The Tomato Nation Fall Classic: Sophomore Slump
1988 Sarah says, “Let’s celebrate $6,481 with a styrofoam garland and a gigantic sweater!”
Sadly, I could not find any pictures dating from my freshman year; you’ll just have to take my word that my school photo from that year, in which I have a red shaker-knit sweater on over my field-hockey uniform, is a classic.
I did find a couple of gems from sophomore year, though. The one up top…I don’t even know. I do know that that’s my dad’s sweater, which I consistently got yelled at for borrowing. The next one, oy. That bandanna has multi-colored hearts on it, which makes it an obvious pairing with my dad’s college letterman jacket? And all the blush? I think I had purple mascara on, too, although you can’t see it.
Just for funsies, I also scanned in a picture of me in my umpire rig. Who authorized those blucher mocs?
And what TN photo essay is complete without a picture of Little Joe satanically attacking a ballpoint pen?
All right, friends. You want the prom picture, you need to raise me another $200 for Jackie Robinson and PIFB by midnight ET. That email is tnfallclassic at gmail dot com — you can embarrass me and make me proud AT THE SAME TIME! Go!
Edited to add this shiny new PayPal button for JRF and PIFB donations!
Tags: dear '80s we get it love Sarah Little Joe photo essay Tomato Nation Fall Classic
Re: umpire photo, if those are the shoes I think they are (tan suede, lace-up, gum sole, cut almost like a very short bootie, and they have some brand name like “Weejuns” but not?), then one of my students–college freshman–rolled into my office yesterday wearing a pair with her hoodie and yoga pants. When I remarked on them she said she’d asked her dad for a pair because they are “sooooo comfortable.” So apparently they are once again A Thing. Those who ignore history, etc….
Dollaz already sent, because: PROM PICTURE.
Girl: TWO PROMS THAT YEAR. Git it!
Aw, I think ALL of those pictures are totally cute, except probably the umpire one.
Go Nation!
Sars, we can track the Donors Choose totals online, but how are we doing on the other two?
@Jennifer: Just north of $450. I’ll be better about posting those splits.
I think you look adorable! And you’re lucky–you photograph well. I always turn out looking like Albino Pumpkin Head with Mr. Ed teeth. My wedding picutures are in a drawer for this reason.
I always borrowed my dad’s sweaters too!
I *also* had, and wore, purple mascara!!!
Although you really couldn’t tell behind my thick glasses but, trust me, it was there!
I think my colored mascara of choice was electric blue. Maybe to go with Electric Youth. Sigh. Those are great pictures though; you’re totally cute. Now I’m off to rattle around through the checking account looking for loose dollars to donate.
When I was wee, I got hold of one of those books about how French women create these unique styles by combining things that wouldn’t go together normally and finding unusual pieces to work as signatures, and… well, let’s just say that the heart bandanna and the letterman’s jacket don’t look that bad by comparison. They talked a good deal about combining masculine and feminine pieces, which of course to them meant menswear-tailored garments with pretty scarves, and to me meant an old football jersey and big plastic bow-shaped barrettes.
I think my grunge phase, when I wore my dad’s flannel shirts and washed my hair once a week whether it needed it or not, was actually a fashion “do” by comparison. Too bad I was about five years ahead of my small Midwestern town, which I believe responded to the news of Kurt Cobain’s suicide with a resounding “who?”
I’m fairly certain I wore blue mascara at some point in high school! I cannot wait to see the prom pictures!
Is it possible to put up a paypal button for the baseball side of things? That might be easier for people, especially those who don’t have paypal accounts…
I actually think your second sophomore photo looks pretty cool. Does that mean I’m not cool? Hmmm.
@Go: Added! Don’t know why I didn’t think of that myself. That’s why I need you guys.
I wore electric blue mascara back in the mid-90s, as a middle schooler. Clearly, you started a trend, Sars.
I’d love to take credit — and in fact, I’d love to find a tube of the purple, which looked pretty cool — but mine was light blue and made me look like an extra from Clockwork Orange The Musical.