This is E.F. and myself sitting in downtown Amherst in November of 1997. I had traveled back to Amherst for Thanksgiving, or perhaps a fall visit. The two of us had been roommates the previous summer. Excellent mid-90s details include the red point-and-shoot camera held by EF, her short hair the fact that she’s smoking. I am not smoking in this photo, but I’m guessing I have either just finished a cigarette or am about to have one. I’m wearing my dad’s army pants, left over from the national guard, a spanking new pair of Doc Martens, my green sweater, which once upon a time belonged to Sara’s Great Aunt Hazel. I’m also wearing the coat that kept me warm through many a freezing cold New England Winter. On my hand is a ring that I gave myself, so as to be engaged to me and not any guys. The backpack carries my things for the weekend. I will take the Peter Pan bus back to Boston to work my first post-college job as a receptionist. It is a job that is boring and lonely and I travel an hour each way to get to there. I am lonely, and this weekend has been a very good one.
I love that Aunt Hazel's sweater got to live on for a very long time. Did you find this tucked away with your journals?
It was in my photos. I was looking for a different picture and came across this one.
Did you know that you Aunt Hazel's sweater still lives on, yet transformed? If not, I'll have to do a post.
I'd love to hear more about Aunt Hazel's sweater!
You look so 90s here. The 90s were such a weird time for fashion. I remember everything being really oversized. Even when men were dressed nicely, they looked schlubby because their clothes were so big. And the three clothing choices for women seemed to be either "boyish," "feminine by way of floral pattern," or "slutty" (i.e. dresses with see-through mesh & crop tops that showed off the belly button).
I went skewed toward "boyish" with a smattering of "feminine by way of floral pattern" and every now and then "slutty" which for me was brightly colored bras worn with white tops, so you could clearly see the bra. And the straps would fall out the side, so you could see them fully.
A post on Aunt Hazel's sweater will be forthcoming.