are you tired of sassy yet? THE ANSWER IS NO.

Whoops! My blog was shut down for a day (maybe less) because of the Yohji Yamamoto/Inez & Vinoodh/Maggie Rizer photo. Which is odd! But whatevs, something VERY IMPORTANT happened today, and we move on:
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Lovely reader Kat very generously sent over a few issues of Sassy from '92-'93 and I've spent pretty much all my time since they came reading, trying to decide what I should devour now, what I should save for when I'm bitter, etc. And it all feels very relevant to today, except for the pop culture stuff, which actually does still feel pretty relevant just because my tastes in music are very "Wish I Was Part of Generation X."
And so I bring you, photos! Not scans, unfortunately, because our scanner broke, again, for the billionth time, but the articles are still legible. Click on the photo and then go to "all sizes" on its flickr page (and for those that end with "continued on page __", photos of the endings are in this set.) There are about a bajillion photos, so these are just my favorites, but there are more here.

You are probably not reading this part, because anyone with an average attention span would have jumped right to the photos as soon as they read "Hey I took some pictures of old Sassys!" but for those who ARE reading...I forget what I was gonna say. Nevermind.
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So, in 1992 or 3, Birkenstocks and Uggs were in a magazine for that focused on more obscure fashion for dorkier teenage girls. Nowadays, an outfit from Pink or Abercrombie is incomplete without either of these shoes, and a gold-plated iPhone whose memory is overloaded with Justin Bieber videos can commonly be found conveniently hidden inside an Ugg boot as part of texting-during-class strategies. Not quite sure what to make of this. And it's not just my middle school where that's common, right? Back me up on this one?

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Seeing this cover made me a bit weary of what might be inside, as, according to How Sassy Changed My Life, the beginning of Sassy's downfall and commercialism was more visible in the magazine when the covers started to have bland white backdrops in the cover.
And then I saw this in the bottom right hand corner,
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Ah! I see what you did there! And also, I love you!

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"An anti-priss fantasy starring three demented wallflowers." Aka, my dressing guide for the graduation dance next month.
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A prom dress! With Doc Martens! So Sassy!
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A couple months after this article, a reader said in a letter to the magazine that she was angry to see this headline on the cover of the magazine, indicating that it'd become another stupid teenybopper piece of garbage, but was pleasantly surprised to see Margie and Mary Ann were actually making fun of idiotic tips from Cosmo and YM (click photo to enlarge/read/laugh.)

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While it was pretty clear that the Sassy writers were liberal (especially when it came to Hillary & Chelsea and abortion rights, topics discussed or mentioned in passing now and then,) they attempted to show all sides to everything. One example in my stash is an article about girls working on a Pro-Life campaign (it's sincere and not snide or mocking the girls.) They also educated their readers about the election without sounding too swaying for any candidates and highlighted the importance of knowing about, y'know, who's gonna lead your country n' stuff:
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CHLOE TIME.
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AFJSDGJHSDIUGHSDOGS I love you? Also how incredible is that haircut? And homemade patchwork hats? And also did I mention that I love her?

Lots of straight-forward articles that answered readers' concerns without sugar-coating or sounding like a pushy parent:
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Unashamed feminism, complete with Barbara Kruger fonts:IMG_3704
(From the yearly Reader-Produced Issue.)
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Calling out American values or pasttimes for, well, sucking:
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Thinking about teen culture:
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(From the Reader-Produced Issue, complete with Daniel Clowes cartoon!)
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(I had no clue Heather Duke [or "Shannen Doherty," whatever] was so gross! I mean, Sassy WAS pretty tough on her [a headline on one issue read, "Shannen Doherty: Pathetic Loser"] [ZOMG too many brackets in this parenthesis] but oh the things Wikipedia tells me!)

In each issue, a page with writing by readers:
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Epic fashion stories:
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Lauren Santo Domingo modeling above. Amazing, right? I'm beginning to think in order to be cool you had to have had some association with Sassy back in the day.
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Seriously reminding me of 80's/90's Comme des Garcons ads.
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Street style!
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Anyone remember when Nylon did this exact same DIY a couple years ago? Mhmm.

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Okay, I'm not crazy about this one, maybe because the hair reminds me of Sideshow Bob, who always gave me the creeps.

