When JcPenney Was Cool

Take a look at this picture. Good looking kid, no? But look a little closer. Notice that Big Bird on his collar... well. This morning to celebrate the deluge we've been blessed with and to get out of the house but stay inside, we went on our usual thrift store circuit. Books and birds and maybe a VHS video here and there. Our first stop found the book section being overhauled, so to blow some time, the Bub and I loitered around waiting for the employee to finish up. Usually we scope out the books, look for a few bird trinkets and then exit without so much as looking at anything else. But today during our milling about, I found myself flipped through the children's shirts. And literally, the first shirt I saw was this one.

Now, we all know I am a Muppet fan... loved them all my life, worked for the company for a while, am turning my son into a Muppet nut, etc and so forth. Well, this isn't just some Sesame Street logo shirt. This happens to be a vintage JcPenney shirt circa early 1970-something. It features not just old faves like Big Bird and Cookie, but forgotten characters like the Twiddlebugs (who lived in Ernie's window box in milk carton houses) and SAM the Sesame Street Robot, both of which were only on the show for a few seasons in the early 70s.

I know I'm a dork for loving his shirt, but finding it might be my all time favorite thrift store purchase ever. Hands down. Plus, it looks all downtown New York cool. I hope it doesn't fall apart before be gets to wear it up there for the holidays. Mr. Hooper would be so proud!