I was in middle school in the mid-90s, and my favorite outfit was a flowered, baseball sleeved, hooded t-shirt, my wide-legged jeans, and my plaid Tweety Bird chucks. Lol. I hadn't thought about those shoes in YEARS.
I was in middle school in the mid 2000s. Flare jeans, lace hem tank tops under everything. I was really crafty/artsy as a kid which my mom really encouraged. When I wasn't wearing a pink corduroy BLAZER to school, I would wear some homemade styles like a DIY halter over a long sleeved shirt or a cropped shrug top that I'd made out of an old t shirt. And even though I'd never touched one, all the popular girls wore skateboarder shoes, so I also wore skate shoes.
Oh my gosh, your reflection on middle school power outfits took me back. My power outfit was a white silk double-breasted sleeveless blazer and short set (a la Amanda on Melrose Place). I wore it with brown leather point toe flats on a co-ed overnight school field trip to Florida State and obvi felt SO grown up. If I still had that outfit, I would frame it as a tactile testament to unabated optimism in the hopeless desert that was middle school. I'm sure even my 90s bangs looked good while wearing that outfit.
Erin, congratulations on the 100 times (and more!) you brought women together to celebrate, grieve, reminisce, and obsess over the best things the week had to offer. This place is truly a gift and though I don’t comment often, it brings me joy to experience people being kind to one another!
1991 Power Outfit: Every Friday I would wear my purple Hypercolor t-shirt (purple to pink for those wondering! 🤣) acid-washed cut-off jean shorts and my striped hi-top Chuck Taylors that I picked up at the Outlet Mall in Oregon on Summer Break. Topped off with a peace sign necklace, and a piggy-back perm and I was set!
Erin, happy 100th newsletter! I went through my email and I have been here since issue #1. :)
I was homeschooled so middle school fashion wasn't as important, but that time was still incredibly unfortunate. I had braces, too-small glasses, *and* I was growing out my bangs (never mind puberty happening as well). I ran track in 7th and 8th grade, and the team colors were purple, but the uniforms were mixed and matched from different years so I had a purple tank and purple shorts BUT THE PURPLES DIDN'T MATCH *cries on the inside*. Glad middle school is over and not an experience I'll have to repeat ever again!
How about the opposite of middle school power outfits? Jeans did not work for me in middle school. At the time (and perhaps still now), they were not made for girls with a booty leading to an unbridgeable gap in the back between the waistband and my actual waist. So, leggings were still my preferred pants. My most memorable (and cringe-worthy?) leggings outfit consisted of loud print leggings and an orange long-sleeve trapeze top with a predictably 90s graphic image on the front. I loved that outfit, but it didn’t exactly fit in with my Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren wearing peers.
Olive green linen overall shorts I rocked with a white baby tee and my doc martin sandals aaaaaaallover church camp. Then I had random yellow flip flops I paired with kelly green reebok outlet wind pants (the kind that swish when you walk and of course I wore the ankle zippers all the way undone) with a navy blue tshirt that had what looked like an Olympic logo volleyball player made out of "volleyball" words. Also fun facts - I teach middle school now and last week was homecoming and our dress up day that was decades looked like 1995 came back to roost. I was oddly at home.
Everyone's middle school power outfits are giving me life! I have a vivid middle school memory of the following outfit: hot pink stirrup pants with a button-down shirt that had a splatter paint pattern, a high-low hem, and a hot pink skinny necktie. Which I wore with some white Keds knock-offs. I felt absolutely so cool!
My middle school MVP was a pair of rose colored wide legged pair of corduroy overalls with a bell sleeved cream sweater underneath and those chunky (truly awful) brown lace up Skecher boots that were all the rage in the late 90s. I had also recently traded my glasses for contacts and was FEELING IT. Pretty sure I even dissected a frog in that outfit.
Thank the good Lord there was no internet then - but that article by AHP was fascinating and I identified with much of what she shared. Great IG follows too!
I've been largely MIA in the comments d/t work deadlines and COVID contact tracing and colds (thankfully no one in our house actually had COVID, but boy do you start to mentally spiral when you get the vague not at all helpful school emails about exposure) and now it's practically November. Looking forward to reading all of your treasures and reminiscing over our teen looks. (Teens today are so intimidating - they are impeccable and stylish and so effortlessly cool. Does anyone else think this or just me?)
Treasures -
Trick or treating with my boys, aka Ron and Harry this weekend (my FIL actually asked me "is Ron the kid with the red hair?" ouch.) We are deep into all things Potter and reading the illustrated books with them has been so much fun. Harry's just been chosen as the 4th champion in Goblet of Fire and my second grader has SO MANY OPINIONS on this.