And, finally, the life-changing ladies behind it:
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And, the book I mentioned above, written by Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer:
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Like Girl Power, also by Marisa Meltzer, I had trouble putting down How Sassy Changed My Life. Not because it's riveting or suspenseful or anything (I mean, it's nonfiction, and you know about the downfall of the magazine when you start the book,) but because the writing just flows, and you just want to know more, because it's just so enjoyable. More Italics. There are numerous interviews with the fans, creators, and friends of the magazine; descriptions of the environment of the office full of writers and editors readers knew on a first-name basis; and explanations as to why Sassy was and wasn't successful, in the eyes of different people. Also enjoyable is the voice coming from Kara and Marisa, which is sarcastic and witty in a distinctly Sassy fashion. Tracing the hopeful birth, glory days, disturbing downfall, final death, and legacy of "the greatest teen magazine of all time," the question that kicks off the introduction-Why would you write a book about a teen magazine?-is quickly answered.

One thing stuck with me in a peculiar manner. Like, the examples it gives from pathetic, boring, misogynist teen magazines at the time of Sassy's birth are so awful. But today, those very same teen magazines publish stories much like the features Sassy offered to girls who didn't want to hear about the importance of popularity, maybe the same way Uggs and Birkenstocks of Sassy's 1992 are now Seventeen's 2010. Addressing topics such as sex, self-esteem, and other issues that are distinctly Teen Girl -- Sassy started that, and today it's hard to imagine a magazine for teen girls that doesn't discuss any of those things. What with this, and blogs, and the way girls can communicate with one another via the Internet to feel a little less like misfits, Kara and Marisa ask the question of whether or not another Sassy would be needed today.

The way the two do delve into wonderings like these show that How Sassy Changed My Life is about more than Sassy. It's about Generation X, and youth, and girl youth, and how all those things were betrayed by the evil tendencies and decisions made by corporate...corporations. Or something. I choose not to know the technical terms. Basically, it's what feels like the natural continuation of the magazine. Kara and Marisa mention that many readers eventually felt like they were outgrowing Sassy but Sassy couldn't grow with them. This book isn't Sassy -- it's a book, it's not supposed to, and nothing is or will be. But it gives much-needed closure for devoted readers that, after the stupid commercial stuff went down, had been left to wander the halls of high school without their most understanding friend. And for people who, like me, were too young or not even alive during Sassy's heyday, it's comforting to know that it existed. Sound familiar? Maybe Kara and Marisa are just always really good at making 90's nostalgia more than a yearning for clogs and baby barrettes and proving the effect teen girls, teen feminist girls, teen feminist girls who are smart and outspoken...can have on mainstream culture. From Riot Grrrl to Spice Girls, from Sassy to Seventeen. Maybe it's even enough to inspire someone to make Generation Y a Sassy. Maybe it already has.

226 comments:

1 – 200 of 226   Newer›   Newest»
Revolving Style said...

I love that you are obsessed with these! 90s ads! Its all to much for me to handle! Love you Tavi<3

Andrew said...

Ru Paul WERRRRK

These magazines truly are amazzzing. Nothing better than the 90s

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

Now I'm actually kinda mad I didn't read magazines growing up (I never looked in a Teen mag until high school gasp!). This was clearly wicked and clever.

Mamerto Tetto said...

Do you really write all this shit by your own?

Maddie said...

If you ever decide to make a reader produced Sassy by the fashion bloggers of the lovely interwebs, I'm in. This stuff friggin rules

xx
Maddie
Obsessee.com

Tavi said...

Mamerto Tetto-I most certainly do.
Maddie-I'm writing a post now about how readers will be involved!

Danny said...

looks like a good read. B)

Anonymous said...

i can't wait to see how can get in on this too...amazeballs Tavi. seriously. Love this! I was only around for the very ends of the mag...I don't remember much about it, except for chloe sevigny (duhz...) but soo great of you to share :)

M. R. P. M. said...

thats fing brilliant! can you blow up some of the articles at some point so we can read them...its killing me
xxx

bR

Unknown said...

Haha! I remember calling the 1-202 # "for a good time" when I was in high school. It was the white house.

bobb said...

Although I was considerably outside of the targeted demographic for Sassy, I remember it well. It was apparent how innovative and different it was. I was a big fan of Riot Grrl as well. I'm looking forward to more of what you have to say about a Generation Y Sassy.

