Follow the Leader: Episode 113: The Joys of Vintage Clothing...
Redartz: Greetings, gang! It's Tuesday once again, and you know what that means: time for a topic to get us started. The line is open, operators are standing by...
14 comments:
Anonymous
said...
What's the oldest item of clothing you still own? Do you still wear it? Is there something you could never throw away for sentimental reasons?
My second-oldest item of clothing is a grey, V-necked sweater I bought in 1991. The ends of the sleeves are badly frayed but I still keep it. I'll probably never throw it away now.
But the oldest is a tie I bought in January 1990. I received a letter informing me I'd been selected for jury service and in the UK jury service is compulsory if your name comes up (unless you are deemed mentally unfit by a doctor or have a very good reason for not attending). So I decided to buy three new ties for the occasion, and I still have one of them which is a dark-red, wine-coloured tie.
I have two old t-shirts which I bought at a record shop in 1984. One has a photo of Lenin advertising for the old Soviet newspaper Pravda, the other has Sid Vicious descending a staircase with the words "My Way." They're both thinner than tissue at this point, and I seldom dare wear them, but no rips and little fraying. I'm keeping them like cryologically frozen brains in the hopes that one day, the technology will develop to restore them.
"We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better, than he was. Better, stronger, faster."
Hmmm, interesting question. I might have an old hat or two lying around from the 80s; I used to have some old hockey jerseys from when I was a kid (far too small but kept for sentimental reasons), but I finally threw them away.
As for something I still wear ... I have a leather jacket that I got on holiday in Blackpool in 1989; it's not in great shape, but I do still wear it regularly.
Hmmmmmm, the oldest thing I have is a t-shirt from High School, about 1978. It has my High School logo on it, which is why I kept it. Haven't worn it in decades, though. Doubt I could get into it.
Oldest thing I still wear: a great embroidered dinosaur skeleton on a t-shirt bought at Disney World in 2000. It's getting pretty worn around the collar but the rest has held up well...
Colin – what a groovy off-the-wall question! (Since I grew up by Michael J I had to work that reference in, LOL!)
Ummm…. I hate to admit it but my oldest items are as follows and they are definitely bronze-age!!!
I have a heavy flannel shirt, from 1976ish. I was in high school and such was the style back then; eventually it would be referred to as “grunge” LOL! But I still wear it to do work around the house. The thing wears like iron so I have only a minor bit of fraying in the elbows. That I can still wear it suggests I am stuck with this body I have!
I also very occasionally wear my “Stones 81” shirt from the Stones Concert I saw near Chicago in (duh) 1981! It was the Tattoo You tour.
And, I still wear my Army-issued Extreme Winter Overcoat at times, e.g., yesterday shoveling the snow. My son wears by Army-issued Pilot’s Jacket near daily. It is one sexy jacket with the shiny dull-green coloring and fur trim around the hood in the bomber-jacket style. The chicks dig it big time! These hail from 1985!
Welllll--- my ancient High School letter jacket is still hanging in the closet in our downstairs office--- but it's no more than a souvenir item, believe me. (Got it in '78. Class of '79.)
One of my most comfortable sweatshirts was one left behind by someone from the moving company (Beltway Movers) when we moved into our current house in 2000. Warm, light, and well-fitting.
Unfavored collared shirts that I've received as gifts over the years do seem to hibernate for decades in our closet or under the bed. I know I have a very expensive "rugged, outdoorsman" heavy duty flannel shirt that my sister-in-law for some reason assumed was exactly the right gift for me, like 25 years ago. . . and she got me another one this Christmas. This is like the third or fourth. I almost Never. Wear. Flannel. Shirts. (Too hot and heavy for ol' arctic me---)
I have a question if anyone's still out there: I mentioned my jury service back in 1990 and how it's obligatory here in the UK but what about the United States, Canada or any other nationality who might still come by? I remember an episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets a letter about jury service and he throws it in the bin. Can Americans choose whether or not to do jury service? Does it differ in each state?
Colin, regarding jury duty: yes it is mandatory, if you are called. It is usually a local process, whereby you are notified by the area Courts that you have been selected for the jury pool. I was actually selected recently. I was told to be available between October and December in case I was actually selected for a jury. Turns out I wasn't, a bit disappointed...
