Livestrong Bracelets
BY RACHEL ANDERS
Lance Armstrong wasn’t always the butt of jokes about balls. Years ago, he was an American hero. A cancer survivor, a philanthropist and a seven-time Tour de France champion, who was an inspiration to kids everywhere racing around the block on their Schwinns.
In his honor, we donned yellow silicone bracelets, declaring to the world our intention to “Livestrong.”
It was an overnight phenomenon. Susan G. Komen made pink bracelets. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund sold grey ones. Suddenly, our forearms were rainbow tributes to diseases whose names we couldn’t pronounce.
We might not have known the symptoms or survival rates for the causes we supported, but we certainly knew the colors. Middle school lunch tables across the country became bazaars for making trades. For example, two pancreatic cancers for one prostate—light blue was rare and therefore valuable.
As strange as the trend was, at least it was harmless. We begged our parents to buy us bracelets, and the money went back into cancer research. According to its website, the Livestrong Foundation has over $100 million in assets today. They’ve since parted ways with Armstrong, but they continue to provide support to thousands of cancer patients every year.
The bracelets eventually found their way into shoeboxes tucked away under beds and in the backs of closets, and Lance Armstrong himself? Well, Lance went down in infamy.
Overalls
By Hannah Wolkowitz
Remember when your mom had you dress in those uncomfortable jean get-ups you wore over your current shirt? It was almost as if you were wearing a large pair of Dungarees all over your body. That’s right, I’m talking about overalls.
Back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the fashion industry took a dive when they decided that overalls were “in.” These unsightly pieces came in all sizes and colors. Adults would wear them with pride back in the day, and exhibitied their spirit by dressing their children in them.
This fashion statement came in one of two main forms: people would strap both straps over their shoulder and add a belt or they would use the one-strap method, essentially strapping one side and leaving the other hanging.
These trends were promoted on popular television shows such as “Friends.” Who wouldn’t wear overalls after seeing Jennifer Aniston rocking denim on-air? Let’s be honest though, if she wore a trash bag and made it look good, people would definitely do the same.
Walking through those kindergarten doors, I never realized the shell-shock I would be in for when I found out how hideous these scratchy pairs of overlarge jeans were now. It took years for me to develop a sensible taste of style and veer away from this unkindly garment.
People should have left the overalls to the farmers working out in the hot sun all day.
