Oh, people. I had such high hopes for this past weekend.
Our plan was to head to Nashville Friday afternoon, because for months – MONTHS, I tell you – our sweet friend Angela has been planning a surprise 40th birthday party for Travis. And not just any surprise party – an 80s surprise party. With costumes.
And even better? It worked out that Melanie was going to be able to fly in for the party. We were so tickled that we were going to be able to experience the 80s fashion Hall of Shame together, and oh, we did we ever plot and plan and Google to come up with the perfect party outfits. I really wanted to wear one of the Suzy Peacock romper dresses that I absolutely adored back in the late 80s (picture a bubble suit for grown-ups, then add cabbage rose floral fabric, lots of Battenburg lace and a handful of themed buttons), but unfortunately I gave all of them away about ten years ago when I realized that I no longer had any desire to dress like a toddler.
I can’t imagine what I was thinking when I got rid of them, because obviously there are many days when I’m getting ready to make a quick trip to the grocery store and wish with all my heart that I had a cute cabbage rose romper to throw on. It would be perfect with jelly sandals, lace gloves and a sassy tulle hairbow.
Anyway, given the absence of the Suzy Peacock dresses and the realization that any of the current 80s throwback fashions are designed for people whose waists are the size of my right knee, I finally decided that my 80s outfit was going to have to be something fairly simple. It all came together when I remembered my 80s love for a little product called puff paint – which you can actually still buy at Walmart – and as it turns out, one cheap sweatshirt + one package of pink Rit dye + 3 colors of puff paint = 80s MAGIC.
Is that not the most hideously delightful thing you’ve ever seen? And let me tell you: with a pair of tight-rolled jeans, some big hair and some bedazzled flats? SPECTACULAR.
David decided to go with more of a preppy look and wear two Polo shirts at once. He also attacked some old jeans with bleach and a cheese grater, and HELLO, 1988, WE’VE MISSED YOU SO.
I’m pretty sure I wore jeans with that exact wash when I moved into my freshman dorm. KLASSY.
So we were all geared up for the party, and early Friday morning I woke up and packed our suitcase and clapped my hands in anticipation. But not too long after I finished packing, I checked the Nashville weather and thought, “UH-OH – there’s trouble in them thar hills.” Then David told me that it might be too icy on the other side of the state line for us to travel, and I made a VERY informed remark about I was sure it would all be fine because the weather people are always saying things like “SEVERE WINTER STORM” and then it snows for two whole seconds and CLEARLY WE SHOULD NOT LET THEM STOP US.
But around mid-morning, after at least three different people emailed us about the bad road conditions (the word “treacherous” tends to get my attention), my Nashville friend Paige called and said that the weather really was too bad for out-of-town folks to make the trip. I was so bummed. And in the spirit of the party theme, I pondered throwing a VERY DRAMATIC little fit just like I would have done when I was a teenager.
In the end, though, no fits were thrown – and I didn’t slam my door and crank up the Phil Collins music, either, even though I TOTALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT. There were, however, six or nineteen conversations between Melanie and me about how sad we were that we weren’t going to make it to the fiesta. She had banana clips for us to wear, for heaven’s sake. AND BLUE EYESHADOW. AND HOT PINK BEADS.
But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. And I guess the up side is that I have a smokin’ hot new sweatshirt to wear when I go to the grocery store. It’ll help fill the void left by that cabbage rose Suzy Peacock romper.
It’s a bit of a hollow victory, but I’ll take it.
Happy 40th, Trav!
And you will still be Pretty In Pink. And that will be just Ducky.
That sweatshirt brings me great joy on this Monday morning! I wanted to be Madonna and truly thought she was the greatest thing EVER! (roll eyes)
We are still snowed and iced in so be glad you are home safe and sound, but according the FB pix…Paige gets the prize for the best hair. Awesome!!!
Oh…what a bummer! “What about prom, Blaine?” totally encompasses how that must have felt…complete with a Molly Ringwald pout!
I’m so sad for you. :(
Oh BooMama, how you make me laugh! What a bright spot your blog is in my day. After reading this post, visions of puff-painted sweatshirts and Andrew McCarthy in his sweet tux are inspiring me to have a mid-winter 80s party! Gotta go find the legwarmers in the back of my drawer!
