Do you still have a pet rock? Do you own beanie babies? Why?

What fads do you get into? Have you ever went along with a fad even if you weren't all that into it just so you wouldn't have to explain to everyone in the world why you aren't really into it?

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

Answers

ok ok ok......I have some beanie babies. I confess. I just want everyone to know that I'm NOT some kind of stand-in-line-at-mcdonalds- for-hours-then-turn-around-to-do-it-again-in-5-minutes kind of beanie girl.

It was just fluke. I love all things Scottie. So my best friend bought me the Scottie beanie.....then it was that damn tye-dyed bear, Peace, that I had to have. Then it progressively got worse....not an every day habit....I wasn't having withdrawls or anything...but I am the proud...errr...not so proud?....owner of like 10 beanies. All the cool ones, of course. And let it be known that I never stood in line for any and I NEVER paid more than $9 for the fricken things.

And Barbies. I am all about Barbies. I have upwards of 30 barbies...in their boxes. Yes, I'm a freak. I even have all the Big XII "University Cheerleader" Barbies. That means that the UT one is on the same shelf as my most beloved OU one. ~shudders~

hehe

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

Hooray! First response. Let's see. What fads?

Pokemon. I know, I know. I'm a grown man, I don't have any kids, so I shouldn't have any excuse. But they are So. Damn. Cute. I play the card game (though admittedly I suck at it), watch the cartoons and have to resist the urge to buy the coloring book, birthday party set, keychains, toilet paper, stuffed animals, etc.

Think back to the late 1980s and very early 90s: Tightrolled jeans. Why, oh why? Dear gods, why!? I was a dork back in middle school, and what better way to show it than to try to imitate the cool kids. Oh, and the feathered hair and rat-tail and Reeboks and acid washed denim. I am so ashamed.

What else? Turn the clock forward just a bit, and... Vanilla Ice. And Kriss Kross (cuz inside-out is wiggitywiggitywiggitywack!). And Digital Underground (though I'd still listen to that tape if I hadn't thrown it out in a Fundamentalist Christian let's-throw-out-everything-secular-and-not-Christ-like fit). And Bel Biv Devoe (never trust a big butt and a smile). And Public Enemy. I was one of the worst examples of a suburban white kid listening to rap and hip hop and tryin' to "fight the power" and be "down with the homeys." Gah.

And speaking of fundie Christianity, that was a fad of sorts back in my high school. Boy did I *ever* buy into that. Thankfully I've grown a brain since I've come to college. Agnosticism is all the rage now, didn't you know? Fundie x-tianity is *so* 1994.

Hm. That's all I can think of. Pika-pika.

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

Ah, crap. Color me humble.. I didn't get the first response. :(

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

Gotta 'fess up that I have some Beanies too...v. embarrassing. Just a few. I collect sheep so, I have the sheep ones. And then one day I went down to the pharmacy in the hospital where I work and they had these blue bird Beanies. I had to have one. HAD TO! I am not sure why but I am vaguely aware that it has something to do with the Devil. I think the Devil is the director of marketing for the Beanie Baby people. Nothing else can explain their success.

Another fad I have to come out of the fad-closet about is self-tanning lotion. Y'all, I am white. Ireland white. Freckles and pink cheeks and all that. I do not tan - AT ALL - so I wanted to try to get something to at least take the shine off my legs so as not to frighten people with my living-dead look. The stuff - and I bought the expensive kind - does not work. My feet, when it was all over, looked like they had "walked where Jesus walked" (word to my United Methodist Hymnal homies).

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

Just one question. What the hell is a beanie baby? Sorry, I'm Australian, I've never heard of them, but I've been known to collect the odd star wars figure (pre episode 1 of course!)

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

I've got a Palm Pilot (Palm III actually). And I got it the first week the III model came out, and even paid full price at CompUSA, too, instead of buying it mail order. But I think I've gotten my money's worth out of this one. I've got my schedule and my address book programmed in, and it's nifty -- many fewer small scraps of paper scattered about.