Alizée Gaie said...

j'ai tout de suite flashé sur les espadrilles avec les chaussettes fleuries :)
et bien je lis "comme des garcons" on reconnait bien la classe francaise là dedans :)
Bisous, bisous, Alizée G.
http://alizee-gaie.blogspot.com/
http://alizee-gaie.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Thanks Tavi!!! I'm sorry about your scanner...again.

Unknown said...

Missbehave magazine (published out of Brooklyn) tried to be the new Sassy. But unfortunately, not enough people recognized and it folded in 08/09. So sad. Check it here: http://www.missbehavemag.com/

Angeliska said...

Oh man! Thank you so much for posting these, Tavi! It's making me really miss my Sassy collection. I think I had almost every issue — bought at a garage sale one summer from somebody's older sister that went off to college or something. They really did save my life! (I've got to read that book, too — it looks fascinating.) I found out about so much great stuff from Sassy, and I'm really happy that you're getting to enjoy them too.
p.s. I think your writing is really wonderful.

Editor said...

Wowww what a trip to see all those old issues- the people and fashions and angst-ish topics.

I didn't think I was THAT old, but seeing this post as a "look back" makes me wonder if I am at the threshold of becoming an older person... Like, people ask, when did I get old. Not me. I can pinpoint that moment to now.

laura said...

Love your post. What happened to magazines like this?! Ugh :(

E. said...

I've been reading your posts about Sassy, and this all just seems like a totally rad idea! Would love to contribute... even though I'm not a teenager anymore! ;)

Jill said...

i don't know if you've read my other comments before, lost among hundreds of others, but i really hope you read this one, because it's much more important than an outfit compliment. i am 14, like you, and the girls at my school wear abercrombie skinny jeans with their uggs, and i wear waist skirts and crazy colored tights and purple converse high tops. i know that girls laugh at me and my outfits, both to my face and behind my back, but reading your blog and looking at pictures of you has made me realize that people recognized as having a great sense of style or really cool clothes aren't the ones that wear juicy sweatshirts and hollister t-shirts- they're the ones like you.

Rachel said...

omg, that article making fun of cosmo and ym "how to get a man" type shit was HILARIOUS. so so good. and those last couple paragraphs you wrote about "how sassy changed my life" were really wonderful. I'll definitely have to read the book, but you are also quite a good writer. I dunno what it is exactly, but I just really really liked what you wrote.

Tania said...

I wish I had been born at the right time for this! I'd never actually heard of Sassy before you mentioned it (is it an American magazine only?) but this relates to me so much!

I have uniform in my school, so uggs are out of the question, but I'm sure if we wore own clothes it would be exactly the same!

http://toruu-tania.blogspot.com/

Vaidehi Sharma said...

i want more of the pictures :(

pretty interesting.. thankyou for enlightening me. :D

zoomslow said...

I once heard in a Warhol documentary how he so effectively turned his flaws into strengths. One of the things I love about your blog, Tavi, is how you often call-out people or things that label something as a “flaw” – when it isn’t at all! I believe you do a lot of “myth-busting” which often results in a clenching of my fist, and a quiet, but powerful, “Go, Tavi!” And I also like how you sometimes highlight a “perceived” flaw in yourself [even if it could not be further from the truth!! :-))] – it makes us all not so devo about our own weaknesses. Yay for humanity! So I think that if you can bring some of this to the magazine along with all of your inspiring interest in art, fashion, and writing, then everyone is in for a real treat.

Alex said...

I would be really interested in reading the "It Happened to Me" (Jan '93) entry that is referenced in that reader's comment.

I looked through your sea of photos and couldn't seem to find it. Is it on your Flickr, or did you not shoot it?

Either way, thanks for sharing all of these. I remember reading my sister's copies of Sassy while growing up, so you're hitting me over the head with years and years of nostalgia. Wasn't Sassy great?!!

Annie Spandex said...

Sassy is the greatest magazine that ever was. I was, well, your age in fact, when these were published. It's awesome that you're getting into them now. Every teenage girl with a soul could use Sassy in her life.

jessi said...

I thoroughly appreciate this post! so amused by the joey lawrence article title in the index. love the who'd join a sorority article because why oh why. and ooh the gingham wedges and socks. and omg how crazy to see ugg boots. and the blossom cover! i feel the urge to read this sassy book!!

SabinePsynopsis said...

I've never heard of Sassy, but then I'm new to your blog, too - so obviously the latest late-comer EVER. The magazines look so cool and fit perfectly into the whole early 90s vibe. I just found some early 90s Vogues and they've got some interesting editorials, too (Not as sassy as Sassy, but still...)

