Welcome back to Throwback Thursday. Lauren picked a great topic last week – I enjoyed everyone’s responses. I am back this week to explore how we developed our personal sense of style. If you want to join in, it’s easy:
- Write your own post sharing your memories and leave a pingback to this post in the comments.
- You can use the photo above in your post to make it easier to find.
- Tag it with #TBTMemory or #IRememberWhen.
- If you do not wish to write your own post, feel free to tell your story in the comments below.
This week’s prompt is: Sense of Style
This week we are revisiting our foray into fashion and how you learned to express yourself through your outward appearance and adornments.
You might consider some of these points and questions when you write. There is no right or wrong way to approach this. Just tell us about your style – this is for girls and guys!
At what age did you become concerned about the clothes you wore? Did you get hand-me-downs or new clothes? Were any of your clothes made by hand? If so, by whom? Were you allowed to select your own clothes and assemble your own ensembles? At what age did you start buying your own wardrobe?
What fashion fads did you adopt? Did you have certain colors you loved to wear? Were you of the hippie generation of perhaps a child of the 1980s? What was the wildest or craziest outfit you ever wore?
What about jewelry? Did you have piercings? Were they done by you or by others? What jewelry fads so you remember?
Now think about your hairstyles. What cuts did you sport? Did you ever color your hair? Did you try to alter your hair in any other way (cutting, ironing, shaving, curling)?
How has your taste changed over the years?
Feel free to share photos if it helps illustrate your look. Have fun!
My post follows:
My first step into the fashion world was making clothes for my Barbie. Let’s just say she was not on the best dressed list.
I was the youngest of four siblings. By the time my parents had raised three other children, they had relaxed the reins a lot with me. However, being the youngest of three girls meant I got a lot of hand-me-downs.

I do not remember a lot about the clothes I wore when I was very young. I do remember wearing saddle shoes in first grade. I also remember the first time I was made to feel bad about something I wore. I was in grade school and wore black patent leather shoes to school with white lace-topped socks. One of the more well-to-do girls made a fuss in front of all my friends about how you should never wear socks with shoes like those – it should have been nylons. We were kids and I never knew anyone my age that had ever worn nylons.
When white Go-Go boots came out, I wanted a pair so bad! They were all the rage, but it was not to be. I had to love them from a distance. Several girls had ear piercing sleepovers where girls took turns piercing each other’s ears. I was not brave enough! I did however, find some pierced looking screw back earrings that allowed me to fake pierced ears.

I started to develop my fashion sense when I started junior high – 7th grade. I grew my hair long as an act of rebellion against all the pixie haircuts forced on me as a kid. I dreamed of being a Breck girl – they had the most beautiful hair!
My parents bought my clothes, but I was allowed to pick what I liked as long as it was in the budget. Most of our clothes were similar to others in our age group. I had empire dresses, short skirts, bell bottoms and yes – hot pants! We sewed colorful patches of peace signs, smiley faces, LOVE, Grateful Dead Bears, Snoopy as a Hippie, Keep on Truckin logos, etc. All over our jeans. I took the hems out of my jeans and fringed the ends to have at least a half an inch fringe on the ends.
I joined the Air Force right out of high school. In basic training, you must follow a very strict protocol in the way in which you dress. There is a great sense of freedom when you can start wearing ‘civies’ again. Since my room, board, and clothes were all provided, all my money was mine to spend as I saw fit. I spent a lot of it on clothes and jewelry. I had the best wardrobe of my life.
My style was bolero jackets, huge bell bottoms and elephant leg pants, peasant blouses, crushed velour, halter tops, mini skirts, distressed jeans, snake arm bands, rings, long dangling earrings platform shoes, and long straight hair. Definitely a child of the 70s.
When I divorced at 22, I rebelled by cutting my very long hair and getting my ears pierced. I was such a rebel! Today you would find me in jeans or sweats most of the time. My fashion sense today is all about creature comfort.
Written as part of Linda Hill’s JusJoJan.
Prompt word today (protocol) submitted by John from The Sound of One Hand Typing.
An interesting reminiscence!
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Pursuits of youth, Peter!
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Great post and fun to read 🤣🤣
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I am glad you enjoyed, it Willow. It was fun to write.
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I can see that ☺️
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💕
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💜💜
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I remember those Breck Girl ads. My goal was to have hair like a Breck Girl, but I fell short of the goal. I remember Landlubber jeans with huge bells and I remember wearing a Levi denim jacket. I also remember roach clip earrings. They were stylish as well as practical for those moments when a joint burned down to the nub. Not that I bought them for their practical purpose, of course. For me they were a fashion choice.
