There are sights, sounds, and smells that trigger specific memories. One of my friends loves yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting because it reminds her of childhood birthdays. My husband has strong food memories from his Norwegian grandmother’s cooking. Or if you’re like me, clothes take you back.
I took my teenage son to the dentist and he remarked on my kid’s baggy jeans, saying he remembered wearing them in the 90s. My teen found his Calvin Klein throwbacks while thrifting with friends and probably wears them 5 days a week. He loves them that much.
A few years ago I was looking for vintage jeans on Etsy and came across a pair of Guess jeans I had in 8th grade. I remember falling in love with the plaid printed jeans and a matching denim jacket with the checked pattern as elbow patches. The look was peak 80s and I wore this outfit on repeat. Seeing those jeans reminded me of a time packed with sleepovers watching scary movies, mall outings when we cruised the arcade for cute boys, and drawing on black Chuck Taylor high tops with Wite Out while waiting to get picked up after school.
I seriously considered buying those vintage Guess jeans. Sure it had a tapered leg and zippers at the ankle, a tell-tale sign of terminally dated denim. Also, it wasn’t my size which makes no sense. I don’t like keeping clothes for the sake of having them around so why would I buy something for that very purpose?
I came to my senses and did not buy. I haven’t found the matching denim jacket, but I’ll sometimes still find the jeans on Depop or eBay. It’s like crossing paths with an old friend, this relic that made me so happy that year which was also full of teen awkwardness and angst. Even when you’ve moved on it’s nice to look back.