"Backstory: This was taken during a kids' window-painting contest in the 'downtown' area of Baldwinsville, when I was in 4th grade. 'Twas an incredibly cold and rainy morning--but you'd never know it from that sassy smile, would you? Things that ARE painfully apparent: my weather-flattened frizzy hair, my SUPER! PUFFY! WHITE! marshmallow coat, my sweatshirt proclaiming that I was 'Ultra Cool' (this was one of my favorite articles of clothing at the time), and my weirdly-framed old lady glasses (I picked those out, so I can't even blame my mother). That Mott's juice box is an unnecessary-but-classy touch of maturity. And the disembodied, pastry-clutching hand is my best friend Katie, who has stuck by me for twenty-five years even through questionable fashion moments like this."
"Apparently I was super excited about my extra large glasses, bowl cut hair, and Old Navy flag t-shirt. This must have been a dress down day though, since I'm not wearing my trademark silver eyeliner... isn't everyone fashionable at 13?" -Melinda
"I was extremely sick and forced to sit for a family photo (hence me looking so unimpressed). Despite my older sister pinching me to try and get me to smile, I managed to maintain my dead-pan face. I am often told how much I look like the little boy from the sixth sense in this photograph. I blame this on two things. Firstly, my expression. Secondly, the bowl cuts that my mother used to give me. My hair was extremely thin and would not easily... so my mother would actually place a bowl on top of my head and cut around it. It still haunts me to this day." -Gemma
"I present you, me, start of 6th grade: Sweater and pedal pushers, home-made by my mom. Ann Jillian haircut, that I just HAD TO HAVE! And beneath the droopy kneesocks I am wearing TOP-SIDER SHOES! Really, it does not get any hotter than this." -Gayle