My parents are taking the kids for a sleepover tomorrow night for the first time in ages, and even though it's not long enough to go out of town, I cannot wait. I got a great dress thrifting this week and am going to a new to me restaurant in our little city with my husband, brother, and SIL. Already anticipating the apps + drinks!
Have a spooky, lovely, candy filled weekend fellow Swipes!
I still can’t believe this happened. But i was a big Braves fan as a 13 year old girl who played no sports. Nor lived in Atlanta. Singed into my mind is my bootcut jeans paired with a Braves Starter Jacket (way oversized of course) with tomahawk earrings. Cringe cringe cringe.
🎹 we got a piano gifted to us (!) from our friends’ parents when they were moving and we got it delivered on Saturday. I’ve been practicing every week using Skoove (an app) and I’m loving re-learning! It’s such a nice way to take a break during my workday.
⚾️ Our hometown ‘Stros are in the World Series! I never really pay attention to baseball, but it’s always fun when the whole city rallies around something.
Turds:
😕 My husband’s grandmother is not doing well. We are heading to Louisiana now to go try to see her. She is 90 and has lived a long, full life but of course, we are still sad. We’ve lost my husband’s brother and his father both unexpectedly this year, so this just feels like yet another sad moment in this already sad year.
I’m so sorry about your husband’s grandmother. We lost a very very special brother in law this year and it’s so hard. Next week we have two funerals. One for an old friend of my husband’s gone too soon and one for the wife of my husband’s first boss. We’re reeling over here with the loss of so much.
Okay I don’t know if you are ready for my outfit…..picture me, a sweet little homeschooler and the only one in my friend group with short hair….in bright orange shorts, with an equally bright blue and orange plaid shorts, complete with….orange lipstick. I looked good, y’all. It’s cool though. I’m semi-normal now. Ish.
Treasure this week was staying home all day due to a sick kiddo. He’s on the mend, and we all got some much needed down time. I didn’t even try to do any work. Just hung out on the floor with both of my kids. I loved all my extra snuggles 🥰
Looking forward to the craziness of the Halloween weekend (and frankly also looking forward to next weekend when there’s absolutely nothing on the agenda😂)
My favorite outfit of eighth grade was a pair of flared corduroy pants from Old Navy, a Peace Frog t-shirt (wore this in my school picture - mom LOVED it...), brown doc martens, hair parted down the middle with two butterfly clips at the top of my hair, my leftover bangs from 7th grade (because who thought it was a good idea for a girl with frizzy hair to get bangs PRE-flat iron popularity), broken/bent framed glasses, silver eyeliner and pink eyeshadow from bath and body works with some wrong shade of lipstick that I borrowed from a friend because I didn't own any, and too light foundation. I LOOKED GOOD. I wore this at least once a week. Sometimes more than once...
The makeup! No one ever walked me through how to choose/apply it and to this day I stay away from all but the neutrals thanks to those years of blue eyeshadow. And amen to the frizzy hair.
So many plaid skirt comments! I remember rocking a plaid skirt/ knee high socks situation with 100% confidence one day and I think I was almost abducted. It was winter and snow was on the ground and I was walking to school, an older man crept up all slow in his car and tried to get me to let him give me a ride to school. I was smart enough to decline and he persisted for what felt like forever but was probably like 30 seconds before he drove away. Anyway, I didn't think much of it at the time but a couple years later I was like damn, that could've been real real bad! That outfit was retired after that day.
If there is ever a time for a first time post, it's now. My power outfit...Light blue and black plaid mini skirt (but not too mini! God would approve of the length) with buckles OF COURSE. Topped with a light blue shirt.
On warm days, the shirt was short sleeve and those legs were bare. On cold days, long sleeve shirt/sweater and black tights! The shoes were always these chunky black heels and the accessories were always the Gap necklace my older sister wore in high school (with a light blue stone pendant) and light blue studs from when I got my ears pierced. Listen, I was a tar heel fan and people told me I looked good in light blue and I ran. with. that.
Man. To have the confidence I had in that outfit today. I'd be unstoppable.
I was in middle school in the mid-90s, and my favorite outfit was a flowered, baseball sleeved, hooded t-shirt, my wide-legged jeans, and my plaid Tweety Bird chucks. Lol. I hadn't thought about those shoes in YEARS.