Yes is mandatory, but no really. At least where I live in and around Chicago, a good excuse will allow you not to report. Usually it is to be a letter from your boss, sickness, etc.
I was notified once (by letter) and my boss wrote a letter I was important for national security so I did not have to go in 2002.
My wife was notified three times by letter for jury duty and each time she wrote back saying she was not a US Citizen (and she still isn't). Thus she was excused.
We concluded that, at least in the 1990s and 2000s our counties were using the list of persons with Driver's Licenses since that would be perhaps the only place they would have gotten my wife's name?
In general, though, I've never encountered anyone bragging about not going. But here's the rub... in our area they only pay you about $25 - $30 / day to serve on jury duty and many employers will not make up the difference. So, you are screwed out of your wages if you are an hourly worker. And waaay more often than not you only go for one day, to sit in a dull room with a TV and 50 other people, to be told, "Go Home. We don't need you."
Red, my jury experience was a lot quicker than yours. I received the letter on January 31st 1990 which told me to arrive at the court on February 19th (two days after my 24th birthday). I was selected for a jury and the trial began the following day, lasting from February 20th-22nd (not a very serious case, an assault). At the end of the trial we were told to come back the following Tuesday (February 27th) and I was selected for another jury. The second trial began the same day and ended the next day (a robbery this time). So it was a mere four weeks from my receiving the letter to the end of my jury duty.
Charlie, in the UK you need a VERY good excuse to escape jury duty, such as being in hospital or unavoidably out of the country at the time. As I mentioned earlier, the mentally ill can also avoid jury service by getting a note from a doctor.
Serving on a jury was an interesting experience but I hope I don't get called again. At least I won't have far to go - back in 1990 I lived about 5 miles from the court but nowadays the court is a mere five-minute walk from my house.
Colin- interesting, you served on back to back juries! Over here, once you either serve on a jury or get through your 'on call' period, you're off the hook. Until next year, antway...
Oh, and another note for your original question- going through my closet I just found a t-shirt from 1996. My son was in Cub Scouts and had a campout one cold October weekend. I went with the boys, froze in my sleeping bag, but got the souvenir shirt!
14 comments:
What's the oldest item of clothing you still own? Do you still wear it? Is there something you could never throw away for sentimental reasons?
My second-oldest item of clothing is a grey, V-necked sweater I bought in 1991. The ends of the sleeves are badly frayed but I still keep it. I'll probably never throw it away now.
But the oldest is a tie I bought in January 1990. I received a letter informing me I'd been selected for jury service and in the UK jury service is compulsory if your name comes up (unless you are deemed mentally unfit by a doctor or have a very good reason for not attending). So I decided to buy three new ties for the occasion, and I still have one of them which is a dark-red, wine-coloured tie.
I have two old t-shirts which I bought at a record shop in 1984. One has a photo of Lenin advertising for the old Soviet newspaper Pravda, the other has Sid Vicious descending a staircase with the words "My Way." They're both thinner than tissue at this point, and I seldom dare wear them, but no rips and little fraying. I'm keeping them like cryologically frozen brains in the hopes that one day, the technology will develop to restore them.
"We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better, than he was. Better, stronger, faster."
Great question, and cheers!
Hmmm, interesting question. I might have an old hat or two lying around from the 80s; I used to have some old hockey jerseys from when I was a kid (far too small but kept for sentimental reasons), but I finally threw them away.
As for something I still wear ... I have a leather jacket that I got on holiday in Blackpool in 1989; it's not in great shape, but I do still wear it regularly.
Hmmmmmm, the oldest thing I have is a t-shirt from High School, about 1978. It has my High School logo on it, which is why I kept it. Haven't worn it in decades, though. Doubt I could get into it.
Oldest thing I still wear: a great embroidered dinosaur skeleton on a t-shirt bought at Disney World in 2000. It's getting pretty worn around the collar but the rest has held up well...
Colin – what a groovy off-the-wall question! (Since I grew up by Michael J I had to work that reference in, LOL!)
Ummm…. I hate to admit it but my oldest items are as follows and they are definitely bronze-age!!!
I have a heavy flannel shirt, from 1976ish. I was in high school and such was the style back then; eventually it would be referred to as “grunge” LOL! But I still wear it to do work around the house. The thing wears like iron so I have only a minor bit of fraying in the elbows. That I can still wear it suggests I am stuck with this body I have!
