Berzerk Trends

 

The Prompts:

1.) What were you blogging about a year ago today? What has changed?
2.) A childhood friend.
3.) A hobby you would pursue if you were the type to pursue hobbies.
4.) A trend you’re not much a fan of.
5.) Something your child did or said this week that made you smile.

 

I was born in 1976 and grew up in the 80’s and early 90’s.  After graduating in 1994 and moving for a few years, I moved back home around 1998.  Around this time I was loving the ‘retro’ stores at the mall.  I was digging the groovy pink signs and suddenly my friends and I are wearing outrageously huge bell bottomed jeans. Much to my grandmother’s turn of nose at them, I loved them.  My mother whom grew up during that era felt slightly sick when I showed up at her door walking on the bottom of my pants, sporting a sweater material type tank top with a peace sign on the front, and my hair parted down the middle.  (I still wear my bell bottoms).  I have my baby photos of me in corduroy bell bottom pants, that I do remember thinking at the age of 13 was hideous of them to put me in. 

Slowly and too quickly, I’ve watched my oldest daughter go from being a bit whiny for her age, to turning into an 11 year old, starting middle school, and seems to have jumped straight to 13 or 14 without missing a beat.  I noticed last school year, during her 5th grade year, she began leaving the house in outfits that almost made her look like she stepped out of a 1980’s Cyndi Laupher video.  She went from calling her younger sister with a tone of disgust a “girly girl”, to suddenly obsessed with eyeliner and such.  By summer, I began to feel a bit like my mom. ugh.   Now, a quarter of the way through 6th grade, she wears only tight legged jeans.  To look at a pair of flared or even boot cut jeans makes her roll her eyes.  I began seeing tight legged jeans everywhere in my favorite store, Rue 21.  Jean jackets are jerked out.  In fact, I have one I wore just this past Friday.  I’m a huge fan of Eminem.  I loved yet felt slightly strange watching a video from his newly released album in November, “Berzerk.”  In the video is Rubin, Kid Rock, Slaughterhouse, flashes of the Beastie Boys, boom boxes with a tape deck worn on the shoulder, and sporting some Nikes.  I felt like I had been transported back to 9th grade.  Which was, of course, the entire point of the song and video.  

 

Cyndi Laupher

 

Now I can’t say I totally hate the trend.  It was bound to happen, the same as Scott Fitzgerald’s wonderful book, “The Great Gatsby”, hit movie theaters in May, which is pretty much how I learned of the book. Loved the book!!   What caught my eye besides the publicity was Leonardo DeCaprio.  Turns out the movie was fantastic and then the book was wonderful.  Now, the 1920’s trend/ era has came back with a modern twist.  I’m sure if my grandmother was living she would be speechless.  So, I don’t exactly hate the trend, but I won’t be walking around in tight legged jeans anytime soon.

 

 

Written for:  Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop