I was taught at a young age that if I could schlep it, then I could bring it. Instead of seeing this as a need to simplify, I saw this a challenge to carry as much crap as humanely possible. So prior to a recent trip to Israel for my nephews' Bar Mitzvahs, I began to think: If ants can carry 5,000 times their body weight, why can't this aunt?
I managed to pack 75% of my closet allowing myself three clothing options a day plus alternates pending on what my fleeting fashion feelings might be. Day to day, my attire ranged from sensible to nonsensical. I was happy knowing that if the mood struck, I had an extra miniskirt at the ready.
However, it was the day we were at Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo, when I realized I was the visiting attraction. A local approached me saying, "You must be here on holiday. You dress too funny for an Israeli." My response: "I dress too funny for an American." I know this already. My style is what I call don't fret-a-porter. I'm okay with that and the 'looks' I often get.
But as I continued our trip, I began to notice something even more ridiculous than my outfits and it wasn't the massive numbers of souvenir shops. It was the t-shirts in those stores. Half of which I briefly owned as a teenager until my mother "mistakenly" washed all of them with a red shirt before I started my high school senior year. What a blessing.
I have mental pictures in my head of what that last year in high school would have been like, if the Washing Machine Incident of 1994 never happened. And fortunately, for you I have actual pictures of these shirts of Teen Tour Past. Here are some of the best of's for your viewing pleasure. Which one is your favorite? Did you own any of these gems?