I was in middle school in the mid 2000s. Flare jeans, lace hem tank tops under everything. I was really crafty/artsy as a kid which my mom really encouraged. When I wasn't wearing a pink corduroy BLAZER to school, I would wear some homemade styles like a DIY halter over a long sleeved shirt or a cropped shrug top that I'd made out of an old t shirt. And even though I'd never touched one, all the popular girls wore skateboarder shoes, so I also wore skate shoes.
Oh my gosh, your reflection on middle school power outfits took me back. My power outfit was a white silk double-breasted sleeveless blazer and short set (a la Amanda on Melrose Place). I wore it with brown leather point toe flats on a co-ed overnight school field trip to Florida State and obvi felt SO grown up. If I still had that outfit, I would frame it as a tactile testament to unabated optimism in the hopeless desert that was middle school. I'm sure even my 90s bangs looked good while wearing that outfit.
That sounds like a power outfit now, tbh.
Erin, congratulations on the 100 times (and more!) you brought women together to celebrate, grieve, reminisce, and obsess over the best things the week had to offer. This place is truly a gift and though I don’t comment often, it brings me joy to experience people being kind to one another!
1991 Power Outfit: Every Friday I would wear my purple Hypercolor t-shirt (purple to pink for those wondering! 🤣) acid-washed cut-off jean shorts and my striped hi-top Chuck Taylors that I picked up at the Outlet Mall in Oregon on Summer Break. Topped off with a peace sign necklace, and a piggy-back perm and I was set!
Erin, happy 100th newsletter! I went through my email and I have been here since issue #1. :)
I was homeschooled so middle school fashion wasn't as important, but that time was still incredibly unfortunate. I had braces, too-small glasses, *and* I was growing out my bangs (never mind puberty happening as well). I ran track in 7th and 8th grade, and the team colors were purple, but the uniforms were mixed and matched from different years so I had a purple tank and purple shorts BUT THE PURPLES DIDN'T MATCH *cries on the inside*. Glad middle school is over and not an experience I'll have to repeat ever again!
How about the opposite of middle school power outfits? Jeans did not work for me in middle school. At the time (and perhaps still now), they were not made for girls with a booty leading to an unbridgeable gap in the back between the waistband and my actual waist. So, leggings were still my preferred pants. My most memorable (and cringe-worthy?) leggings outfit consisted of loud print leggings and an orange long-sleeve trapeze top with a predictably 90s graphic image on the front. I loved that outfit, but it didn’t exactly fit in with my Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren wearing peers.
OK I know it's cheating but I have 2...
Olive green linen overall shorts I rocked with a white baby tee and my doc martin sandals aaaaaaallover church camp. Then I had random yellow flip flops I paired with kelly green reebok outlet wind pants (the kind that swish when you walk and of course I wore the ankle zippers all the way undone) with a navy blue tshirt that had what looked like an Olympic logo volleyball player made out of "volleyball" words. Also fun facts - I teach middle school now and last week was homecoming and our dress up day that was decades looked like 1995 came back to roost. I was oddly at home.
Yes I forgot about swish pants. So fun!
Band uniform.
Everyone's middle school power outfits are giving me life! I have a vivid middle school memory of the following outfit: hot pink stirrup pants with a button-down shirt that had a splatter paint pattern, a high-low hem, and a hot pink skinny necktie. Which I wore with some white Keds knock-offs. I felt absolutely so cool!
Thank you for the joy today, everyone!
My middle school MVP was a pair of rose colored wide legged pair of corduroy overalls with a bell sleeved cream sweater underneath and those chunky (truly awful) brown lace up Skecher boots that were all the rage in the late 90s. I had also recently traded my glasses for contacts and was FEELING IT. Pretty sure I even dissected a frog in that outfit.
Thank the good Lord there was no internet then - but that article by AHP was fascinating and I identified with much of what she shared. Great IG follows too!
I've been largely MIA in the comments d/t work deadlines and COVID contact tracing and colds (thankfully no one in our house actually had COVID, but boy do you start to mentally spiral when you get the vague not at all helpful school emails about exposure) and now it's practically November. Looking forward to reading all of your treasures and reminiscing over our teen looks. (Teens today are so intimidating - they are impeccable and stylish and so effortlessly cool. Does anyone else think this or just me?)
Treasures -
Trick or treating with my boys, aka Ron and Harry this weekend (my FIL actually asked me "is Ron the kid with the red hair?" ouch.) We are deep into all things Potter and reading the illustrated books with them has been so much fun. Harry's just been chosen as the 4th champion in Goblet of Fire and my second grader has SO MANY OPINIONS on this.
My parents are taking the kids for a sleepover tomorrow night for the first time in ages, and even though it's not long enough to go out of town, I cannot wait. I got a great dress thrifting this week and am going to a new to me restaurant in our little city with my husband, brother, and SIL. Already anticipating the apps + drinks!
