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Wasn’t it great?

(167 Posts)
Urmstongran Sat 23-Feb-19 21:32:16

Did you enjoy it?
Getting ready to go out as a late teen?
Think back to the anticipation of the evening ahead! Remember the days when that getting ready was heady with anticipation?
Washing and styling our hair ... putting on the makeup ... music on loud in the bedroom ... what to wear to attract the boys?

Nail varnish.
Carmen rollers.
False eyelashes.
Tamla Motown.
The hot pants/Biba eyeshadow/Estee Lauder ‘Youth Dew’

All that and then 9 times out of 10 coming home, still boyfriendless, to take it all off and do it again next weekend!

Wasn’t it fab? That optimism & enthusiasm?
Now it’s a flick of mascara and the meal out is ‘the evening’.

Those heady days eh?

What are your fond memories of venturing out then?

Coolgran65 Sun 24-Feb-19 10:46:37

Amami hair setting lotion used to shape the kiss curls and fringe. Max Factor block mascara. Hair spray that set solid.

Not wearing a coat as it spoiled the look so walking home with frost on the ground but not feeling the cold as we’d danced all night.

Getting fabric on a Saturday morning to make a mini dress empire line to wear that night. I had several dresses all made from the one pattern with different fabrics from the market.

Shampoo in a little sachet probably Vosene.

anitamp1 Sun 24-Feb-19 10:45:25

I remember some of my favourite outfits with fondness. I had black cord bibbed hot pants. Lovely back dress with long white fringes under the sleeves and short fringes round the hem. I loved that dress sooo much. And a tan coloured faux suede fringed mini skirt and waistcoat. Thought I was the bees knees. I doubt if youngsters today will remember favourite outfits in 30+ years time. Too much of a throwaway generation. Some of them barely wear the same outfit twice.

lmm6 Sun 24-Feb-19 10:43:00

My dad always complained about my short skirts but, when midi skirts came in, he said I looked as if I should be pulling a plough.
Always false eyelashes - one of mine fell off into my soup once.
Late 60s -fantastic. Saw The Beatles live twice, Dave Bowie, Stones, Cilla Black and Rod Stewart.
Used to hitchhike everywhere (only did it on my own once though and got a lift on a motorbike - no helmets back then).
Goodness, if my children had ever done half of what I'd done I'd have a fit!!

Framilode Sun 24-Feb-19 10:41:30

My parents were strict and not keen on make up so I used to keep a plastic bag of make up buried in the flower bed at the electricity sub station next door. My friend and I would then go to the bus station and lard it on and also turn our skirts over two or three times. The result must have been very tarty. We would then try and sneak into X films.

All went well until one day during the film interval. My friend and I were parading past the front of the screen, arm in arm and dressed identically, and my parents were sitting in the circle.

Busted and banned from going out for several weeks.

jusnoneed Sun 24-Feb-19 10:36:18

From age 15 you were more likely to of found me in jeans/t.shirt/leather jacket - biker chick!
Other than work when either the mini or maxi skirts and blouses were worn. I had a black maxi winter coat which I loved, also a maroon suede coat with white fir trim all down front and hood. Not very warm but they were the fashion.
Platform shoes were handy, being vertically challenged!

littleflo Sun 24-Feb-19 10:32:40

As a young teen my role model was twiggy. I used a brown eye pencil to draw lashes down my cheeks and to put freckles on my face. Then fake eyelashes and lots lots of eyeliner.At 5 feet tall and skinny as a bean I found it hard to get clothes to fit so I made my own.

GabriellaG54 Sun 24-Feb-19 10:26:14

I enjoyed the anticipation but, oddly enough, it was always a better night when I was almost broke and a spur of the moment decision to go out. I had 3 jobs to support my clothes habit but I modelled hairstyles for a local salon so never had to pay and never had to buy my own drinks either.
It was the heady 60s and hot pants and barely there minis were all the rage. Lads wore 3 piece suits and ties, cufflinks and polished shoes, overcoats in winter and looked clean-cut. Of course, Liverpool had great bands and many of them were just starting out when I was clubbing.
I rarely went out without meeting lads and, some decades ago, counted up all the b/fs I actually dated. Those few whose names I couldn't remember, I listed their cars. There were well over 150...crammed into the years between 17-23.
Mum used to go into my bedroom and take my photos of them into work (uknown to me) and show them to work colleagues.
I was very popular and one particular b/F always brought mum a box of After 8 (as that's when he used to collect me) or flowers.
Great times.

KatyK Sun 24-Feb-19 10:19:26

Oh yes hot pants. I was just the shape and height for them. Loved them.

EllanVannin Sun 24-Feb-19 10:17:27

I liked a few of the Goya perfumes in the little " squiggly " bottles. This would be late 40's early 50's. Muguet ( lily of the valley )

I wish I'd gone into the perfume industry because I've always had an interest and love of it and have tried many over the years.

KatyK Sun 24-Feb-19 10:14:28

Billy J not Joel.

KatyK Sun 24-Feb-19 10:13:16

What a wonderful thread! I remember back combing my hair and putting a big black velvet bow in the back. Hair lacquer came in tubes that you then squeezed into a plastic bottle when I was a young teenager. Stiff sticky out underskirts. Later on I was Beatles mad and loved all the 60s music - Billy Joel Kramer, Gerry and the Pacemakers etc. I wore mini kilts. I had a flower power trouser suit, cheesecloth shirts, beatutiful coats. I got on the train with my friend when I was 16 and we set off to find Carnaby Street. We had no idea what we were doing and never found it. Somehow we ended up on the King's Road and it was fascinating. I used to scrape my hair back off my face and attach a long hairpiece. I loved it all. Can I go back please?

