Submitted by Kimberly T, Project Runway finalist (season 3):

Fashion Plates were the Project Runway of the late 70s/80s. You would choose different fashion ideas from raised plates, place a piece of paper over it, and then rub with a special holder that held a piece of black crayon. You could then color your designs with the pencils included with the kit. There were endless combinations since the most plates were double-sided, and some plates had a pattern you could use to add texture. They also sold additional plates to use with the original kit (these plates were blue), and there were different versions, including updated contemporary fashions and even a New Kids on the Block version! I am not embarassed to say that I am in my 30s and still use my Fashion Plates. I break them out with my girls and give my inner fashionista a chance to shine!

Submitted by Amy N, an admitted macramé machine:

I spent almost all my free time for the first 12 years of my life in my mother’s macramé shop. I was a macramé machine. By the time I realized there were other things in life than macramé, all my family and friends had at least one of my macramé masterpieces hanging in their house. My pièce de résistance was the marvelous macramé owl. It hung in my family’s rumpus room until it pretty much disintegrated from old age.

Submitted and Written by Lauren, Ms. Stussypants

It’s amazing that sometimes I can barely remember basic math but can still draw a “stussy symbol” (also called a “Super S” in some regions) without hesitating. I remember these stylized “S’s” being drawn on every available scrap of paper, but unless you knew the secret of the lines, you were out of the cool club. We called them “stussies” but I don’t think they had any relation to the Stussy company that was popular at the time. Everyone thought that this was a unique symbol that only they and their friends knew how to draw, but talk to your friends from around the country and you’ll find out that they too knew how to make a super cool “S” out of 14 lines.

We called them Super S’s where I grew up, so I went all New Yorker and fact checked Lauren’s story. She’s 100% correct, as far as I can tell.

Submitted by Jessica H

Personally, I don’t really understand these. I remember them being all the rage, but why? Were they a summer camp thing? And why lizards? Please answer my questions in the comments so I can sleep at night. I’ll post the best responses.

Updated: Featured Comments
Click to see more… »

Submitted and Written by Rachael G

Kids today would just hate this. Were we so easily amused??? I remember them being wooden and plastic and often had a big plastic needle and yarn. They were often in shapes like a cat, an apple, etc. Are these even still made?