Fashion is what's happening said...

What a wonderful post! First, I live in europe, and I didn't know Sassy in the 90's (only the spice girls... Well, I know...). I discovered this magazine through riot grrls readings and really wondered what it was like, so thank you, now I see.
Also, just wanted to say that it's good to see that girls feel proud of what they are, and that they can rely on riot grrls heritage. Here, I don't know many girls interested by all this girly matter and culture. All readings one can find come from the U.S.
So thank you. Thank you for being fan of Enid, Kathleen, Courtney, Beth ou Patti. Thank you for sharing this incredible 90's girlish movment with people that forgot it too quickly. Thank you for being proud of who you are.

50two said...

please tell me you're serious about starting this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ML said...

Not quite a newcomer to your blog (stumbled upon it a few times in the past 6 months or so) but this article really conquered me, LOVE.
Also, agree on the need for such a magazine. I didn't quite have Sassy growing up, but had something similar -something in French, seeing as I was born in Europe- and couldn't have imagined by pre-teen/early teens life without it (grew out of it pretty quickly though). Hated all that Cosmo shit, it was good to have something which thrived off common sense, self-respect and a decent dose of feminism that early on.

Maxens M. Finch said...

That's so nice of you!
Most people wouldn't have find any Sassy, since they live out of America!

mustownmore said...

Gosh, they take me back. I love the Chloe bits - I can remember reading them and wanting to be her so badly it hurt, buying totally random stuff from charity shops and chucking it all together hoping it would magically transport me to NY.

Thanks for making my childhood seem relevant and (a bit) cool. Women's / girly mags today really depress me on the whole.

SarahPeslar said...

I can't believe how some things from the past are so in right now!

http://fashionsmind.blogspot.com/

alice said...

amazing post!

massey said...

It's great to actually see what was in Sassy after hearing about how great it was. Thanks for the photos, I thoroughly enjoyed them!

Jessie said...

whoaa.. you are a lucky girl! I want to have them too :)

xoxo,
jessie-therealme.blogspot.com

ME and Blue said...

That's it! I'm going through my 70's Seventeen Magazines this weekend.

FYI - as a true Gen Xer, I read Dynamite magazines as a kid. We had to order them through school. Silly 70's inspiration, if you're interested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamite_(magazine)

I'm off to ebay to try to get some old copies!
:-) M.E.

DanYells said...

hey girl, you need to get your hands on a Frankie magazine. (It's Australian. Let me know if you want me to post you one.) http://www.frankie.com.au/

It's not as amazing as Sassy, but it's close! and has crafts!

Also, have you read Jane? I think that one is dead now too.... you would like it.

Mila said...

Ahhhh!! Amazing!!

DanYells said...

"Jane was an American magazine created to appeal to the women who grew up reading Sassy Magazine,"

!!! unfortunately it's no longer published either!! but it's what I read during high school :)

tough girl said...

Badly in need of a Generation Y Sassy.


tough-girl-being-tougher.blogspot.com

Daniel McTasney said...

How awesome is this?
I totally belong in this generation, sucks to be 17 in 2010!

Angeles Almuna said...

Memories and more memories!!!!
Fabulous post , creative and always you!!!
Come to visit me.....:)
Kisses Lady Tavi

www.angelesalmuna.com

mee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
HC said...

Bring back Sassy, all is forgiven.

khelsaoe said...

I'm having flashbacks, all good, of course.

BetseyJ said...

I just found out about Orange Juice in Bishop's Garden .

it's a web series shot in DC about the lives of 18 high schoolers, growing up & getting down in 1994

you might enjoy.
http://www.orangejuiceinbishopsgarden.com/

Unknown said...

Hey Tavi,I really like your blog and your writing!wow, I wish I could put my hands on a few sassys!

http://eleanor-fashion-nerd.blogspot.com/

wellunderstood said...

thanks for the memories!

Kate Rose said...

goody joy. I love hands-on participation. The last sentences of your conclusion are very nice. Yay for alliteration.If only I had this magazine a couple of years back, I think I would be a completely different person...same feelings as Courtney Love, except I'm less of a rebel and more of a silently hating the world type haha. This could really change girls' lives, and I love it.

FASHION SNAG said...

