The Year of the Snarl

Recently, I came across this picture of myself. After I stopped laughing and started breathing again, I realized that this is one of the few pictures of me in "full battle gear", so to speak. Let's analyze, shall we, the dorkiness that was my full-on alterna-girl stage.

First, ok, I'm wearing a goddamn beret. I should have been shot on sight for that, but, back in 1987, no one could tell me anything, particularly if it were critical. In fact, I think the expression I'm wearing in this picture was the standard reaction to trying to suggest something to me.

Next, black eyeliner. Back then, I didn't realize that eyeliner of any color makes my lids look heavy and causes me to seem sleepy all the time. But, no self-deprecating alterna-girl left the house without her black eyeliner, so, neither did I.

Of course, the black vintage vest was a wardrobe staple. The particular vest I'm wearing in that picture came from a 70s era womens tuxedo that my mother had buried in the closet. I am not wearing the grey mens suit jacket I bought in the vintage clothing shop for 20 bucks in this picture, but I'll bet it was nearby. I could have been wearing a more hard core t-shirt, but I had just seen U2 that summer, and they were awesome. I believe that was the same summer my mother threatened to ground me until graduation if I bought another concert ticket. That threat also prevented me from seeing the Replacements and probably reuniting with alterna-boy. I later did see the 'Mats. He, however, moved to Australia.

Finally, the mini-skirt and black tights. As this picture was taken over Thanksgiving weekend, at my grandmother's house in North Carolina, my mother forced me to leave my fishnets at home. I spent most of my junior year in a mini-skirt and fishnet stockings. I did, however, find the most amazing pair of boots on this trip, which looked bad ass with the fishnets.

Many years later, I realized that cool was not defined by the clothes or the boots. However, don't say that in front of my pink snakeskin Doc Marten boots. They'll get jealous.

What did you look like, "back in the day", punk?