Have a spooky, lovely, candy filled weekend fellow Swipes!
I still can’t believe this happened. But i was a big Braves fan as a 13 year old girl who played no sports. Nor lived in Atlanta. Singed into my mind is my bootcut jeans paired with a Braves Starter Jacket (way oversized of course) with tomahawk earrings. Cringe cringe cringe.
Hello friends!!
🎉 Happy 100th newsletter! I’m so glad I stumbled into the world of Erin H Moon & the Lil Swipes!
For your Halloween kid costume viewing pleasure, you can check out my boys here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVnQ2LIFHpn/?utm_medium=copy_link
Treasures this week:
🎹 we got a piano gifted to us (!) from our friends’ parents when they were moving and we got it delivered on Saturday. I’ve been practicing every week using Skoove (an app) and I’m loving re-learning! It’s such a nice way to take a break during my workday.
⚾️ Our hometown ‘Stros are in the World Series! I never really pay attention to baseball, but it’s always fun when the whole city rallies around something.
Turds:
😕 My husband’s grandmother is not doing well. We are heading to Louisiana now to go try to see her. She is 90 and has lived a long, full life but of course, we are still sad. We’ve lost my husband’s brother and his father both unexpectedly this year, so this just feels like yet another sad moment in this already sad year.
I’m so sorry about your husband’s grandmother. We lost a very very special brother in law this year and it’s so hard. Next week we have two funerals. One for an old friend of my husband’s gone too soon and one for the wife of my husband’s first boss. We’re reeling over here with the loss of so much.
Thank you. Sorry for your losses too - this year feels extra tough. ❤️
Okay I don’t know if you are ready for my outfit…..picture me, a sweet little homeschooler and the only one in my friend group with short hair….in bright orange shorts, with an equally bright blue and orange plaid shorts, complete with….orange lipstick. I looked good, y’all. It’s cool though. I’m semi-normal now. Ish.
Treasure this week was staying home all day due to a sick kiddo. He’s on the mend, and we all got some much needed down time. I didn’t even try to do any work. Just hung out on the floor with both of my kids. I loved all my extra snuggles 🥰
Looking forward to the craziness of the Halloween weekend (and frankly also looking forward to next weekend when there’s absolutely nothing on the agenda😂)
It’s orange and blue shirt not shorts, I can’t type. Orange shorts. Orange shirt. Orange lipstick🧡🧡🧡🧡
My favorite outfit of eighth grade was a pair of flared corduroy pants from Old Navy, a Peace Frog t-shirt (wore this in my school picture - mom LOVED it...), brown doc martens, hair parted down the middle with two butterfly clips at the top of my hair, my leftover bangs from 7th grade (because who thought it was a good idea for a girl with frizzy hair to get bangs PRE-flat iron popularity), broken/bent framed glasses, silver eyeliner and pink eyeshadow from bath and body works with some wrong shade of lipstick that I borrowed from a friend because I didn't own any, and too light foundation. I LOOKED GOOD. I wore this at least once a week. Sometimes more than once...
The makeup! No one ever walked me through how to choose/apply it and to this day I stay away from all but the neutrals thanks to those years of blue eyeshadow. And amen to the frizzy hair.
So many plaid skirt comments! I remember rocking a plaid skirt/ knee high socks situation with 100% confidence one day and I think I was almost abducted. It was winter and snow was on the ground and I was walking to school, an older man crept up all slow in his car and tried to get me to let him give me a ride to school. I was smart enough to decline and he persisted for what felt like forever but was probably like 30 seconds before he drove away. Anyway, I didn't think much of it at the time but a couple years later I was like damn, that could've been real real bad! That outfit was retired after that day.
Warning all my friends w/teenage girls to burn the plaid skirts!
Holy crap!
What?!?! This is bonkers!!!
SHAWNA THIS WAS A ROLLERCOASTER
Tell me about it
If there is ever a time for a first time post, it's now. My power outfit...Light blue and black plaid mini skirt (but not too mini! God would approve of the length) with buckles OF COURSE. Topped with a light blue shirt.
On warm days, the shirt was short sleeve and those legs were bare. On cold days, long sleeve shirt/sweater and black tights! The shoes were always these chunky black heels and the accessories were always the Gap necklace my older sister wore in high school (with a light blue stone pendant) and light blue studs from when I got my ears pierced. Listen, I was a tar heel fan and people told me I looked good in light blue and I ran. with. that.
Man. To have the confidence I had in that outfit today. I'd be unstoppable.