This morning around the breakfast table was an education. My youngest was telling me she needed to use her emergency money to buy pick and mix at school and I was just trying to work out in what circumstances pick and mix purchasing would constitute an emergency, when she said the year 13s are also selling scrunchies. I almost choked on my toast.

“Scrunchies?” I said incredulously. “Oh not boring ones, all different colours” was the answer.

I tried to get into my time machine and show them the young enterprise stall in the hallway of Spalding High School circa 1990 but it wouldn’t the engine wouldn’t start.

So apparently scrunchies are a thing again. In a way it’s reassuring I suppose – everything comes round again if you wait long enough.

The bit I couldn’t fathom was that scrunchies form part of a current style. A style that also involves wearing includes turtle necklaces, speaking in an odd way, carrying hydro flasks  and the phrase “save the turtles” shouted randomly. These are apparently umpteen “VSCO girls” (pronounced Visco) – teens who use a specific app to post fashion selfies. It’s a real thing – I’ve now read about it in The Guardian.

I don’t want to belittle  any current trend obviously. I once wore a trilby and waistcoat everywhere I went. If there had been an app promoting the wearing of second hand men’s clothing in 1990 I’d probably have bought into it. It did however make me feel more out of touch than I ever have before.

On the upside my daughters are not currently VSCO girls and do not appear to be interested in the purchase or wearing of scrunchies. It’s a shame in a way because it would have been a cheap and easy thing to fill their Christmas stockings with. I do wonder though what trend, if any, will get them interested in the end. Let’s hope whatever it is I can embrace them doing it and be supportive rather than spitting my breakfast out.

Photo by We Are Glo on Unsplash