More from my my weekly ‘Who Remembers?’ posts on Facebook every Friday. This part of a regular summary of them all on my blog, as a reminder and place to revisit every time you need that nostalgia fix! If you want to follow me on Facebook and see the latest posts each week, as well as notifications of the new items I have for sale, just visit https://www.facebook.com/rachelsvintageretro/.
Who Remembers..... Classic LA Gear Trainers?
The double laces! The tags! Must wear with slouchy socks! What’s not to like? 😁. The company was founded in 1983, funnily enough in LA by Robert Greenberg (who made roller skates originally). They were one of the first athletic brands to use non sports stars to endorse them, such as Paula Abdul and Michael Jackson. They are still going today and the retro lines are enduringly popular with 80s and 90s fashion enthusiasts, as well as people with fond memories of the shoes 👟💗🎀.
Who Remembers... C&A Shops in the UK High Street?
C&A was founded, in Sneek, by brothers Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer in 1841 as a Dutch textile company, taking its company name from their initials. The brothers mission was to provide affordable ready to wear clothing to consumers. They opened in the UK in 1922 and the last shops closed in 2000 as a result of rising cheaper clothing brand competition such as Matalan and Gap. They continue to operate in Europe, South America and China. The clothing labels included Clockhouse, Canda, Yessica, Your Sixth Sense and Avanti (so look out for these when vintage shopping! Clockhouse was the young people’s range). The men’s clothing range was advertised as ‘Man at C&A’ but quickly became a by word for not very stylish or unfashionable clothing - In an episode of the sitcom Only Fools and Horses Delboy tells his brother Rodney that when they become millionaires, their clothes will "come from Man at C&A" 😂. What are your memories of C&A and what other shops no longer operating do you miss from the UK high street?
Who Remembers... Pigeon Street?
A well loved children's TV series first shown in 1981, part of the lunchtime See Saw strand for pre-school children. It was written by Michael Cole and voiced by George Layton and featured stories about the lives of several inhabitants of the fictional ‘Pigeon Street’. Quite innovative at the time as it had multicultural characters, as well as a female lorry driver - Long Distance Clara!
Who Remembers... Jelly Shoes and Bags?
A staple of 80s fashion, I used my bag for school books, and the shoes we had to wear in outdoor paddling pools to protect our feet! 😂 Those were the days 👍 Apparently, the idea for the shoes originated in the mid 50s or 60s, but it wasn't till the 80s and a fondness for brightly coloured synthetic items that their popularity began to grow. They make a reappearance in fashion too every now and then, as new designers re-discover them and redesign them to appeal to modern consumers.
Hope you enjoyed the memories, once again. If there is something in particular you have a fondness for and would like to see in this section, do let me know in the comments below! Rachel x
This post is written by Rachel Toy, owner of Rachel’s Vintage & Retro. I am a vintage enthusiast writing about a Vintage Lifestyle, focusing on the Vintage Home. I also sell a wide variety of vintage household items from kitchenalia, to homewares such as linens, mid century glass, barware, occasional furniture and collectable toys from my Vintage Website and Social Media.