With all the hype about Billy Blanks on this board a couple of months ago, I came close to buying the tapes, but I resisted. (After all, I'm a member of a health club. I can do their boxing class if I really want to.)

I've considered buying Lego Mindstorms a couple of times, but the price is just high enough to stop me from making that impulse purchase.

No beanies though. And I've never bought anything on ebay either. (Amazon on the other hand is just addictive.)

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

acid wash jeans. i couldn't stand 80's clothes really - all that mesh - but i was just fascinated by the patterns in the fabric. oh i did the rolled pants thing from like 5th grade up. no one else did it - until 9th grade. so technically i was ahead of my time. also, the rubber bracelets and rings, jelly shoes, and (oh god this is embarrassing) neon. actually i hated the neon but my mom bought it for me so i wore it or she got mad.

i was right in the middle of that 60's thing when it hit a few years back - with the release of the doors movie. but that's 'cause i hung out with mod kids.

i currently have WAY too many messenger bags and hooded tops and 3/4 sleeve shirts. (which i'm little sick of, my elbows and wrists get cold)

oh and i have an iMAC. blue of course.

i refuse to buy a palmpilot. i want one - i'm practically drooling i want one so bad - but i don't know, it's the principle of the thing. i just like paper i guess. but i do have a nokia.

i think that's it... oh no wait i remember a cabbage patch kid...

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

That, my dear Sean, is why I didn't do the I'm-so-cool-'cause-I-got- the-first-post dance.

=)

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

BAAAA BAAAA i was such a sheep. especially in the 80's. i was all about the flourescent clothes and jelly everything from shoes to braclets to purses. and i HAD to have a cabbage patch kid. BAA BAA i have 3 complete sets of the mcdonalds teeny beanies 99. im a teacher and at lunch hour we all carpooled to mickey d's for happy meals 5 each each day until we had our sets. and every monday for a month was beanie barter day. i thought i was gonna sell one set on ebay... much to my dismay they are going for like 5 bucks a set. dammit

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

Slap bracelets and neon slouch socks, overalls and those huge hair bows made of material gathered into folds. Sunflowers a few years back, and Umbros a bit later. MC Hammer.(VERY long ago)

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

For approximately one week of my life, I actually liked New Kids on the Block.

It scared the shit out of me.

I feel much better, now.

Rant and Rage

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

I once had a pair of bright colored metallic checkerboard high top Converse All Stars. We stood in line for hours at several different toy stores to buy Cabbage Patch dolls.

It makes me sick to my stomach but the bows Glitterbeam mentioned? I had one to match every outfit in my closet. I made them myself. Sad I know.

I don't really buy into toy or fashion fads now, but I am so easily sucked into any beauty fad that comes on the market. I owned an Epilady(and cried everytime I used it). I have bottles of self tanner, moisturizers, perfume, cleansers, toners, etc, that I used a few times and will never use again. Because I am psycho, I will often find out about new products early, so I stalk the Dept. stores until they get them in. I am addicted to Biore pore strips, but (I am so excited!!) Panasonic now makes a Pore Sucker. I am currently stalking stores now.

Also Pamie, we have Sonic in California too. Cherry Limeades are the best!

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

In 1982, I not only owned 3 pairs of legwarmers, but I also actually WORE them! And to make matters worse, I wore them over jeans!! I also succumbed to the Rainbow Shirt, and the Gloria Vanderbilt and Jordache Jeans (I am sort of going backwards in time here). Oh, and of course, I had the required jazz shoes to go with the legwarmers and jeans. Was I a dancer? No, and neither were all the other little teen girls who wore that crap. I used to get mad at my mother for making fun of the legwarmers, but I know now that I must have looked like such an idiot! And I doubt legwarmers over jeans are very flattering to one's thighs, especially when you are only 5' 3".

