Middle school seemed to fly by in a flurry of body glitter and scented roll-on perfume, with a consistent Britney Spears soundtrack playing in the background. But chances are you might not have left that period behind you completely. There could be middle school items lurking in your bottom drawer to this day that you totally forgot about.
We all have one of those drawers in our bedrooms — unless you live strictly by the KonMari Method, and if so, I salute you, decluttering heroine. It's the drawer that you hardly ever open or clean out for fear of what you might find. You know that within the depths of that cabinet will be things you’ve kept solely for nostalgic purposes: Things that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, yet force you to wrinkle your nose at your tween self’s cringe-worthy taste in style.
Depending on where you fall in the Millennial generation age bracket, I’d hasten a guess that many of us endured middle school during the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Therefore, nestled amongst your old school shirt and your first training bra, you’re likely to unveil some of the most popular fashion and beauty items of those periods. Once opened up, they will make you question your personal style for a lifetime to come. Are you ready to delve into your bottom drawer? Here's what's probably in there.
1. Retro Hair Crimpers
If you went through middle school at any point in the '90s, I'd bet cold hard cash that you had a pair of hair crimpers (or someone in your household did). If you kept yours in your bottom drawer all these years, they probably don't work anymore, but you likely can't bear to throw them away because they helped you create so many awesome crimpy hairstyles. It might be time to put your crimpers to rest, though. They deserve it after all those years in your service.
2. Thin Rubber Bracelets
In the UK, we used to call these "shag bands" and each color represented a different sexual act. If you rocked neon bracelets, you likely went to middle school in the '90s, whereas black rubber bands were worn by emos in the early '00s.
3. A Mood Ring
Although we reckoned these could legitimately reveal our inner mood, they were actually more of a guide to how hot or cold we were.
4. At Least One Lancôme Juicy Tube
However tempting it may be, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, apply this lipgloss if it's been sitting in your drawer since middle school. After all, expired makeup can make you sick. I know it's hard, but take one last lingering look and throw it out.
5. Your First Hair Straightener
Vintage Ivory Revlon Hot Flat Iron Hair Straightener 2" Stylix Ivory/Red, $14.95, ebay.com
Whether you received your first hair straightener for your birthday or as a hand-me-down from your mom, you probably cherished it. It helped you achieve poker straight hair in the early 2000s and was your favorite thing in the world.
6. A Pair Of Knuckle Gloves
Christina Aguilera shocked everyone when she transformed from a doe-eyed "Genie In A Bottle" pop princess to her "Dirrty" bad gal self. Since most of our moms wouldn't let us rock half blonde, half brunette locks or bare midriffs at all times, we had to settle with badass knuckle gloves. You likely only dig these out for costume purposes nowadays.
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7. Hair Mascara
By now, your hair mascara is probably all congealed and lumpy AF, which is a shame because rainbow hair is trendy again.
8. A Beaded Bracelet
If you've got one of these gems in your bottom drawer, it'll likely tug on the ol' heart strings when you come across it. We made these for ourselves, our BFFs, and our crushes, and they'd spell out inside jokes or the lyrics from our favorite bands.
9. Stripy Long Socks
Lovesick Black & White Striped Over-The-Knee Socks, $6.80, hottopic.com
Maybe you went through an alternative phase during middle school. If this sounds like you, you probably had a pair of striped over-the-knee socks that you'd wear with your Converse.
10. Ankle Warmers
Ankle Warmers, $39.50, etsy.com
Remember that time you got really into dance, so your mom bought you all the gear and you only went to three classes? Yeah, you still have the ankle warmers to remember your fickleness by.
11. An Empty Bottle Of Your Favorite Bath & Body Works Fragrance
You kept your favorite bottle of scent or lotion from Bath & Body Works so you could sniff it when life got on top of you and time travel back to a simpler era. However, you can now throw it out because Bath & Body Works retro scents are coming back! You better believe it.
Are any of these middle school fashion and beauty items hiding in your bottom drawer? Dive in and see what ~treasures~ you find.
Images: Courtesy Brands
