Nov

10

WHAM! From Toys to Boys.

Filed Under Life Slice 

Teen mag

I absolutely love to go antiquing. I haven’t graduated to full-blown cottage country kind of excursions, but I will try and get to the shows circulating in the city. Two shows I try not to miss are the Toronto Postcard Club Annual Postcard Show and the other is the Heritage Antique Market–a market which circulates within the shopping malls of the GTA.

My love of art and design usually pulls me toward paper ephemera, which so far, is the only thing my budget can accommodate. (The Sherman brooches and the Raymond Peynet Rosenthal will have to wait.) Postcards, photographs, book plates and recipe cards are my weakness. (I know, I know.) But on my last trip however, I diverged and bought a magazine (a big no-no in my world, since I indulge in mags like I would in potato chips) because I couldn’t think of leaving the May 1963 issue of ’Teen (pictured above) behind.

What got me was the “dear Jill” advice column by Jill Miller. The teen trauma of the 60s is unlike any other. (Imagine fly-away hairs as ranking high on the social-life-ruining Richter scale). And the advice is even better. (Absolutely, no gray area here.) And the language? How about I forgo the explanation, and just leave you with this:

Dear Jill:
I have a problem with my girlfriend, age 14. She wears her hair in braids. No matter what the occasion, she’ll wear anklets and saddle shoes. She hates to dance, never heard of most of the popular songs. Her favourite TV shows are westerns and cartoons. Besides myself, all her friends are 11 years old. I’m 13. She is quiet, polite and very nice. But I think she is just a little tiny bit odd. Please comment.
K. McK.
Carteret, N. J.

Dear K. McK.:
You don’t have a problem; she does. But she’ll take care of it when she’s good and ready. If she’s happy with her friends and interests, don’t try to change her. She is NOT odd. She is just a little slower than most in developing. Over night (literally) she will discover boys…and WHAM! the next day the braids will be transformed into a chignon and she’ll be twisting in heels so high you’ll fear for her safety. The type of girl that holds back from joining the crowd and their new, more adult activities, usually makes up for it in one fell swoop! But until SHE is ready to switch toys for boys, don’t push her.

Comments

2 Responses to “WHAM! From Toys to Boys.”

  1. Heather on November 10th, 2008 1:54 pm

    Too funny and yet scary at the same time.
    I have a (packed away at this time) small collection of old books about sex and female “problems”. They are so scary and funny especially when they deal with homosexuality or masturbation.

  2. admin on November 11th, 2008 12:26 am

    Oh my gosh! That is so ridic! The thing is, it’s an interesting divide between the hippie sort of free-spirit, and the nuclear-fam ideal that is not letting go. Insane! Thanks Heather for the comment. Your collection has me too curious now! xo

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