I believe I was in 9th grade when they became the must have jacket of the decade.  I had a Dodgers Starter Jacket and I’m pretty sure I wore it every single day for about two years.  The funny thing was, Starter Jackets were actually cheap pieces of junk, if it wasn’t for their popularization through hip-hop, they would have remained unsold, and unappreciated on a dusty rack at Wal-Mart.

Unfortunately they got so popular, that kids were killing other kids for their Starters, and a silly jacket became a basic measure of coolness.  It did after all have a large pocket in the front that was good for carrying a walkman, a pack of smokes, a small bag of weed, a few blunts, and one Kiwi-Strawberry Snapple.  Most importantly, you could poke a hole in the lining of the large center pocket and stash a dime bag in the jacket that “Jake” would never find.

If you want to relive the glory days, or try to bring the Starter back, you can find plenty of them on Ebay.  Check em out HERE

Here are the top ten tips for staying age appropriate when it comes to ‘second third’ fashion.

1. Just because the Juniors section carries sizes that fit you, doesn’t make it ok to shop there.  Segregation in the department store is for your own good.
2. Avoid studs, large tears, patches, giant embroidered patterns, mesh, fishnet, and spandex.
3. Absolutely no belly shirts!
4. Clothing stores are for buying clothes – not for pretending that you are in a tikki hut, frat house, rave, etc.  If you can’t hear your conscience over the music blaring then don’t even enter.
5. If Miley Cyrus or any other Disney star is wearing it, you should not be.
6. Skinny jeans + second third male = dead puppies.
7. Unless you are wearing a bathing suit or have a life threatening condition, underwear is always required.
8. Guys, sleeveless shirts are now solely for the purpose of yard work or exercise.
9. In general, avoid clothing stores that also sell any of the following – pre-wrinkled or destroyed clothing, body piercing jewelry, Hello Kitty.
10. Please – woman or man – keep your areolas to yourself.