I am as obsessed with these old Sassys as you are! I would love to see more snippets/photos. x

www.FashionSnag.com

erin said...

tavi, i support you making a current Sassy! you could do it. i've loved reading your sassy posts and can't wait to get back home to my parent's to see if i've kept any of mine stored away in boxes. i was in middle school/high school in the late 80s, early 90s and adored that magazine. devoured every inch of every issue i received. thanks for being real and bringing it back old school! -erin

Maven said...

Oh man, I remember every single one of these stories and photo shoots and I'm so glad you posted them/are keeping them alive. I was in the top 25 for the Sassiest Girl in America contest that year--I still have the letter they sent me. I'm certain you'd be a contender if the contest still existed.

Emma said...

Hi Tavi,
This is a very wonderful post. First off, about the Ugg/texting thing: happens at my school, too!
Secondly, after reading all of tour Sassy posts, I wish so much that I had been born sooner to read them. They sound so true and helpful, instead of the crappy advice given today. It seems like the 90's were kind of a turning point for women/girls and this magazine looks like it captures that perfectly. The advice in this magazine seems to be so timeless, helpful, yet realistic. Advice is just not real anymore. There is not just one type of girl out there! We don't all want to flirt with boys, all day, all night, all the time! Sassy was there, for each and every girl, it was personal.
I was born in '96, so I missed the whole Sassy thing. So, my point is, I hope there will be another Sassy. I have no doubt that you can help to jump-start the magazine, again!
Best wishes to you, and thanks for the uplifting posts, as always!
xoxo
Emma

dollfacevintage said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

How I miss that mag! I wrote about it myself a few months ago when my dad dared to suggest that I throw out my collection:

http://mdashing.wordpress.com/2009/12/28/my-dad-vs-sassy-magazine/

Thanks for the great post...

Anonymous said...

Having not heard of Sassy before (being British n all) I think this is such a great post. We never hear about feminism or subverse issues these days, it sucks a ton.

Thanks for giving me something to think about!

dollfacevintage said...

Yes, the memories!! I wore my black 14-eye Doc Martens to my high school prom back in 1996, with a 1970s burgundy formal dress! And all my Sassys turned into chopped up remnants due to my collage-making :) Fun times!

Sonia said...

Wow, Sassy is amazing. I wish we had them now - better than all the celebrity stuff.
I would love love love for there to be a Sassy for our lil generation.
Ba delighted to help in aaany way i could!

Sonia // Dozen Dresses xo

graciela. said...

Amy Smart just went up a few notches in my book for being in Sassy. And how cute is that pillowcase shirt? We totally need something like that again. I'm sure even those of us past our high school years would subscribe.

xoLauraox09 said...

Oh my gawd, I REALLY want a Sassy magazine now! Great post...I read it like 5 times <3
x x x

pereirafeaster said...

Can your parents start a blog about how to raise a smart, witty, and stylish daughter?! I am a product of the 90s, but I hardly remember reading Sassy (sadly). Great magazine, and I'm 100% for a contemporary version of Sassy. My daughter needs something good to read in 10 years! Keep doing what you're doing...

Unknown said...

wow, thank you for the pictures + the great post. It gives me a sense of nostalgia. I miss the 90s, the whole "do it yourself" vibe and well, innocent rebellion of that era. I never got to read Sassy though, so this has been a great introduction.

Anonymous said...

It will never stop killing me that my mom threw out all my hoarded issues of Sassy. Especially since they now cost a bundle to replace.

meg said...

Totally awesome.

auxiliary beauty said...

Though Sassy was never on my radar (I was born in 1987, and read New Moon and ELLEgirl during my formative years), I do remember the 1992 election! We had a school-wide "election" in which every kid just voted for the candidate her parents supported. ("That one," I said, pointing to Clinton's picture. I didn't say his name because I didn't know whether or not to aspirate the T.)

Anyway, Tavi, you're great. Keep being great (probably not difficult for you).

Rhonda said...

Tavi-
I read Sassy cover-to-cover for years as a teenager (now it all makes sense) and I grew up in Arkansas! It was my window into all the culture and fashion that I was obsessed with. And I made a ton of those diy items.
Thanks for putting these up. Sassy changed my life, for sure. So wish I'd kept all those Sassy mags.
Keep it up.

melina bee said...

Man i used to love sassy. I just found a couple at a yard sale the other day, but sorry, I am not so generous as to give them to you!
melina bee

lintmag said...