I also very occasionally wear my “Stones 81” shirt from the Stones Concert I saw near Chicago in (duh) 1981! It was the Tattoo You tour.
And, I still wear my Army-issued Extreme Winter Overcoat at times, e.g., yesterday shoveling the snow. My son wears by Army-issued Pilot’s Jacket near daily. It is one sexy jacket with the shiny dull-green coloring and fur trim around the hood in the bomber-jacket style. The chicks dig it big time! These hail from 1985!
Welllll--- my ancient High School letter jacket is still hanging in the closet in our downstairs office--- but it's no more than a souvenir item, believe me. (Got it in '78. Class of '79.)
One of my most comfortable sweatshirts was one left behind by someone from the moving company (Beltway Movers) when we moved into our current house in 2000. Warm, light, and well-fitting.
Unfavored collared shirts that I've received as gifts over the years do seem to hibernate for decades in our closet or under the bed. I know I have a very expensive "rugged, outdoorsman" heavy duty flannel shirt that my sister-in-law for some reason assumed was exactly the right gift for me, like 25 years ago. . . and she got me another one this Christmas. This is like the third or fourth. I almost Never. Wear. Flannel. Shirts. (Too hot and heavy for ol' arctic me---)
HB
Thanks for the comments :)
I have a question if anyone's still out there: I mentioned my jury service back in 1990 and how it's obligatory here in the UK but what about the United States, Canada or any other nationality who might still come by? I remember an episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets a letter about jury service and he throws it in the bin. Can Americans choose whether or not to do jury service? Does it differ in each state?
Colin, regarding jury duty: yes it is mandatory, if you are called. It is usually a local process, whereby you are notified by the area Courts that you have been selected for the jury pool. I was actually selected recently. I was told to be available between October and December in case I was actually selected for a jury. Turns out I wasn't, a bit disappointed...
Hi Colin,
Yes is mandatory, but no really. At least where I live in and around Chicago, a good excuse will allow you not to report. Usually it is to be a letter from your boss, sickness, etc.
I was notified once (by letter) and my boss wrote a letter I was important for national security so I did not have to go in 2002.
My wife was notified three times by letter for jury duty and each time she wrote back saying she was not a US Citizen (and she still isn't). Thus she was excused.
We concluded that, at least in the 1990s and 2000s our counties were using the list of persons with Driver's Licenses since that would be perhaps the only place they would have gotten my wife's name?
In general, though, I've never encountered anyone bragging about not going. But here's the rub... in our area they only pay you about $25 - $30 / day to serve on jury duty and many employers will not make up the difference. So, you are screwed out of your wages if you are an hourly worker. And waaay more often than not you only go for one day, to sit in a dull room with a TV and 50 other people, to be told, "Go Home. We don't need you."
By the way, I check this blog every day or two. So if anyone posts a question (I guess about anything?) I am more than happy to chime in!
Red, my jury experience was a lot quicker than yours. I received the letter on January 31st 1990 which told me to arrive at the court on February 19th (two days after my 24th birthday). I was selected for a jury and the trial began the following day, lasting from February 20th-22nd (not a very serious case, an assault). At the end of the trial we were told to come back the following Tuesday (February 27th) and I was selected for another jury. The second trial began the same day and ended the next day (a robbery this time). So it was a mere four weeks from my receiving the letter to the end of my jury duty.
Charlie, in the UK you need a VERY good excuse to escape jury duty, such as being in hospital or unavoidably out of the country at the time. As I mentioned earlier, the mentally ill can also avoid jury service by getting a note from a doctor.
Serving on a jury was an interesting experience but I hope I don't get called again. At least I won't have far to go - back in 1990 I lived about 5 miles from the court but nowadays the court is a mere five-minute walk from my house.
Colin- interesting, you served on back to back juries! Over here, once you either serve on a jury or get through your 'on call' period, you're off the hook. Until next year, antway...
Oh, and another note for your original question- going through my closet I just found a t-shirt from 1996. My son was in Cub Scouts and had a campout one cold October weekend. I went with the boys, froze in my sleeping bag, but got the souvenir shirt!
Charlie- I'll keep checking in as long as you do!
Post a Comment