Another in our regular series about growing up in a different decade… Anna describes being a teen in the 1980s!
Anna says:
I was so uncool, it hurts for me to think back to the 1980s. My music choices were confined to Abba and Howard Jones and I knew nothing about the mind-blowing music scene that formed the backdrop to so many of my friends' lives at the time. I was baffled by the girls who sported perms or peroxide, spiky hair, and as for the clothes I wore… my daughter can't believe what she has seen when flicking through my old photos. 'You looked more like a forty-five year old then than you do today!' she once howled.
It's true. My style icon (if I can go so far as to say I had one) was Princess Diana. And even in that I was what my kids would call an 'epic fail'. My carefully flicked hair owed more to your average supermarket closed-cup mushroom than it did to the style sported by the People's Princess, and my wardrobe was more middle aged than royal fashionista. with billowing skirts, oversized shirts with the collars turned up, fake pearls and huge belts.
The truth is, I didn't care. I spent most of my time in my room, writing in my diary, reading and dreaming of being a writer. And if I wasn't doing that, I was playing piano or saxophone, working my way through music grades and playing in school bands. Nothing cool there either, though - my favourite music was jazz and swing.
I suppose my past nerdiness hasn't done me much harm; I did go on to become a writer, so I realized my dream. But I do sometimes look at the fun my own teenagers and their friends are having now and think it's a shame I didn't have more fun, especially with fashion. I quite fancy pink hair and piercings. Do you think it's too late to try that out now?
Cathy says:
Great post… Anna Wilson's book Summer's Shadow is well worth a read… you can find more about it here… https://acwilsonwriter.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/new-book-out-this-week/ . Would YOU have liked being a teen in the 1980s? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!
I was so uncool, it hurts for me to think back to the 1980s. My music choices were confined to Abba and Howard Jones and I knew nothing about the mind-blowing music scene that formed the backdrop to so many of my friends' lives at the time. I was baffled by the girls who sported perms or peroxide, spiky hair, and as for the clothes I wore… my daughter can't believe what she has seen when flicking through my old photos. 'You looked more like a forty-five year old then than you do today!' she once howled.
The truth is, I didn't care. I spent most of my time in my room, writing in my diary, reading and dreaming of being a writer. And if I wasn't doing that, I was playing piano or saxophone, working my way through music grades and playing in school bands. Nothing cool there either, though - my favourite music was jazz and swing.
I suppose my past nerdiness hasn't done me much harm; I did go on to become a writer, so I realized my dream. But I do sometimes look at the fun my own teenagers and their friends are having now and think it's a shame I didn't have more fun, especially with fashion. I quite fancy pink hair and piercings. Do you think it's too late to try that out now?
Cathy says:
Great post… Anna Wilson's book Summer's Shadow is well worth a read… you can find more about it here… https://acwilsonwriter.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/new-book-out-this-week/ . Would YOU have liked being a teen in the 1980s? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!
I think I would have liked being a teenager in the 1980s for the music: I like nothing better than to blast my Ultravox LPs and I even had brightly coloured spikey hair (and neon coloured braces to go with them) when I was a pre-teen.
ReplyDeleteHELP!!!! I know this is such an inappropriate time but I need advice and fast.There is a disco on this Friday and I am going, but my enemy is going too and is set up with the guy I like( I really REALLY like him). I want to make a move but I am afraid she will think I only did it to annoy her. Please help I am desperate.
ReplyDeleteP.S. She doesn't even like him, they only reason they are set up is her friend likes his friend :( Clare
Why should you care what your enemy thinks? Don't let someone who you don't even like hold you back. If you like this guy, go for it. After all, if you don't make a move, she might get together with him, and imagine how bad you'd feel then! Tell this guy how you feel, while you still can. Good luck!
DeleteThank you that's all I needed, some no nonsense advice.
DeleteClare :)
Anna, it's never too late to experiment with fashion - if you want pink hair and piercings, go for it! Also, you're great with words but that's hardly surprising as you ARE a writer. I laughed at your comparison of your hairstyle to a mushroom! Best comparison I can find for my hair is Sonic the Hedgehog... *grumble, mutter*
ReplyDeleteHey Clare
ReplyDeleteI suggest u still go to the disco. Just ignore your enemy and go easy with the boy, if u know him (the boy) well enough joke and mess around as he will probably like a fun girl! I'm sure through time u will get closer and who knows what next....lol....
Oh and good luck of course at the disco
ReplyDeleteLove D :)
Thank you I will
DeleteAlso thanks for the advice
Clare :)