So disappointing! I’m a little, ahem, older than you but when my girls were home for Christmaswe were watching old videos and my daughter (who was born in 1988!) commented on how awesome my hair accessories were. She may not have actually used the word awesome but I know that’s what she was thinking.
I’m so sorry that you weren’t able to go- it does sound like you would have had an OUTRAGEOUS time. I’m supposed to head to Minneapolis in March for a baby shower (not an 80s themed shower, unfortunately) and I’m concerned about the weather then, too. Bring on spring!!
Well, I think it would be a shame for those outfits to go to waste. Get all dolled up & post the pictures. I’ll start the slow clap for you… ;o)
So sorry you all missed the party – the pictures would have been priceless. However, if it makes you feel better REO Speedwagon and Styx are coming in concert in February and a bunch of us are seriously contemplating wearing 80’s wear and going together- you are both welcome to come along and don your outfits.
I’d like – totally – forgotten Jelly sandals and tulle hairbows! I am so sorry you missed attending the party! Oh, I think you’d be the perfect back-up singer (in your 80’s outfit) for this video we are doing of this crazy little diddy I wrote on the way back from Houston. Please let me know if you are available for taping the last weekend of this month… I see possibilities beyond the grocery store!
Such a bummer but you and Melanie should totally have an 80s party together and rock out in the outfits!! Just a thought :)
Just like I told Melanie, you now have a Halloween costume for the ages. FTW!
I am so sad for y’all! Now I’m really wishing I would have let my hubby give me a birthday party this year (30 next week) so I could have had a cool 80’s outfit! Oh, and you and Big Mama would SO have been invited! :)
i see an etsy shop in your near future with that gem of a sweatshirt!
Or a Leslie Lucks’ sailor dress? Or a Coca Cola sweatshirt? And Giorgio perfume…(Cough cough).
This party sounds like it needs a do-over for sure! In fact, I want to come to the next one, OK??
You should have seen about doing a video chat, like Skype or something!
I’m so sad for these pictures from the party that I won’t be able to see.
I mean, a cabbage rose romper! I haven’t thought about those in AGES.
Glad you were safe, though. :-)
So now you and Melanie have a legitimate reason to host your own 80s party. :)
I am SO TOTALLY BUMMED for you dude! I too missed the 80’s theme birthday party of a friend of mine recently. I so wanted to pull out my Guess jeans (even though they wouldn’t have gone up past my ankles) and my Flashdance style neon green sweatshirt and leg warmers. FUN!
My birthday was last week. I totally should have had my own 80’s party. Oh well. There’s always next year.
Oh stink!
I was headed to that party, too, but the weather prevented me from going.
I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am that I didn’t get to crimp my hair, pour myself into some stirrup pants and hang out with Boomama!!!!
Oh yeah — and wish Travis a happy 40th!
Blessings,
Dori
So that’s what Travis meant last weekend in Houston when he told me I was NOT old enough to be his mother…hmmmmm. 40? I had no idea.
Sorry you missed the party – but it sounds like it was their loss!
Love to you,
GA Jan
So sorry you didn’t get to go to the rockin party! And after you made your cool 80’s clothes and everything. Darn.
You took me back. I remember having the following conversation with my grandmother on the escalator at Gayfer’s department store in Jackson:
Me: Mamaw, will you buy me some lace gloves?
Mamaw: Oh, to wear with your Easter dress?
Me: No, to cut the fingers off and wear…like Madonna.
I think I took five years off her life with that comment.
What a cruel summer…er…winter! Bummer!
I could make some snotty remark about how wimpy you Southerners are about your winter storms. I mean, no winter storm up here would stop us from going to a birthday party. But, alas, I’ve been caught on the road in a Dallas ice storm before, and I know from experience (as in a car doing a 180 right next to me) that those storms are nothing like the barrage of snow we get up here and they are also nothing to mess with.
So I’ll just say sorry you had to miss the party. :(
The words “puff paint” make me laugh out loud. That sweatshirt is as close as “authentic” as they come. My summer wardrobe in 1989 was entirely “puff painted”. I mean my fake Keds and all!!! Great job!
Love the outfits and so bummed you weren’t able to go!
I had successfully forgotten about those darn rompers! I had one too many!
You might like the 80’s party we had…fun!
http://womaninterrupt.blogspot.com/2008/12/nuns-do-90s.html