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Saddle Up

Striped Top: Emerge @ Ezibuy
Vest: Barkins
Skirt: Sussan
“Stirrup” Leggings: Ambra
I was born in 1978, which means that along with side-ponytails, culottes, “hypercolour” t-shirts and denim overalls I survived the first wave of stirrup pants.
I remember being very confused about them at the time. Did you wear your socks under them, or over? Did the stirrup go in your shoe? what was the point of them anyway? Personally I’d never had a problem with trouser legs riding up….
Like many fashion crimes of the 80’s and 90’s I never expected to see them return, but I guess you just have to sit tight – eventually everything old really does become new again.
Over the weekend I found, and am currently wearing, stirrup leggings.
Now, before you relegate me to the realm of Fashion Bloggers Gone Bad, I must stress that what I remember as being “Stirrup pants” and what Ambra is currently referring to as “Stirrup Leggings” don’t bear the greatest resemblence to one another.
In the 90’s I wore stirrup pants like these:
Now, mercifully, they look more like this:

Awesome. Not actually a stirrup, per se, but awesome nonetheless.

Meanwhile, in other news over the weekend The Sophisticate, my housemate Joss and I hit up the shops to celebrate Joss’s first proper paycheck.
Because I’m going to Sydney in a few weeks to see my darling and much-missed friend Lisa I was being good. Was. Right until the moment The Sophisticate found me this darling DKNY bangle watch:
It looks like an illustration of a watch, so of course – I had to have it.


17 thoughts on “Saddle Up

  1. OMG, I shuddered when you were discussing the original stirrups and a terrifying image flashed before my eyes-and that was BEFORE I scrolled down to see the picture…and it was exactly what was in my head! hehehe Those ambra ones are interesting, I still don't quite 'get' them, but they are kinda cool! And love the watch, he's a clever boy! 🙂
    Loved loved loved my hypercolour!

  2. Years seven through nine. My sister in early high school loved madonna: Stirrup pants tucked into white ankle socks with a lace edge and black pointy lace up shoes. Crop top, side ponytail with scrunchy. Lots of metal bangles and plastic beads.

    I saw those stirrups and shuddered. What was with the crease down the middle? And when you bent your leg the pants made a stretched fabric triangle behind your knee…

    Anyway the updated version looks a lot better and nothing like the old version. Thumbs up.

  3. Good god stirrup pants, what a hideous memory. Side ponytails on the other hand,,,

    I was well and truly on my way through high school when you were born Lillee, but a side pony was part of my hair style repertoire even in 1979. When my hair is longer than it is at the moment, a side pony for an evening out can be a great way to hide regrowth.

    Cute watch btw

  4. Love the newer version of stirrup pants – very nice!

    Pair them with legwarmers & you will be set (LOL)

    Can (or do?) you explain who "The Sophisticate" is?

  5. I remember the eighties and I always cringed at what "WE" wore- I too NEVER thought they would come back- I think for the most part they have comeback in a good way… I still worry that I will regret certain trends that I followed now- For sure leggings were the best thing to come back from that time. I like this outfit too i like how the New version of stirups look although I have seen the old ones around. 🙂

  6. hahaha when i was a kid, i used to make my mom cut the "stirrup" out of any stirrup leggings she bought me. those contemporary ones you have look much more comfortable.

    jen
    bigsuitblog.blogspot.com

  7. Robyn and I were teenagers when leggings came around for the very first time, they were called "sleekies" or leotards and were worn with a heavy jumper ( self-knitted of course) worn mid thigh length. Parents in the sixties were outraged of course.

  8. Oh, that takes me back to junior high. Not only did I wear stirrup pants — it would've been fine had they been black (even as hideous as the design was) — but no, I had to wear off-white stirrup pants. What was I thinking? *Cringing*

    Your new stirrup pants look more like ballet leggings. Nice! And I love your blog, by the way. I recently happened upon it and now I'm smitten with your style!

  9. Hahahaha…I was born in '71, and I remember wearing stirrup pants like in your picture to uni in about 1990!

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