By Lori Ferraro
Below is a page from my diary, dated December 25, the year was 1987.
Ladies – how many of you woke up to find one of these blasts from the past under your tree?
Yes, those hot, chunky cable knit roll neck sweaters from The Limited. I even had my senior picture taken in my favorite, a Peptol Bismol pink number.
2. An Outback Red turtleneck.
Again, from The Limited. Outback Red was a hot brand back in ’87 – I remember this was a mock turtleneck in a pretty shade of red. I would wear it with my “Z Cavaricci” brown pants, gold corkscrew earrings and a red scrunchy in my hair. THAT was a sweet ensemble.
3. An “Axcess” watch.
This was my favorite watch ever. Gold face with a cutout that had a sun and moon that changed as it went from day to night. It felt all classy and grown up.
4. Benetton outfit.
I remember this “outfit” consisted of a bright Kelley green top and stretchy elastic-waist white pants. Two words – Not. Flattering. I didn’t really care how it looked on me, I just loved it was from Benetton – on sale, marked way, way waaay down . . . the only way I could ever talk my mom into anything from that store.
5. Colors Perfume.
And I wanted to smell like benetton too – all sixteen year old girls wore this is 1987 – I think it was the law. I can picture that bottle on my white dresser and remember how I would admire it before I fell asleep.
This was one of those “roll” bags, that kind of looked like a barrel or a log. It was light gray and really soft. It was a pretty little bag.
7. “another Liz Claiborne etc.”
This purse was white with brown trim, plastic-y and stiff to the touch. You can kinda tell I was pretty much over the Liz Claiborne thing at this point, like great, ANOTHER one . . .
8. A BOYFRIEND.
Jason. He came over last night and today. He asked if I wanted to “GO WITH HIM” (where?) He’s sweet. He’s gorgeous.
A good Christmas, and a good haul, right?
I’m hoping the following Christmas Santa brought me some self-esteem because obviously I had zero, with my “he-seems-to-really-like-me-a lot-and-I-have-no-idea-why” attitude, yeesch.
I do love having this ridiculous record of what happened on that Christmas morning. I can see that Benetton outfit and feel that Forenza sweater, remember the pretty smell of the perfume and how cool I thought that watch was.
The picture of that Christmas/time in my life is seen more clearly thanks to what I was carrying/smelling like/dating/wearing.