There should be a Sassy-like mag for every age - even loooooong past my teen years, I want a really interesting and fun style, fashion, whatever you want to call it magazine, with all sizes and looks of people. Some magazines try to get a few good pages in, like the Marie Claire "what do you like about yourself" but for the most part it is all bone thin amazons - great if that's your look, but not every issue! - and celeb interviews.
zzzz! Come back Jane Pratt - or a new Jane!

AR said...

It's great to see someone so young getting inspired by Sassy and 90's alternative culture. I was a teenager during that era and very much into alternative music & culture from the age of 15 on, but I only ever read a couple of issues. I never bought teen mags and mostly read whatever my decidedly more mainstream sister bought, which was primarily Seventeen and YM. I remember reading an issue of Sassy and being impressed with the mentions of bands like Sonic Youth, Chainsaw Kittens, and Daisy Chainsaw--and the fact that it was generally hipper than the other mags my sister preferred. Reading reminiscences of the magazine's heyday makes me wish I'd bothered picking up more issues.

ghosts of post-punk past said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank. You. Sigh.

Season said...

I was obsessed with Sassy as a teen. I was so happy when my mom bought me a subscription to it and devastated when it died. I got my hopes up for a while when Jane came out, but that mag just turned to shit. Great post, my dear.

Anonymous said...

omg the RAMONES! <3
I'm wearing their t-shirt, one of the best! Thankyouuu this is a really good post.
-tanita

Kiki said...

ugh. i was a Sassy girl. now i feel so old. love that Blossom cover BTW {it was a show from a long time ago with Miss Mayim}. i used to dress like her, too. thanks for sharing and take care.

NorwegianWood said...

Sassy influenced me so much as a teen...growing up in a SUPER small town, it was like a little window to another world. Especially since there was no internet back then. God. Old lady here. ;)

Michelle said...

You are seriously convincing me to work on this New Sassy situation, it needs to be done.

Melissa Walker said...

"I'm beginning to think in order to be cool you had to have had some association with Sassy back in the day."

I still ask new potential-friends (hoping, hoping) whether they read SASSY. It's a telling trait.

Great post.

Anonymous said...

"Nowadays, an outfit from Pink or Abercrombie is incomplete without either of these shoes, and a gold-plated iPhone whose memory is overloaded with Justin Bieber videos can commonly be found conveniently hidden inside an Ugg boot as part of texting-during-class strategies. Not quite sure what to make of this. And it's not just my middle school where that's common, right? Back me up on this one?"

Best summing up of the terrifying Ugg takeover I've ever read. Sadly enough i live in England and it's still true.

Taking a stand against this sheepskin overload! Enough is enough.
Thankyou!

Anna Pantchev said...

Thank you thank you THANK YOU for this post!! I miss Sassy so much. I used to check issues out from the public library when I was 10 years old because I didn't have any cash to buy them. and they inspired me so much. thanks!

Christina Barrera said...

I want in so bad. My heart bursts with anticipation.

Emilie ! said...

Do you have any idea how long that post took to read?! Jeeeez tavtav ;) I really enjoyed it! I don't care whether it would work out or not in the present day, we still need a Sassy!

http://fromahappieangle.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I never experienced Sassy, but I think ELLEgirl was my Sassy (I still mourn the end of it).

Melissa Walker said...

Yay, Jennifer! I love hearing that (former ELLEgirl editor here). :)

Cherie said...

Sassy is just... I don't know. It has all the things in a teen magazine but more. It's so much more REAL than all the other ones, like you can tell the editors are really putting their heart into it, and that they're not just obsessed with money and finding ways to hypnotize teenage girls that making the peace sign is cool or swishy hair on guys is hot(like, Justin Bieber hair? He swishes it? okay fine it doesn't make sense). Also they address problems but not in a "take this quiz it will tell if he likes you or not" way. Because for God's sakes, just because you take a quiz doesn't mean you're automatically going to have a perfect love life! So in that way Sassy is so inspiring. I really need to get one of these magazines off of ebay or something.

SO. said...

mmy god, these are old but so memorable.

simonesays said...

Oh, my. This is brilliant.
I love Seventeen magazine, don't get me wrong - I really doubt they give a shit, though, frankly. It's a great magazine. It's the same as everything, though. Sassy seems just so much more real, raw, and interesting. I need an issue eventually, for reals. Ebaying it later, for sure.

