that is perfect for nannie, papa Goldsmith, Babs, Grammy and Gramps Willard, and all the family to come and see our latest addition. There is track lighting also (Tim: a smoove B style reference for you. . .).


It was beautiful out today--almost 54 degrees--and I took my first "real" outdoor run of the season; its a lot different than the treadmills I do mostly in the winter. While outside, I also started to take an assessment of all the damage done by old man Winter during the past few months. Our driveway looks disgraceful--and we just had it done less than a year and a half ago. STEVE VIOLETTE PAVING did it, and everyone should stay the hell away from him. He sucks. Heaves and cracks speckle most of the driveway and walkway; I even had him out to look at it last March (he just did it the previous November) and he gave me no satisfaction. Just a terrible, terrible job done by him and his company. I digress . . . .


So I was thinking today (for some unknown reason) about when I was younger (I'm thinking middle school and junior high) and you were basically placed into a caste system by what types of clothing labels you wore. Today, as I teach at a high school, brand names and labels still prevail (Abercrombie and Crap, American Crap, etc), but there seems to be so much less of a big deal made if kids arent dressed in the latest fashions. And I think that is good. Kids come to school in pretty much anything, and its fine. But do you remember these labels? I wore some, and some I stayed away from. Jay was a follower and wore pretty much all of these. What can you add/comment to on this list?


Stussy-what the hell was this? Just weird cursive writing on a hat. Silly-pickle faces


No Fear-Worn mostly by the kids with the smallest penises who were hoping you'd provoke them to fight you so they could compensate for their small penises.


Vuarnet- A shirt from France. They made sunglasses. And that was about it. I had two. France sucks.


Panama Jack-Worn by the future "Parrothead" generation who would take their dad's explorer and go to "Great Woods" to see Buffet. And then they'd go to Craig Paris's house after.


Z Cavaricci-For all the latent metrosexuals who wanted to wear stylish jeans. I had a pair. God knows why. I remember when I got them at Filenes Basement


Cotler- This (and the next two) defined my pre-middle school wardrobe. Mostly because they were the brand names carried by "Rochelle's," which was this kid's clothing store in Mansfield. The four words I most loathed to hear during my formative years: "We're going to Rochelle's."


Bugle Boy- "Are those Bugle Boy jeans you're wearing?" YES. "Oh . . I thought so." (the car speeds away)


Gotcha-Wasnt this first a movie about a kid with a paintball gun or something? And then they turned it into a clothing line? Or something? Did I miss this? I dont get it.


Marithe and Francois Girbaud- I dont care if I spelled it wrong. More French crap worn by the trendy rich kids in my school--They'd usually wear these jeans with those funky-Jamaican style-colorfully mottled-burlap belt thingies


Pony- Old school sneakers. Jamie Hamilton wore them.


Hobie-I think they made surf boards. I had some Hobie stuff. It was cool because it had neat cartoon graphics on it. I remember there was one shirt with a picture of a dragon surfing.


**I asked Amanda to make a list of the labels she remembers . . . .here's her list**


umbro

samba (or the samba classic)

sassoon

gitano

british knight

chic

guess

L.A Gear


###by the way Belle, how come you never comment anymore???

10 comments:

Belle said...

Hi Belle is back!

Here are some brand names I remember: Forenza, Outback Red, O.P. (Ocean Pacific) this was big especially down the Jersey shore, Yes, Umbro & I.O.U.

You guys might not remember those brands since I'm a bit older than you but they were big in the 80's.

I haven't commented lately because the Mainers have been keeping me busy and Emma seems to have acquired a very busy social life in the last couple of days. Don't worry your both still my favorite!!!!Cant wait for the bean!!!!

Maher said...

What about Champion sweatshirts?

Anonymous said...

yeah . . .champion sweatshirts . . .but they had to be "reverse weave" ones. Also, the Champion socks were in as well; we'd "peg" our pants just high enough so others could see the "c" on our socks. fun.

Anonymous said...

Remember Hyper Color Sweatshirts?

Anonymous said...

Here's one for the organic, Maine kids.

WBLM (radio station) apparel.

All the cool kids would buy 'BLM' shirts and those crappy canvas belts.

They'd buy them at "Levines" on Main St. in Waterville.

The store was at the south, west end of Main St. I believe the building now houses pimps, hookers, theives and Thomas College students.


Ok, I'm changing the subject to Central Maine stores in the 80's.

We had a place called "Poore Simons". (yes, they put an 'e' at the end)

You'd shop there in lieu of the Maine Mall. Now it's a Planet Fitness - ironic.

We also had an "International Male" shop where Subway used to be on Main St. in Waterville.

When you're 17 in 1987...that place was about as cool as it gets.

Anonymous said...

Eric -- I still have a pair of Poore Simon's courderoy pants!

Anonymous said...

Are you saying my Starter jacket isn't still in style?

Unknown said...

Easily one of your best posts Ja.

Smoove B reference acknowledged and appreciated.

It's especially funny that you bring this up on the same day that someone at work made a reference to the old Herman's Sporting Goods at the Village Mall in Canton.

My clothing from 5th to 10th grade was limited to Marshall's and TJ Maxx (or as my mom would call it, JT Maxx).

In 11th grade I made the move to Structure, only to watch it evolve into a gay men's clothing store while we were in college. Some harbinger I was for that chain.

Other late 80s/early 90s brands:

SKIDZ - pajamas that somehow passed as everyday wear. People who wore these probably later on went to UVM and UMaine (sorry Reverend!).

Spotbilt - shoes for aspiring gym teachers, personal trainers and umpires.

Any jersey from the most recently established professional sports expansion team - Sharks, Rockies, Marlins etc. People who wore these later on grew up to be 8th grade History teachers in central Massachusetts.

Anonymous said...

what about b.u.m. equipment and body glove?

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