Commander Salamander, Man.

Back in 1985...whoa...excuse me while I faint a little, realizing that was 24 years ago...okay.  Got it. 

Back in 1985, I took a trip to DC with an organization called Close Up.  It was a fantastic experience - a week in DC learning about government and history, with some side trips for theater shows and sightseeing.  I can remember, vividly, wanting to go to Commander Salamander.   Ahh...Commander Salamander...home of punk rock apparel for almost 30 years.  I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how I even knew about Commander Salamander.  I mean, I was a girl from a smallish town in Louisiana, home of conservative, preppy, monogrammed sweaters and penny loafers.

I didn't have any monogrammed sweaters or penny loafers, though.  I hated them.  I embraced my punk side and pegged my jeans to better show off my hot pink Chuck Taylors.  I spiked my hair and wore outlandish eye shadow designs.  I wore lace glovelets like Madonna.  Not much has changed since then, I guess.

Anyhow, we had a day of tooling around Georgetown on that trip, and I dragged one of my hapless companions along with me to find this very store.  IT.  WAS.  AWESOME.  So very 80s punk.  I left with a pair of turquoise Chucks, salamanders printed randomly across them.

I loved those shoes.

Yesterday, the boys and I went to Georgetown for the afternoon.  As we wandered down Wisconsin Avenue, I saw the front of the store and had to go peek in.  It was filled to the brim with brightly colored punky clothing, still.  Actually, it looks like the 80s are back.  Neon colors and mini skirts and tights.  It was good to see that the integrity of the store hadn't changed.  There wasn't a penny loafer to be seen.

But it made me feel a bit old.  My era is retro.  I'm vintage.  There was not one thing in that store that I would wear, now.  Not without looking completely ridiculous, anyway.

Anyone know where to find punk clothes for the over-40 set?

*whimper*