Joan said...

Yes!! More Sassy!
Keep em comin'!

I was too young to read Sassy, but I was totally an ELLEgirl in my teenage years.

Hello Dasein!

Unknown said...

What a cool post! Only for genuine bookworms :)

Mel said...

I love that you're becoming a great feminist. Check out Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy for a good read.

curlsandframes said...

Tavi! Seriously get on resurrecting this magazine, I'd never heard of it before you posted about it [being from england and that] but you've sold it to me! Definitely one hundred per cent behind you on this one! x

Unknown said...

Hi Tavi... This was a great post. I'm so glad you got ur hands on these fabulous reads. I was a little younger than you are now and loved my Sassy subscription. It helped me a lot to become the person I am today- confident, independent, feisty, gregarious, compassionate, aware and intelligent. It was also key to have role models that were more than an unattainable (or undesirable- think Lilo) standard. Having a publication I respected that showed me a world full of real people and treated me like a person with a brain instead of a girl with a wallet was a godsend. I wish there was something like this for young people today.

Anyway, I loved reading your thoughts, as always, and can't wait to read the book this summer when school's out. Enjoy the reads!

vanchaaa said...

hello tavi, great post!
i really enjoy reading your blog and by defining your style (i see you mostly admire avantgarde designers like rei, yohji, issey etc ant their pure, japanese aesthetics), i assume that you would really like the croatian avantgarde designers 'i-gle' ('and-behold' which translated means needles). they are established for many years now, but still focus on the manufacture of unique few pieces... check their site here
http://www.i-gle.com/
and be sure to view the collection number 09, that's my favorite ;)

greets from croatia,
ivana

taryn said...

That was a great read!
Thank you!

~taryn xx

lcv said...

I'm sorry Tavi, but you just completely contradicted yourself. In an earlier article you said "Unfortunately, in the world of Liz Lee, liking "dorky" things justifies ragging on people simply because these people are blonde and like cheerleading -- in other words, because of their looks and interests." And now you're saying "Nowadays, an outfit from Pink or Abercrombie is incomplete without either of these shoes, and a gold-plated iPhone whose memory is overloaded with Justin Bieber videos can commonly be found conveniently hidden inside an Ugg boot as part of texting-during-class strategies." You're ragging on people because of their looks and interests as well, think before you type.

Emily said...

sassy became jane and then disappeared. I was lucky to have subscribed to both.

I'm all nostalgic now.

Anonymous said...

This is why I love the 90's. And that pillow case dress is genius.

Unknown said...

im kinda pissed i missed out on this movement. ive never even heard of sassy until today. (im from the philippines) the magazine seems so amazing being ultra sarcastic and all.

http://sheepeatwolf.multiply.com/

Erica said...

This was an awesome post! I feel like i'm 13 again. Those were the days for sure!

www.poolovesboo.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

I've never heard of this magazine, but it sounds so awesome. The fact that there isn't much stuff like that out there anymore saddens me. That's the downfall of the technological age.

Katy said...

WOW. This post is seriously, seriously awesome. I was wondering the whole time whether I'd have read Sassy if I was 15 in '92 instead of 2010. I think I would have but I'm not sure. Its really the internet that has opened up my eyes and done the things Sassy probably would have. While having Sassy now would be ideal, I'd have to say, I'm not sure American teen girls need Sassy now.

Jody said...

That's when I fell in love with Chloe! I totally remember that issue. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

OMG OMG OMG!!! I LOVED Sassy magazine back in the day! I had a subscription to it in high school, and this post brings back so many memories!

Are you sure you're only 14???

Anyhoo, I love the pics of the magazines you got, I actually remember a lot of them! You posted some pics of pages that I still have cutouts of!

My diary from 1991 until 1998 (which is a white vinyl 3 ring binder filled with lined school paper) is COVERED with glued on pages I cut from Sassy magazines! Some of the photos you put up are on my diary! (I should take a pic and show you cuz it's awesome).

That magazine meant SO MUCH to me back them, and who I was, and who I became. It was an integral part of my personality, and how I viewed the world and how I viewed myself. The fashion, the pop culture, the quizzes, the help articles, the viewpoints on the current times, it ALL changed me. I was the only girl in my school who read that magazine,and it kept me sane.

I would love to find some back issues, and now I have to read that book! Thanks for posting this! I just today discovered you, while searching Google for Sassy stuff!