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I had forgotten about the denim jacket, Ally. I think most of us had them. I also remember roach clip jewelry, although I was never one to experiment with drugs or alcohol much. The Breck girls had such beautiful hair, but that was never to be my claim to fame either!
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As we are the same age Maggie the majority of your fashion themes are familiar to me. I never knew about Breck girls though. Gosh, I think I could write volumes on this topic. It evokes so many memories. I’ll be back later ( it’s 6 am) to write my reply. Thanks for the prompt.
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I look forward to reading it. As always, I edited my memories so it would not be too long to read!
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Here’s my effort Maggie.
https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/2022/01/13/throwback-thursday-21/
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I left a message on your post.
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Thanks Maggie!
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Thank you for sharing such a great post, Di!
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My pleasure
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When I read about this challenge I remembered a post I had written last year as part of JusJoJan. I thought it would fit your category.
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I left a message on your post.
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You inspired me Maggie here is mine .
,
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I left a comment on your post.
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I was aware of fashion from a young age. The Singing Sixties in London more or less made it mandatory to try to look ‘cool’ once you were a teenager. But in my circle of friends, we placed a lot of emphasis on looking ‘sharp’. Smart suits, narrow ties, pin-through or button-down shirt collars, waistcoats under short jackets called ‘bum-freezers’, and always well-polished, smart leather shoes.
Luckily, I lived in a part of London where stolen goods were readily available, so had a good supply of stolen suit material and expensive shoes, all bought by my dad at a fraction of the real price. He would then take me to his tailor near London Bridge, and the suits would be made to measure. I remember at the age of just 15, I had five different suits and matching accessories.
Now I have dog-walking clothes, lots of pairs of shorts, and just one navy blue suit to wear at weddings or funerals. How times change with age. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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*Swinging Sixties* Typo.
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Wow, Pete! Custom clothes and suits at the age of 15! You must have really looked the part of ‘man about town. I don’t know the term pin-through and I am curious what a bum-freezer looks like. I think all our wardrobes pare down dramatically in retirement.
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This is a bum-freezer explanation..
http://thehistorymanatlarge.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-bum-freezer-from-attic.html
Pin through collars sat high on the neck, and had rounded edges. The ‘pin’ was a wide bar with a screw connected stud at one end. Once your tie was done up, you lifted the knot, and slid the pin in place. When screwed in, it kept the tie knot high, and hard against the top button. It wasn’t very comfortable, but highly fashionable. 🙂
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How interesting, Pete. I vaguely remember my father having the pins for his shirts, but I do not ever recall him wearing them. They do sound uncomfortable. The link about the bum-freezers makes sense now. Thank you.
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https://www.deoveritas.com/blog/mens-club-collar/ The pin-through is the second photo. 🙂
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Oooh, that does look rather uncomfortable. I do not like anything tight around my neck. I would have hated wearing a tie and this looks worse!
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It was! 🙂 (Slave to fashion, but not for long.)
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Do you have photos of 15 year old Pete donning a suit?
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I will try to find one, Maggie.
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I have sent one to your email magcindy. 🙂
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I just responded, Pete.
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Thank you, I saw your reply. 🙂
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https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.wordpress.com/2022/01/13/throwback-thursday-blog-hop-1-13-2022/ is my link. Interesting subject! Thanks Maggie!
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I left a comment on your post, Melanie.
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Addendum post: https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.wordpress.com/2022/01/14/throwback-thurs-addendum/
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I left a comment on your post, Melanie.
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This was a fun topic! We had a lot of similar memories. I remember those pixie haircuts, and the jeans with patches and embroidery all over them!
Here’s my entry:
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I have to share this with my wife, Maggie. I’ve heard many of these terms in stories she has told.
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Share ahead, Dan. Style is such an personal expression. I could have added stories about the men in my life. They were also very stylish and in many cases early trend setters.
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I left a comment on your post, Fandango.
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I hadn’t thought about doll fashions. I did love the fashions in my Barbie and Sindy catalogues although I had very few of them. Today my fashion dolls are better dressed than I am but I don’t mind because they look better in fancy clothes than I do.
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My handmade Barbie clothes were a mess, but I tried! We could not afford all the clothes.
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I left a comment on your post.
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I left a comment on your blog.
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I am headed over to read now.
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