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Clothes & shoes of yesteryear

First post so please be gentle.

Goodness, where to start? I was a child of the 70's, teenager in the 80's. I used to wear a lot of dresses as a small girl, which I hated being a tomboy from a early age, mom eventually gave up and I mostly wore jeans and t shirts, though I did have a couple of pretty dresses for "best",my favourite being a brown Victorian style drsss, with a patterned pinafore over the top of it, it being the mid 70's and such things being very fashionable (think Laura Ashley). My hair was short, I originally had hair long enough to sit on and played up terribly when it came to having it washed, brushed for school as my hair is naturally very thick and wavy, mom eventually had enough of the battles, and took me to the hairdressers in Stony Lane Smethwick and had my hair cut short. My dad who loved my long hair was not impressed, but I loved it.

Time went by and I discovered the four main lives of my teenage life, fashion, music, boys and West Brom. I had my first high heels when I was 13, they hurt so much, but, on I loved them. Then I became a second wave mod at the very end of the 70's and for a time raided my mom's wardrobe for her original 60's mini skirts, tops and especially her stilettos. It not really surprising that my feet are wrecked today wearing
them most evenings! I also used to shop in the Rag Market, buying original stuff from there, I also loved C&A, Chelsea Girl and DottyP (Dorothy Perkins), buying school uniform and bags from there.

I then started to love New Romantic stuff, and had the frilly sbirts, black pencil skirts, fishnets and lace up boots, topped off with a long overcoat brought from the Rag Market. Tons of eye make-up and stiffly gelled hair accompanied this look.

Eventually, I started to wear mostly jeans, leggings, t shirts, always long and baggy, and for work, long blazer jackets, pencil skirts and my beloved stilettos, my hair then was in the lovely (not) 80's perm with lots of blonde highlights and less eye make-up.

These days I basically still wear the same type of stuff, though my hair is short again now, mostly leggings, jeans, flat shoes or boots, long tops, my beloved biker jacket and hardly any make up.

No photos, sadly. Mom has most of the child ones and she's in South Wales these days, and the teenage/early 20's ones got binned! The memories are enough.
 
Yes a nice account of the times, some of it all sounds so familiar. I too wore stilettos and heels for a long time, so now it’s bunions and backache ! I don’t think the most recent generations will have the same foot problems as they mostly seem to wear flat footwear, except when going out.

Viv.
 
Yes a nice account of the times, some of it all sounds so familiar. I too wore stilettos and heels for a long time, so now it’s bunions and backache ! I don’t think the most recent generations will have the same foot problems as they mostly seem to wear flat footwear, except when going out.

Viv.
my out door shoes.:grinning:
 

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Hot pants and boots (yes, boots in summer). Wore hot pants in winter too (only one winter, as they went out of fashion). Wore a long black velvet coat with black velvet hot pants, with suede boots. Rubbish in snow, but who cared as long as you looked fashionable ? Viv.

CF47BF23-7FBA-4970-B9D3-CFED624156F8.jpeg
 
Hot pants and boots (yes, boots in summer). Wore hot pants in winter too (only one winter, as they went out of fashion). Wore a long black velvet coat with black velvet hot pants, with suede boots. Rubbish in snow, but who cared as long as you looked fashionable ? Viv.

View attachment 148424
Quick nurse the cold flannel and the screens, hot pants and boots, the fantasy is coming back. Actually I was to old by the time this was the fashion, bouffant skirts (if that is the right word) and high heels, that was the dress of the young lady when I was single.

Bob
 
Quick nurse the cold flannel and the screens, hot pants and boots, the fantasy is coming back. Actually I was to old by the time this was the fashion, bouffant skirts (if that is the right word) and high heels, that was the dress of the young lady when I was single.

Bob
you aint jokin.Bob:grinning:1600866965065.png
 
I thought bouffant was a hairstyle? Skirts were called 'mini', actually mini skirts were often the smallest garment worn or equal to scarf! ;) They are still in fashion.
They should have been banned, a severe distraction to most male vehicle drivers. :eek:
 
I thought bouffant was a hairstyle? Skirts were called 'mini', actually mini skirts were often the smallest garment worn or equal to scarf! ;) They are still in fashion.
They should have been banned, a severe distraction to most male vehicle drivers. :eek:

WRONG alan...my skating skirt was shorter than the mini skirt....say no more :D

lyn
 
WRONG alan...my skating skirt was shorter than the mini skirt....say no more :D

lyn
Could never figure out why the gals wore such short skirts, was it to please themselves or the guys? I preferred the 50`s fashion when the girls wore those flowing? skirts & when they jived a glimpse of stocking !!
 
At the other extreme, I travelled around Europe in the early 70s in a pair of denim dungarees and a striped tee shirt. They’re so practical and popular again today. Would love to own another pair but don’t think I’m brave (or eccentric ?) enough. Viv.
 
At the other extreme, I travelled around Europe in the early 70s in a pair of denim dungarees and a striped tee shirt. They’re so practical and popular again today. Would love to own another pair but don’t think I’m brave (or eccentric ?) enough. Viv.
I have a pair in the shed somewere. Viv. lol
 
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