Worn Stories is a collection of stories about clothing and memory and is edited by the innovative Emily Spivack. It’s a new blog, and already one of our favorite guilty pleasures. For example the piece below via Shana Lutker (an LA-based artist and Managing Editor at X-TRA Contemporary Quarterly.)
The sweatshirt was oversized with lots of satin and sequins and appliqué. On the front, there was an image of a super sexual blonde woman wearing a red bustier. She had on thigh highs and turquoise gloves that matched her turquoise garters. She was dancing and one leg was kicked up in the air and her arm was extended with jewelry flying off her wrist. Down the side of the shirt were the letters P-O-P.
The sweatshirt was from Bloomingdale’s in Garden City. We’d go on special occasions and my mom would let me pick out one thing during those shopping trips. Although I suspect it actually may have been during the times when my mom could get a free gift special at the Clinique counter – I’m not sure.
I wore it to the first day of school. It was 1987 or 1988 and I was heading into fourth grade. And because it was so crazy looking, everyone commented on it. I remember clearly at one point during the day, Kate Berry, who was kind of my mean friend at the time, and Jessica Troyana telling me that the shirt didn’t say “Pop” but it in fact said “Poop” because the woman’s O-shaped bracelet was placed close enough to “Pop” that it looked like “Poop.”
I totally denied it when the kids in school were making fun of me wearing a sweatshirt that they thought said “Poop.” I don’t think I burst into tears, but I definitely didn’t like the sweatshirt anymore after that. It’s kind of a big deal when you’re in fourth grade. Once more time had passed, it was something I could have a sense of humor about. I’m still friends with Kate Barry and we both remember the poop/pop sweatshirt because it was really the most garish sweatshirt you can imagine and pretty funny.
Illustration by Shana Lutker.