1993 A to Z: F is for…
It’s that time again! . . .
1993 A to Z!
Today we’re moving on to “F,” and boy do I have some good ones for you! Remember, everything mentioned here is something that twelve-year-old McKinley comes into contact with in my new novel, Rewind, when she winds up back in the year 1993.
Let’s get going!
F is for . . .
[Image courtesy of thesprucecrafts.com]
folded notes“Bryan F. likes you. Do you like him?
YES NO
Circle one”
Before there were text messages, there were notes on lined paper. In the 90s, writing notes to friends in class was a whole art. Not only did you have to find ways to deliver the note without the teacher catching you. (True story: I once took the fall for a note my friend Jenni passed me in sixth grade, and as punishment I missed out on my class’s weekly Friday trek to the nearby convenience store for lunch snacks. I was so bummed!) But you also probably wanted to fold that note into an elaborate shape first—a regular old rectangle was not going to cut it. There are tons of tutorials online for retro-style note-folding. This one will teach you the classic pull-tab style pictured in the image above. And this video demonstrates one of my favorites, the heart-shaped note fold. Alas, I couldn’t find any instructions on how to pass notes and still get Friday mini-mart snacks. (In retrospect this whole weekly mini-mart field trip was very strange, but at the time we all thought it was the best thing ever. The 90s, amirite??)
Special props to . . .
[All images courtesy of Wikipedia unless otherwise noted]
Fruit by the FootYou know it, you loved it, you begged your parents to put it in your lunchbox . . . It’s Fruit by the Foot! Or, as the commercials tell us, “Three long feet of fruity fun!” First launched by General Mills in 1992, this sugary treat masquerading as fruit is still on the market today.
with additional props to . . .
[Images courtesy of moviestillsDB.com]
The Fresh Prince of Bel AirIt’s basically impossible for me to hear the words “West Philadelphia” without launching into the entire Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. (“Yo, homes, smell ya later!”) And do I still occasionally launch into the Carlton dance for basically no reason? Why yes, yes, I do. By 1993, in its third season, Fresh Prince was in full swing. (It was after this season that Aunt Viv magically turned into an entirely different actress with zero explanation. A very memorable sitcom switcheroo!)
and who could forget . . .
flannelThere’s perhaps no article of clothing that screams “Early 90s!” more than an oversized flannel shirt. Largely understood to have derived from the Seattle grunge band scene, by 1993 everyone and their mom was wearing flannel. And why not? It’s cozy, warm, and versatile. Men wore it, women wore it, kids wore it. Whether worn open over a babydoll tee or a slinky dress, or buttoned up beneath a pair of overalls, tied around the waist over some jean shorts, or just a statement all its own, the flannel shirt was where it was at. For a long article about the history of flannel, check this out. Or, you know, just hit up your local thrift store and buy the coziest worn flannel you can find. It’s what 90s you would’ve done.