As I got older, I still tried to fit in with everyone, so I too was a wearer of jelly shoes and shiny clothes. I had 'tuxedo outfits', and Izod shirts. I had begged, pleaded even, for a pair of parachute pants, but that's wear my mother drew the line, thank God. I wore my hair like the lead brunette girl in Freaks and Geeks for a while, probably much longer than I should have. By 1987, my closet was full of mini-skirts and Outback Red shirts. Now, I just wear what fits, what's comfortable, and what's cheap. I laugh at some of the teens I see walking around in pants that threaten to fall off at any second, showing more of their underwear than they hide.

I work with a 20 year old girl who wears bell bottoms and those white jerseys with the colored sleeves that come to mid-forearm. I didn't even like that outfit when I was 9, I can't believe someone would wear it by choice now. She comes in proudly sporting these 'new' outfits that I know she paid a lot for in the mall, but they look like things I gave to Goodwill when I was 13. She told me the new thing this summer was to wear spaghetti strap tank tops, and let your bra straps hang out. Like, on purpose. She said she thought that was such a cute look. I just didn't get it, and kept saying, "You mean, your bra strap hanging out is a GOOD thing?" I hate to show my age, but man, I just can't relate to this younger generation.

Pamie, I did just get a pair of Skechers so I could be taller also, and they kill my feet. But hey, they're Skechers! What's a little crippling pain when you're hobbling around in style?

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

Smurfs. Smurfs. Mores Smurfs. That was the biggest fad I was into, unless you count my posterboys plastered all over my roomall the Coreys, River Phoenix, Patrick Swayze, and yes, Bruce Willis. I don't know, it was during his Moonlighting period.

I seriously can't think of any other fads, although I'm sure I was a part of them. I do know that throughout my teens I bought plenty of music cassettes because I HAD TO HAVE them only to find out the groups sucked. That experience has left me scarred and broke. I barely buy music now unless I KNOW that I will enjoy it.

My younger sisters were the worstNew Kids on the Block. They were mad for them. They went to two concerts and my poor dad had to accompany them. Jordan Knight and Joey McIntyre posters filled their room.

Chinese jump ropes. In, out, side by side, out, in, ON! There's a fad I was into, because I was GOOD at it. I'd probably fall all over myself if I tried that now. Ooh, too old at 26.

Friendship pins, I had some of those, too. Oh, yeah, I used to spend my money on embroidery thread so I could make friendship bracelets. I knew I would remember more fads if I thought about it.

And, Sean, I loved the Digital Underground. Humpty Hump is currently working with George Clinton in Parliment Funkadelic. "The Humpty Dance is your chance to do the Hump!" Yes, he still wears that nose and glasses.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

Oh, before I go, those jeans with all those pockets. Pockets in the regular places (your butt and front two pockets) and one on each knee. I think I kept a pair just to show my kids what stupid clothes I wore as a preteen. And cowl neck sweaters, and shirts with chinese lettering on them.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

Shirts with chinese or japanese lettering on them is very cool right now, along with dragon stuff. I don't remember it being cool before, I must have been too young.
Next time anyone goes to Sonic- order a strawberry-pina colada slush and specify you want real strawberries in it. This could take a while to order, as they usually don't understand and say we don't have that flavor and you have to tell them, okay, put half strawberry and half pina and throw some strawberries in. This is the best thing you can get at Sonic! :)

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

well. now i am anti fad, although i will admit to owning a few pairs of capris, if only because they are cool, comfy, cute and hide your legs better than shorts. and what female likes their legs? i am very anti-abercrombie, anti-gap, anti-j.crew. when i was younger, i wanted so badly to have all the faddy things that came around (this was, of course, before i grew my own personality). i wanted crimped hair and skidz pants and oh, shit, those jeans that were really expensive when i was in 6th grade (i'm 20 now) and their name was something and something. i can't remember. oh, well. you get the point. then i hit high school and realized i was never gonna be in the in crowd anyway, and i didn't really WANT to be in it, because they kinda sucked anyway, so i became that off beat art girl. which is kind of a fad in and of itself, but at least i look different than all the preps at my school!!!