EllanVannin Sun 24-Feb-19 10:11:37

I remember the Gingham perfume Skinnylizzie and I can even remember that the manufacturer was Innoxa. The reason I know is because I used to buy it when I was earning.

EllanVannin Sun 24-Feb-19 10:07:42

I do remember the orange lipstick of mum's that I used to wear--------Tangee, couldn't do the Pan-stick hahaha.

As a cadet nurse I wasn't allowed to wear make-up anyway which is probably why I never bothered with it and then being a mum in the 60's I had no time.
It was all work up North !

inishowen Sun 24-Feb-19 10:00:29

Oh yes it was fun. I'd start in the afternoon with a bath and hair wash, always using scented bath cubes in the bath. Then the make up began. Max Factor foundation, shade Candle Glow, blue or silver eyeshadow, eye liner, mascara. Blusher on cheeks, oh and a highlighter below my eye brows. I felt so gorgeous! Then stepping into my mini skirt, skinny rib sweater and white boots. Let the evening begin.

Jalima1108 Sun 24-Feb-19 09:59:39

lovebeige I can remember a buzz of excitement years after the teenage years when Donovan moved round the corner from us!
I was married with DC by then, though.

Cherrytree59 Sun 24-Feb-19 09:57:27

Got ready to Saturday Night Fever tracks. There were queues all the way down the street of excited teenagers waiting to see the film, we went several times.

Summer gear was gypsy skirts with lace the bottom to look like petticoat or white trousers

But not in the disco that was was flair trousers or jeans and a velvet jacket.
Perfume charley girl or Tramp.
Blue eye shadow, no liner, mascara and lip gloss, often free with Jackie Magazine.

We were usually a group of three and took turns getting ready in each others bedroom with 'excited girl talk'

At The Glitterball Disco it would usually be just groups of girls dancng around handbags.
Until Night Fever came on and then a few of the cool guys would strutt
their stuff ?.

Jackie posters adorned my purple bedroom walls.
I remember it as my Purple Years

Yes it was the best time ever ????

Jalima1108 Sun 24-Feb-19 09:56:38

How I longed for Cathy McGowan hair but mine was never obedient, too wavy and one side would turn under but the other side flicked out. You must have been very glam, merlot!
Entertainment ranged from Young Farmers' dances to the Jazz Club (traditional jazz was popular), Elvis, until the Stones and the Beatles arrived on the scene.

I think our ages can be worked out by our clothes and our tastes in music. grin

Skinnylizzie Sun 24-Feb-19 09:47:22

Anyone remember Gingham perfume? Loved it - and boys smelling of Brut!! smile

Urmstongran Sun 24-Feb-19 09:46:19

And does anyone recall the tie dyed look? Twist a tee, maybe a loose knot then immerse it in bleach water and hoped you liked the result!

And yes, ‘Twiggy’ bottom ‘eyelashes’ painted on with grey eyeliner. Bet we scared the boys to death! Mind you they had long hair, bushy sideburns and platform shoes!

grannybuy Sun 24-Feb-19 09:42:24

Great fun, without alcohol, or any other ' enhancing ' substances.

GrammaH Sun 24-Feb-19 09:36:02

I'm a country girl & the highlight of the week was the Young Farmer's dances held in village halls all over the county on Fridays & Saturdays. There was always a disco, a cheap bar & the room was so smoky you couldn't see from one end to the other. Tight sweaters from Etams & "Dotty Ps" were de rigeur, with loon pants & platform shoes - I had some white wedge clogs so high I'd get vertigo in them now. Lots of pale pink or pale orange lipstick from No 17 & Rimmel block mascara & delicious Aqua Manda scent. In the summer, it was the gypsy look with tiered cotton skirts & cheesecloth tops. If there was a posh dinner dance or a 21st or after wedding, we wore long dresses - my mum made mine, I had some gorgeous ones but of course Laura Ashley was the place to buy the popular milkmaid style if your mum wasn't handy with the machine. Such happy days....

Yorkshiregirl Sun 24-Feb-19 09:36:00

White tights...sometimes we boiled American tan ones to white as cheaper. Platform over the knee suede boots with very short mini skirts. Ben Sherman checked shirts, and Brut aftershave even for us girls.
Permed afro hair backcombed as big as possible. Eyeliner, false eyelashes or 6 coats of mascara lol, and a white shiny highlighter on cheeks, forehead and under brows.
Music was varied but I was a teen in the 70s. Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Gary Glitter, The Archers, The Osmonds, Cher.
The anticipation and excitement of those teenagers years has and never will be felt again.

EllanVannin Sun 24-Feb-19 09:34:02

Earlier still in my case when the air reeked of Evening in Paris or California Poppy and a really sophisticated Endearing.
Mid fifties didn't hold the same excitement and it wasn't until the sixties that all the make-up was evident.
Being a teen in the 50's wasn't particularly exciting when I think back apart from the odd knees-up at the local church hall.

olliebeak Sun 24-Feb-19 09:29:42

My style icon was Julie Driscoll - www.phinnweb.org/retro/pic/julie2.jpg - and I spent hours copying her eye make-up.

Fortunately, my Dad was never around when I was getting ready to go out (he worked nights) - or I'm sure I'd never have managed to get past the front door.

Loved listening to The Kinks or Donovan when getting ready to go out!

tiredoldwoman Sun 24-Feb-19 09:18:59

Mary Quant's Pale Putty foundation and mascara that you spat in to !
Aqua Manda or my dad's Tabac or Brut .
Status Quo playing plus a 1/4 bottle of vodka to be shared with everyone !