A Sparkler Goes Back in Time

In her first post ever, Sparkler Aloysius45 takes us back in time and teaches us how to a) get into the groove b) blitzkrieg bop and c) paint it black! —Sparknotes editors

Lately a friend of mine has been experiencing serious nostalgia for the 90s. This made me realize that at some point we all long to relive glory days—or, in some cases, embrace an era we didn’t even belong to. Here’s how I get into the mood of decades past:

1980s:
To get into the 80s, I listen to The Smiths on repeat. To satisfy my literature cravings, I keep Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting in whatever bag I happen to be using, and near whatever piece of furniture I happened to be resting on. The movie The History Boys adds to the 80s feel because its soundtrack is loaded with gems by The Smiths, New Order, Echo and The Bunnymen, and Adam Ant. I dress in the post-punk, pre-grunge look: blazers and torn jeans with lots of eyeliner.

1970s:
The 70s always bring to mind Sid Vicious, bassist for The Sex Pistols (and kind of a secret DEAD crush of mine). Vicious embodied the image of the era. To channel this decade, dig out music by the Ramones, The Used, The Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and of course, The Sex Pistols. Cut your hair short and wear your wife-beater and overly skinny jeans! Watch Sid and Nancy and be surprised at how sexy you’ll find Gary Oldman when he's all punked up.

1960s:
To embrace the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 70s, I’m reading Hunter S. Thompson's famous novel Fear and loathing in Las Vegas. To add visual stimulation, I'm also watching the film adaptation directed by Terry Gilliam. Another great movie for this era is the British film Withnail and I; it presents the same basic themes and insights as Fear and Loathing, but in a more English way.

Do all of this to the sound backdrop of Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks,  The Troggs, and Bob Dylan. Any other music you can get your hands on from this era will be beautiful. This is a great era to discuss with your parents or grandparents. They'll be flattered when you take an interest in their lives. You also gain from these discussions—you learn about great music and hear awesome stories, like the one time your mom was arrested for possession of... well, awesome stories anyway.

I could go on for decades, but I’ll have to stop for now. I hope you enjoyed my guide to embracing your nostalgia!

What's your favorite decade?

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