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

well. now i am anti fad, although i will admit to owning a few pairs of capris, if only because they are cool, comfy, cute and hide your legs better than shorts. and what female likes their legs? i am very anti-abercrombie, anti-gap, anti-j.crew. when i was younger, i wanted so badly to have all the faddy things that came around (this was, of course, before i grew my own personality). i wanted crimped hair and skidz pants and oh, shit, those jeans that were really expensive when i was in 6th grade (i'm 20 now) and their name was something and something. i can't remember. oh, well. you get the point. then i hit high school and realized i was never gonna be in the in crowd anyway, and i didn't really WANT to be in it, because they kinda sucked anyway, so i became that off beat art girl. which is kind of a fad in and of itself, but at least i look different than all the preps at my school!!! oh, yeah, and i was the first kid on my block to have jelly shoes and bracelets. i was cool once. yeah. and a coupla years back, i was in gap for kids and i found a pair of jellies that would fit me (i have inordinately small feet) so i bought them. i was teh first one to have them at that age too.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

sorry, i didn't mean to post that twice. i just had one thing to say about beanies: i do own some. the husky one, because i love huskies, the horse one, because i have been riding since i was 8 and all the pooh ones that disney put out, because i collect all things pooh. ok, the funny story about the horse beanie is as such: i had bought it before i even knew (or anyone knew) what beanie babies were, because i liked horses. i cut off the tags and it wound up living in my car, which was an 86 mustang. this was in '97 or '98. anyway, my defroster was broken and i would use my beanie to wipe off my windsheild in the icky massachusetts winters. the poor little beastie even had a cigarette burn in his ear, from when i dropped my cigarette on him. come to find out, this little stuffed animal, that i had been using as my broken defroster all winter was worth more than enough for me to pay for a NEW defroster, had he been in mint condition. i laughed so hard at that one. people in my extended family that collected beanies thought i was crazy.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

Yes, I'm back. 3 posts, it's a record. or something.

But geeeez....reading about all this stuff takes me back.

I made those friendship bracelets and the pins. Little beads on little safety pins. woooo weeee, what a fashion plate.

What about jean jackets and the "rock star" pins. My jean jacket was COVERED in stupid pins.....Billy Idol....Depeche Mode....U2....and I was soooo all about Duran Duran. and I was like 10. Isn't that sad?

I got to see Duran Duran in '84 and my best friend and I wore matching cowl neck shirts that tied into a HUGE bow at the hip....they were made of CHINTZ, no less. EEEK! But hey...we were the hottest 10 year olds, you've ever seen baby.

This is funny....have you guys ever seen the movie "Just One of The Guys"? I had 2 of the outfits in that movie. SCARY!! I wore that black and white gunne sax dress that one blond chick wore to the prom. I wore it to my freshman prom. Then in one of the cafeteria scenes, there's a girl wearing this gray and white striped CHINTZ outfit....the back has 2 straps across.....anyway....I had that, too. I just saw it again a few months ago and thought I was gonna die. I called the above mentioned best friend and we had a good laugh.

Are we old?

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

Yes, Alli, we are old.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 1999

Did anyone other than me go through a fluro stage?

I'm having flashbacks to when I was a kid and me and my sister were flipping through a fashion catalogue, (probably BigW or something equally stylin'), going "wow! check out those socks... you can wear a fluro orange pair over a fluro yellow pair and fold 'em back to see both colours... how cool is that?!!!".

So we ended up getting the fluro socks and the fluro plastic bangles, shirt, watch, pens etc (whilst pining for matching clear-with- glitter-in-it-sandles). We thought we were it.

Sad. very sad.

Personally I blame it on George Micheal and his whole "Wake me up before you go-go" thing.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 1999

I have own the in things, remember those "Crazy Bones"and the beinie babys and what else?! I have woredrobe filled with abercrombie, gap and limited too, just to fit in. So i must say, inless you enjoy spending $200 dollars on a "must have offit" that you will most lickly grow out in the next 3 months, than froget the inn crowd and be your self!

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002