Oh, hello there 1980! Good to see you again

Suzanne Somers sold separately


I had sort of an 80s weekend, complete with an actual hair perm (which only sounds 80s…I will look beach-sexy I swear!!!), dinner at a restaurant where the prices were so low it was probably just like fine dining in the 80s (SCORE!) and I stayed at my friend’s parents house that was filled with EBAY-worthy electronics.


A dream machine!! Duran Duran anyone?

My parents completely renovated the New Orleans house I grew up in after Hurricane Katrina — not that it was flooded out, but what better time than any? — and all the 80s/early 90s electronics were removed, including computer screens, telephones and the Betamax player.

BETAMAX! Thrice removed from being relevant! It was what you watched movies on before being replaced by VHS players before being replaced by DVD players.
(By the way, if you don’t know what “Be Kind, Rewind" means, you are too young to read this blog.)

This weekend, on a road trip to a small, northwest town in South Carolina, I was reminded of a more simple time when TVs had curved edges and digital clocks only displayed slashed numbers in red.

I was in town to get my hair permed, which sounds odd but JUST YOU WAIT SERIOUSLY, and my two friends and twin sister, Joy, accompanied me on the three-hour trip. We stayed at our guy friend’s parents' house, who were not there that weekend, but let us sleep there anyway. Sweeeeet.

We checked out all of our friends' baby pictures on the wall, including his sports "hall of fame" bookshelf chock full of trophies and medals.

Another 80s flashback: a soccer team photo, a single picture above a group shot below. I know this montage well; I played cabbage ball growing up and I’ve got pictures just like it.

“Pose with one knee up, kids!” the photographer would say. “It’s more professional that way! On three, up you go!”

Perhaps the photographer didn’t notice the white daisy dukes that these players in particular were forced to wear, and I kind of felt like a creep for noticing.
But seriously, do they even make those shorts anymore? For Richard Simmons maybe?


Yes, we do think his big ears are cute

I marveled at all these old school items in the house and then came upon something near and dear to my heart, an old school razor, the same kind as the first one I ever used to shave my legs when I was…what, 10? 11?

I remember Joy and I were so EAGER to shave our legs and we would BEG BEG BEG our mom to let us use her razor, and we were told NO, NO, NO (typical.)

One year for Christmas, our mom got us each a razor and shaving cream and we felt so COOL. Because when you’re 10 or 11, anything hot pink and turquoise is cool.


Jonathan Taylor Thomas....call me!!

The only thing that could have made the shower experience better is if there was a bottle of some old school Herbal Essences Shampoo.

Throw in a mid-drift top, choker necklace and a purple Jansport backpack and we’re in business.
Perm sold separately.

-Jenny