Marianne - you nailed it on the head! I think more than anything I would love to achieve a timeless and classic, yet still fashion-forward, style. I still don't know how one does that, especially because, even now, I'm drawn to trendy styles.
I look back on these photos and I think: It wasn't the trend that was the problem; it was the fit and how I wore the trend. With the right fit, even shoulder pads could look good... assuming that trend came back. (Not that I want it to!!) For example, my ex-boss: she was wearing shoulder pads but at 5'1" she chose her shoulder pads more wisely (also helped she is a seamstress and painstakingly made her own clothes or tailored them herself).
I do know, looking back at wedding photos, that my sister (who married a year after I did) looks absolutely timeless in her wedding dress - whereas I look like a fashion victim - no, a fashion disaster! I would burn all those pics if I didn't have my kids, for whom I save them all. But you'll note I didn't scan any of those in!!
Shell, up until my 20s I was a blonde. But my hair darkened and the brown was/is my natural color (especially when it is short and dosen't have time to lighten in the sun before it's cut). I started regularly highlighting it about 10 years ago. I started highlighting it after one too many comments from strangers asking where my two blondies got their blonde hair! They got their blonde hair from me. My hair as a teen was exactly halfway between DD14's white-blonde hair, and DD16's caramel blonde hair.
I have no intention of going natural again - until it's time to go grey. I really like being a blonde. However, I have toyed on and off with the idea of going red. I have a lot of red in my natural color, my mom was a red-head and my sister is a red-head. My hairdressers have always said I could pull it off, it just takes way too much maintenance and upkeep (even more than blonde highlights!), which is why I haven't done it.
Looking at these pics, I do have to say I kinda like the short hair. Not so much the bangs, but I do like the idea of going shorter, so that is likely in my future one of these days.
Maya - I feel like I was between generations and was too old for the real fashion fun of the 80s, then was pregnant or raising young children during the height of the 90s, so missed all those trend too. When everyone here talks about Doc Martens - I don't remember that trend at all!! Passed right by me!
