Anne Glamore, writer of My Tiny Kingdom, is hosting a carnival on Fridays called (drum roll) Flashback Fridays! Today’s theme is Feeling Red White and Blue.
This is me circa 1973, an aspiring 13-year-old hippie, feeling all red, white and blue. I know. Take a minute to blink several times and try to scrape the image off the inside of your eyelids.
In those days, we were all excited about the impending bi-centennial celebration which was a mere three years away. In central Illinois, there wasn’t a whole lot to look forward to.
The pants came from K-Mart, but the mop fringe was my idea. I added it myself. It really takes the outfit to the next level of patriotic cool, don’t you think? I think the shirt actually belonged to my brother who was obviously every bit as cool as I was.
Not much has changed for me since the Nixon administration. I’m still a patriotic dork with bad hair, a closet full of questionable fashion choices and a love of fringe. Only now I have the means to broadcast it to the world.
Here are a few fun facts from 1973:
Top song: Crocodile Rock by Elton John (I had the 45, I was that cool.)
Best New Artist: Bette Midler
Top Movies: The Exorcist, The Sting, American Graffiti (good year for film)
Academy Awards Best Actor: Jack Lemmon (my favorite actor)
Top TV Shows: All In The Family and The Waltons (America is clearly bi-polar)
* * *
Pop over to Anne’s place and enjoy another flashback – hopefully one that won’t traumatize your retinas — or join the fun and do one of your own!
Shelly W. says:
Oh so cute. Love the “new level of patriotic cool”! That is funny! I remember those days well.
BTW, where in Central Illinois did you grow up? I was a farm girl from Illinois, so I’m curious.
January 16th, 2009 at 9:24 am
chilihead says:
Wow. That is all.
***
chilihead, clearly you are in awe of my cool and have been rendered speechless. It happens. ;0
January 16th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Anne Glamore says:
We clearly need to revive the mop fringe look.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Jill says:
I had some pants that looked almost just like yours. Thankfully, I don’t believe there is any photographic evidence that I wore them!
January 16th, 2009 at 10:14 am
shayne says:
Oh my.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Patti says:
“America is clearly bi-polar” – I love it!!! And, yes, I had pants like that, too….
January 16th, 2009 at 10:47 am
LIB says:
Those pants are UNBELIEVABLY groovey!
We are the same age; and to prove it, I know what “I had the 45″ means. I’m betting many of your younger readers don’t.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Allison says:
I love your David Cassidy hair!
January 16th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Beverlydru says:
I think it’s awesome that you not only saved photos like this but are willing to show them to us! Fun!! I happen to remember everything that you mention. Ahem.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Sally says:
I remember having a red, white and blue striped halter top that I wore for the bicentennial in 1976. I was 14 at the time and had absolutely nothing to fill up that halter top, but I thought I looked pretty cool at the time. I recently came across a picture of myself wearing that halter and holding a flag- that is definitely a picture that I would never want anyone else to see……..
January 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
mom.huebert says:
In 1973 I was eleven, too young yet to be worried about coolness. But I remember the bicentennial and Crocodile Rock. In fact, everything you mentioned, come to think of it. And I remember my family watching All in the Family, which I disliked, but it was on Tuesday nights, as I recall, and the Waltons, the more desirable show, was on Wednesday nights and we were always at prayer meeting. Back then we thought it was a conspiracy to keep good Christians home from church. (yes, you can laugh.)
January 16th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Marissa says:
That look will probably come back in the next few years!! Love the Mop Fringe.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife says:
Love it! My one question: What is the red furry thing to the side? I loved the ’70′s! We had a gigantic red velvet seat that fit our whole family (similar to a futon only different).
***
It’s a giant stuffed red dog that someone must have won at the fair. I have no idea why I’m posing with Clifford. ~ AM
January 16th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Corey says:
I was going to ask about the red furry thing also. I’m very glad to hear it’s not the side of a couch like I was fearing!
January 16th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Holly @ Crownlaiddown says:
HOW funny! We lived in southern Illinois during the bicentennial! We lived just outside of Alton, IL in the little town of Brighton. And we were SO excited about the celebrations, too!
I still love Crocodile Rock.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
tom says:
We survived that era. Every time I look back at a photo taken during the early seventies of me or my family or friends, I remember how it felt – and how gut-wrenchingly jarring the color schemes in fashion and home decorating were. The mop fringe definitely does take it over the top. But still – we lived through it and still have sanity enough to write coherent sentences.
***
I console myself by saying I was only 13, I didn’t know what I was doing/wearing/everyone was doing it. Whether or not I write coherent sentences or have sanity is open to interpretation. ~AM
January 16th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Iota says:
You didn’t have a bob in those days, then?
January 16th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
everydayMOM says:
I LOVE those pants! The fringe is unbelievable.
Do tell where you lived in central Illinois… I’ve lived in every major town in central Illinois so maybe we crossed paths. =]
January 16th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
k&c's mom says:
Oh, my! I was the HS “Class of ’76″. Special red, white and blue caps and gowns for many schools in town. Wish I had THAT picture.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Adrian says:
Oh my goodness! My best girlfriend had those exact pants. Seriously! I have a picture of her somewhere looking just like that. I used to have my room done in red, white, and blue. Wish I’d thought to take a picture of it. Brings back memories of the 70′s.
January 17th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Yvonne says:
Oh I remember 1973 – I was in 8th grade, and was as geeky as ever. I had similar pants – with really wide bells at the bottom. And long, wavy, parted in the middle hair. Can’t get any cooler than that…..
January 17th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Fiddledeedee says:
You could totally get away with that look today.
January 17th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
mama speak says:
My brother had the wallpaper in his room to match your pants. But it was like super shinny wallpaper; like patent leather. My parents painted the wooden headboard & foot board on his bed patent leather red and put a royal blue bedspread on it. Shag royal blue carpet and they called it a day. Then they wouldn’t let either us change our rooms until we were out of high school. My room was pepto bismo pink, right down to the shag rug. Gawd it was awful. But my brother’s was way worse, cause his room was really small and it was like a psychedelic jail cell.
Luckily, I was only 7 in ’76 I can blame all my fashion choices on my parents.
January 18th, 2009 at 5:56 am
My Tiny Kingdom » Flashback Friday: Feeling Red, White & Blue says:
[...] Allison 2. Antique Mommy (1973 fashion) 3. Christina 4. Catnip (my mom) 5. Tater [...]
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:29 pm