I’m not sure what this tendency says about me and the very particular nature of my crazy, but sometimes, when I really want to procrastinate, I like to click over to the YouTube and search for old Miss America clips.
It fulfills me on so many levels.
I also like to search for clips from old Mississippi State football games, but that’s usually if I’m trying to get motivated. If I’m feeling stressed and need to calm down a little bit before I start to tackle whatever task is at hand, I go straight for the Miss America moments. They are a soothing presence in my life. A healing balm, if you will.
I first saw this clip from the 1991 Miss America pageant back in January, I think, and it dawned on me tonight that it’s just plain inconsiderate that I haven’t posted it yet because IT IS A GEM. I love the double-breasted suits, the rapping (in my mind the entire rapping segment is a veiled tribute to the “Opposites Attract” influence of the incomparable Paula Abdul and MC Skat Cat), the contestants in their Sensible (Leslie Lucks?) Dresses, the vogue-ing Miss America dancers, the bouncy authority with which Gary Collins and Phyllis George walk down the runway, THE WHOLE THING.
Really, the only piece of the 1991 Opening Number puzzle that troubles me is that I can’t figure out if the contestants are wearing Silky Reflections hose in Travel Buff or Pearl. It’s a tough call. I’m thinking that it’s Travel Buff, but I’m not ready to make a definitive ruling just yet.
So I guess I’ve figured out my plan for the week: take care of my people, go to work, do a little writing, and resolve the matter of the 1991 Silky Reflections shade once and for all. I’m also going to work on my scatting and maybe practice that kick move that once of the dancers does at the 4:36 mark.
What can I say? I’m feeling inspired.
Have a great Monday, y’all!
{ 33 comments }
Wow. Oh my… wow.
And while I really cannot believe I have an opinion on the subject, :), I vote for Travel Buff. I think the Pearl was glittery enough it would look almost white when the lights hit it. And that remembering both of those shades brings back my sorority days at MS State in a surprisingly vivid way. :)
Not Pearl. As weavermom said, Pearl was glittery-er.
Haha! Love it. And I definitely think it’s Travel Buff, too. But I need to hear your scatting and see the kick move once you get it down pat. That would just be fab-a-dab-a-dabulous!
No idea on the hose color, but I do think Clint Holmes was just the best at the singing /production numbers. Loved how they integrated the There She Is song into the opening number. I miss the old style Miss America pageant.
1) They are all so SKINNY, 2) Wonder how many still are?
That was pure magic!
That was just delightful! I may have to watch it a few more times before I go to bed. I’m sure I’ll be singing “something special, is gonna happen tonight” all day tomorrow.
I want Phyllis’s dress.
Can’t be Leslie Lucks…there are no bows :)
Wow!!!!
Because you and I have the same procrastination coping mechanism, I have seen that little gem before.
Those were the good ole days, my friend : )
I wore both Pearl and Travel Buff, back in the day. I am guessing Travel Buff too, as Pearl seemed more white. I like watching Phyllis smiling in between each phrase she sings. Must have been exhausting! Thanks for sharing.
I had not thought of the names Travel Buff or PEARL in a sweet forever. Let me just say my day is now complete.
OK, never commented before, but just had to. Wow. That was truly…”something special”. The singer and his “style” reminded me of Carmen in his hey-day, which would’ve been right around this time…just sayin. No one could talk-sing/rap like him!
since I didn’t want to wake anyone up, I watched with the sound off. Now that was a hoot. Love the hair. I had forgotten how much hair we had in the 90′s.
Travel buff!!
Oh how I loved those Leslie Lucks dresses! And during sorority rush, TRAVEL BUFF was the only shade allowed.
That was priceless. I especially liked the background dancers’ movements to the beat of the music. About a month ago, I spend an entire day watching You Tube videos of surprise engagements and soldiers’ surprise reunions with family members. And I bawled and bawled and bawled the whole time.
Um. The male dancers just made my entire life. Just the first 30 seconds of the video are enough for me to replay 700 times while eating macaroni and cheese and shouting “WELL DONE” after each viewing. I’ll start now.
This video smells like perm solution.
Oh my! My vote is for Travel Buff…don’t think it’s light enough for Pearl. But that hair….those dresses! And we thought we looked GOOD in the 90′s. What were we thinking?!
I cannot even stand myself right now. I can hardly forward it to my sister fast enough. And the head throw-backs? I die.
WOW… I’m having flashbacks from those hairstyles! I think I have a picture of myself with something similar to one of those! :)
Not Pearl. Probably Travel Buff but could be Barely There! Loved it!!!!
haha, I love it.
My husband (I made him watch it) says the dresses are Talbots. :)
WHAT.WE.WERE.WE.THINKING.IN.1991??? But I do like the fact that everyone is ‘covered’ and the girls don’t look like walking skeletons the way they do now. :o(
That hair was some High Hair. Watching that for even a few minutes reminds me of how vital Travel Buff was to Formal night during Sorority Rush. :) This was a fun trip down memory lane.
Oh mylanta! I was THERE for the 1991 Miss America Pageant!!! I know one of the contestants, maybe I can get an answer to your pantyhose mystery :)
This is OFFICIALLY the best thing I’ve every seen. It’s so wrong, it’s right.
I’m going to go ahead and confess it. I still wear Travel Buff, because see, my profession is still stuck in 1991 when it comes to women’s fashion, and I refuse to wear “suntan” hose. And anything paler than Travel Buff looks like white hose and that is NO GOOD AT ALL. I will confess it is getting harder to find Travel Buff, so when I find it, I hoard. I am deeply ashamed and am going to go talk to some salsa about this.
This is super cheese-tastick!!! I SO needed this flashback!
Its definitely Travel Buff. I always knew my 3 months of working in the Hosiery department at Parisian would pay off somehow.
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