Which Fads Did You Embrace While Growing Up?

I recall one fad I sought to follow with a tragic ending, a wardrobe fad. My parents were “believers in the essentials.” For Sunday morning my parents, mother, approved of my dress, a suit and tie or at the very least dress pants and dress shirt. Any other church related event, school clothes required. These choices from a mother would mangle (using a Ironrite mangle) our underwear, socks, and rags. No wrinkles allowed.

I desired a Madras shirt, a lightweight cotton fabric with a plaid, striped, or checkered pattern. They made it with a semi-permanent vegetable dyes know for bleeding to give it a soft/muted color. No matter how often I asked, the answered always the same, no.

Every time we went to a department store, I headed to the clothing department to seek-out their collection of Madras shirts. So many colors and patterns. Eventually, I would hunt down my parents, sigh, and respectfully ask again, receiving the same result… no.

One day I was shopping with my grandmother, for grandpa, we just walked by the Madras shirts. I cannot remember the sales pitch I may have used, but she had me select one and purchased my first and, as it so happens, only Madras shirt. I, of course, am ecstatic! One of the cool kids would be me.

I could see it in my minds-eye, white tennis shoes, white crew socks, short, skin-tight, white pants, and my Madras shirt.

I remember when I was in my Rifleman period, for Christmas, my parents gave me an authentic Rifleman rifle. Like Lucas McCain, I would tame the wild west. The day after Christmas, in the backyard battling evil swung my rifle and smashed it into the corner of the house, breaking into two pieces.

I never told my parents.

I cannot remember how long I owned this prized possession (shirt), but it was not long. While getting out of the car, the shirt caught on the door handle and tore beyond repair.

I never told my parents.