Turn On Your Heartlight

Try as I might, I just can't think of the 80s as retro and vintage, or at least not in the cool sense of either of the words. Sure, I was all about plastic bangles in primary colors, knotted pearl necklaces and colorful baggy striped shirts, but that was in the 6th grade. When you're twelve, if everyone is wearing stirrup pants and Keds with no laces then you wear stirrup pants and Keds with no laces. Why in the world anyone in their 20s would choose to wear this hideous gear in the year 2010 is beyond me (although I will admit, I haven't seen stirrup pants yet. I guess that will be next year's trend...) Let's face it people. I'm just too old. Imagine my old lady shock when I ran across this video on YouTube a month or so ago where this 80s freelance fashion writer gives tips on finding the best 80s duds:



People, if you ever run across an NKOTB t-shirt at a thrift store, please promise me you will purchase it only to immediately burn it and therefore put it out of it's misery.

Still, the 80s thing can be funny sometimes. Like when I ran into this on Etsy earlier today:


This exact same E.T. stuffed animal sat on my bed for years (a pink canopy bed I might add. Ooh la la!) I remember all too well going to see the movie when it came out in '82 and being outraged when Amadeus won the academy award that year (in the meantime, however, I do kind of have to admit that Amadeus was actually a much better movie than E.T....) I was so proud that I didn't cry when everyone thought he was dead because I proved I was oh-so-tough. If I wanted to, I could take a permanent trip down memory lane by buying this little guy here for $35.


I even got a little bit jealous when I saw this. I was big into the Pound Puppies but I never had the Pound Puppy transistor radio! What better way to catch up on all my former light rock favorites than with this little pooch. For sale here for the amazingly low price of 15 bucks.

















Strawberry Shortcake was another favorite. I could buy her or Raspberry Tart's head at the shop Make It Cute. Still, the doll I would really want is Lemon Meringue. She was a much rarer doll to find. When I finally got her for my birthday, my sister soon ruined her forever by drawing glasses on her face with permanent marker. Thanks Renee....


But Make It Cute only has her clothes for sale (told you she was a hard doll to find.) By the way, I am talking to my sister again. That is, after years and years of therapy. ;)

So why is it that I wear vintage clothing and collect old things only from the 70s on down? I guess, when it comes down to it, I'm nostalgic for a time that was not really my own. Still, if someone on etsy were selling some old vinyl of Neil Diamond singing Heartlight, I would consider buying it. That is, for about half a second, before I finally came back to my senses. For now, I will have to go to good old YouTube to watch this lovely live version from 1988, where Neil rocks the Aquarius Theater: