During the 80’s a revolution called grunge began by the great Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and other local bands from Seattle, WA. Grunge referred to the dress of that time mostly consisting of thrift store bargains that gave a somewhat dirty, homeless feel. At that time, mainstream clothes were too constricting, and uptight for the sounds that left you in a trance, floating away in a park somewhere. However, the thrift store wardrobe had a downside. Clothes were used, and thus would tear easily. Safety pins served a function which was to keep clothes together. Most clothing had to be held up with cheap tools that required minimal effort, and were cost effective. My favorite pair of shoes in high school had duct tape around them because the soles had fallen off and the tape was keeping them together. Jeans had safety pins because they were too torn up to bother with a needle and thread (plus who has that kind of patience?). So, now, you can go to your local mall and buy a brand new shirt with safety pins PRINTED on them. Are safety pins really that cool? Do they have an unusual shape that is appealing to the eye? I don’t think so, but it is reminiscent of that era. Do me a favor, if you want a safety pin, wear it out of necessity, not because your mom took you to the mall and bought you “bad ass” clothing.

SAFETY PIN?