Saturday, August 13, 2011

Ferry Fashion

Aboard our island ferries, you get to see a lot of fashion statements. From the t-shirt grunge look to parties headed out to an island for a formal wedding, the looks run the gamut. These colorful sneakers on right, spotted the other night aboard the Island Romance, got me to thinking. I got a kick out of the TV show "Project Runway" the other night. Each week the designers on the show are faced with a challenge. This past Thursday they had to design outfits for, are you ready for this, stilt walkers. That got me thinking back. One summer, we got it in our little heads that it would be great fun to build stilts and walk around high off the ground. As I remember, one night we 'borrowed' 8 foot pieces of 1x2s from Lewis Lumber Company and each of us guys commenced to construct our own pair of unique stilts, complete with a step for our feet depending how high off the ground we wanted to get. Don't ask me where we got the idea; I haven't the foggiest. But I must say that this spur of the moment 'project' entertained us for weeks that distant summer. Some fun? I'll say!

21 comments:

  1. Ha, I like how you "borrowed" the wood lol....I remember my Grandpa made me stilts when I was a kid, fun! I also remember being pretty good at them!

    On a side note, I sure do miss Trader Joes!

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  2. It sounds like you had the most interesting group of friends in childhood.

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  3. Well, that brought back some memories...we did the same thing when I was a kid living in L.A. (Except we didn't steal the lumber! Heh, heh!)

    In re your comment on Ocala: The reason is that you saw too many Westerns when you were a young 'un!

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  4. Did the same thing Birdman, as it seems a lot of us did, great fun it was too!!

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  5. Great photo to go along with great memories. My Mama's Daddy, whom I called Daddy Hugh, was a fine finish carpenter. That sweet man made me a pair of stilts one summer. I still am amazed that I was able to step onto them at the edge of our raised carport and walk about on the side driveway, even up onto the regular driveway. Amazed. Thanks for bringing back those memories, Birdman!

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  6. I just saw a couple of Trader Joe's stickers in town...

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  7. I'm sitting here thinking I'm sorry I missed that Project Runway episode. I see you have a Trader Joe's somewhere close by. Love that store.

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  8. Colorful.
    And a beautiful story to accompany it.
    Costas

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  9. I prefer the Grunge and comfy look myself. The next challenge a dress out of TJ's bags.

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  10. I like your foot shot... I, too, watch Project Runway, I thought the outfit that looked like drapes was a disaster! As to stilts, I didn't make mine, my dad made them for my sister and I, we too spent a summer entertained feeling very tall...

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  11. I have heard about "stilted style", but not in quite that way :-)

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  12. I remember those too but we didn't steal the wood! Mine weren't very high.

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  13. Stilts were big back then, we went thru the same phase. Funny I posted TJ's today also.

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  14. Now I'm curious to know what people on stilts wear! Extra long pants, I guess, with thick knee pads.

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  15. We currently have two sets of walking stilts in our garage!

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  16. Love Trader Joe's and your shot. The stilt idea seems to have been a "lofty" ambition.
    Sorry, couldn't resist.

    Darryl and Ruth :)

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  17. Bringing back memories again. I had a go on stilts recently. No, too old, don't have the balance these days.

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  18. Very colourful shot. I like the trendy sneakers on the right.

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  19. They're everywhere......Trader Joe's that is.

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