Be Kind Rewind

Nothing fish hooks you into chronological awareness more than a decade resurfacing on the collective radar. Much like the nouveau 80's in the early Milena, the 90's are large and in charge. I'm witnessing grunge-ahem-twice. There is a feminine edge, flannel with ruffles at least. I definitely existed in musty old man thrift store fodder more than a thirteen year old girl ought. Back in my day, that's how we did it.

Every time I witness linebacker shoulder pads being rocked in earnest by a tween or a remix of Tag Team's Whoomp There It Is booms over the grocery store speakers (I can still joyously recite every lyric btw), I re-live it all, or at least get a flashback of that particular juncture in my own sordid teen exploits.
It doesn't seem like it was that long ago really, yet it feels like an eternity of other things have transpired since. Years since I waited eagerly for the next MTV Party To Go volume to be released. Since I did the Tootsie Roll at a YMCA dance, since I shed a tear for Kurt Cobain. Since I made out to The Pumpkins Melancholie album while I got pawed at, both of us unsure of the next step.

My sister once uttered that she felt incredibly old watching us, her younger siblings revisit trends from her years gone by. She'd regale me with "I remember that!" stories and at the time I scoffed, tightly coiled in callous adolescence. I get it now. For me it's not the fear of getting older; it's the notion of youth draining away to reveal itself all over again. Feels counter productive, maybe. Yet it's still fun to pull out the dusty recollections and slap them around once more. Most I've come across are of free and exploratative times. First hand account makes the trend du jour more like a badge of retro honor reflecting different times, instead of a fleeting fancy or marketing strategy.

I wouldn't know how to relate to a teenager-hell, a late grade schooler even-in the modern world. I know it's not the same game it was for me and my peers. From birth now, kids are hyper-accelerated and informed, and by parallel age comparison I feel like a geezer. I text, and speak in IM. I know what is/how to Skype. I'm on Facebook. Still, I doubt we'd truly communicate.

That's the beauty of pop culture and it's revolving Rolodex, and particularly, music and fashion. "How's Geometry?" might insight a riot, but compliment the fuchsia Doc Martens with an implied knowing wink and you'll get a genuine smile. Either you got it or you don't, embraced it or won't.

Seeing trends being ushered around full circle by a crop of young bloods is comforting. Fancy that. Oh sure, at times-like when a gaggle of them are shouting obscenities and littering and groping each other in the crosswalk while the light turns yellow-I'm tempted to illustrate (at top volume out the window) that one day in the future they will be in my (70's reheat a la Spice Girls cool again) platform shoes and not to give me the side-eye. Alas, I haven't the heart to do it. It comes swiftly enough, I'll let them enjoy their jackassery. Those who came before them certainly did, even if they conveniently forget.

As we all stride towards the next decade of re-relevance, let's go 20's. That's my vote. True recreation though, no modern re-vamp. Charleston dance-a-thons at the club, spats, three piece suits and flapper dresses at the office. Why not? The Roaring 20-ians would have something to telegraph-literally-much as I do in regards to 90's. I guess I would be dial-up emailing then? With all the dizzying input and recycled culture it would be a much needed dose of cat's pajamas.