"I remember being really adamant about wearing my Little Mermaid sweatshirt. I was going to be cool and defy the social norm that was formal dress for picture day. If only I'd been defying norms on the bangs front, too. This photo was taken between several failed perms, in my 4th grade year, meaning my hair was in for even more trauma and I was in love with a 5th grader named Brendan Radke. In LOVE, okay? (I found him on facebook a bit ago. My boyfriend is way cuter. Sorry, Brendan -- you missed your shot!)" -Emily
After the jump, Emily with her Prince Eric today...
"I'd just achieved the dream: My mom had let me get a spiral perm, which was the height of style in 1988. In my head I would wake up every morning looking exactly like Milla Jovovich did at the time; the reality, for a person with as much hair as I have, was that I wound up resembling a fuzzy triangle. I attempted to ameliorate this effect with 'the wave' bangs, and you could make an argument for the round glasses posing a contrast to the geometry of my general head shape. Maybe? Maybe. Also note the t-shirt, which I wore as a proud aficionado of the annual hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque." --Autumn
"This picture was taken in the summer of 1989 when I got my new 10 speed bike! Look at me: a pink tank top with black biker shorts with a lime green stripe. OMG! Horrible! I don't know why I liked those glasses either, they were tinted pink and octagons. I think I see my Eastland shoes I always wore without socks. Those must've stunk! Then there's the perm growing out of my hair in which appears to be tied back by some sort of bandana or something... No wonder the kids picked on me at school." -Rachel
"Not sure why, but Sarah (right) and I wore a lot of matching outfits growing up in Columbus, Indiana. This is 1988. We are sporting the belt over the sweater/sweatshirt look that Michelle Obama has now copied from us. We were also trendsetting with the boots and leggings (you're welcome, American Apparel and snotty college girls everywhere).
"We have SUH-WEET bubble necklaces because you never know when the urge to blow bubbles will strike. We cannot neglect to mention the perms. I wanted more than anything in the world to be Dolly Parton at that age (I was 4, Sarah was 7), and I think I also wanted to be just like my older sister so I sat for three hours while they put the rollers in my hair and gave me the worst perm ever (which grew out into a wicked curly mullet). Lastly, let us applaud the creativity and skill used to make our puffy paint sweatshirts." --Jessica
"I seriously cringe every time I see this picture, and it's a lot worse since my mom put it on her Facebook. I had (and still kinda do have) chubby cheeks, and as you can tell tweezers were not my friend and kind of scared me. I was addicted to perms and used Sun-In way too much, and goodness, looked how greased down it was (I had this thing that my hair, especially in a ponytail, had to be flat against my scalp). A lot has changed in almost nine years. I love my hair straight and dark and definitely not flat. And tweezers are now my friend and ally." -Anna