MWAH! I look forward to reading more!

Angela
Wicked Plum Vintage
www.wickedplumvintage.com

q11k said...

I AM SO JEALOUS.
I just read How Sassy Changed My Life and I can honestly say that I was inspired to go into the publishing business and give girls today that outlet. If you ever seriously start a Sassy revival, count me in!
I would die for a stack o' Sassy.

TheShoeGirl said...

Seriously genius.

WeAreWere said...

If you don't start your own version of Sassy soon, I will stab something. hard.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
firefly said...

So awesome. Even though it's probably not the same in this generation, it would be good for another teen magazine to talk about some deep issues, like (actual articles) on drugs and violence and whatever subculture is out there now too.

fireflyworks.blogspot.com

xeroxahippo said...

thanks for posting the articles!

a(muse)d by Fashion said...

I love that you shared these; Blossom . . I had an incredible black hat when I was 10 that I used to rock back in my "Blossom Days" amazing!

www.amusedbyfashion.com

Maggie said...

This magazine sounds AWESOME. How did I never hear of it??? It's exactly the kind of magazine I would want to read and MAKE. We need to start a "Bring back Sassy" campaign!!!

Lisa said...

You have got some mad writing skills and so funny because I totally skipped the part you said I would.

Anonymous said...

I used a pillow case to make a toga for a party at my college! (it was a long pillowcase haha) and it worked out great. Everyone said I had the cutest one, because it was a really nice green color. I tied it at the waist with a rope, and put an antique pin on the front and bam! TOGA! One shouldered and everything.

You can check it out, at my blog:


www.dressdalring.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

I used a pillow case to make a toga for a party at my college! (it was a long pillowcase haha) and it worked out great. Everyone said I had the cutest one, because it was a really nice green color. I tied it at the waist with a rope, and put an antique pin on the front and bam! TOGA! One shouldered and everything.

You can check it out, at my blog:


www.dressdalring.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

I used a pillow case to make a toga for a party at my college! (it was a long pillowcase haha) and it worked out great. Everyone said I had the cutest one, because it was a really nice green color. I tied it at the waist with a rope, and put an antique pin on the front and bam! TOGA! One shouldered and everything.

You can check it out, at my blog:


www.dressdalring.wordpress.com

marisa said...

WOW!!! I totally remember pawing over all these issues when I was a kid- these were my formative years and Sassy had a huge influence on me. I really love seeing that issue with Chloe- I remember thinking she was the coolest girl- thanks for the flashbacks and memories!

Lizzetta said...

It's not a teen magazine, but to me hands down the most thrilling inspiring fascinating fashion magazine ever was Details in the 80's. Heartbreakingly beautiful reports on Isabel Toledo, Romeo Gigli and CDG and Rei and downtown Manhattan. I'd say heyday might have been around 1987-88. I haven't been able to find back issues online but I bet they could be tracked down somewhere somehow by a resourceful blogger/ researcher...Here's the best I can do- an interview with one of the founders- gets interesting about half way down. http://www.observer.com/node/42111

Unknown said...

Hey girl... great post!!!

I love love love your blog <3

a hug, from Portugal*

Izzen said...

I want this magazine!

http://izzenxoxo.blogspot.com/

erin said...

teardropsouffle: details! yes! i remember that magazine. wow. the spiderwebs are clearing. thanks for the additional memories!

Anonymous said...

Tavi you inspired me to start a blog im new and here it is http://guyindie.blogspot.com/ i dont know much but i know more than any of my friends even the girls but im learning :)

Anonymous said...

Wow does this ever bring back memories! I had the one with the short haired brunette on the cover, and I actually entered the Sassiest Girl in America contest! lol!!!! Thanks for sharing--how cool that you love these--I wish they were still around for my daughters.

xo
Tracy, The Wardrobe Wanderer

Anonymous said...

I actually feel rather proud to have come into existence at the time that these were published.
Loved the Justin Beiber comment! Glad you're not following all that nonsense. And yes, even in England Uggs and Abercrombie and iPhones are rife amongst the tween tribe. Most of them are pretty much indistinguishable from one another.
So amazing for you to know more about yourself than they do at your age!

xxx
http://theravenandthecellardoor.blogspot.com/

Elle Sees said...

Omg I remember the covers! Mayim from Blossom! Amy Smart! Chloe!Man, I feel old.
So someone bring Sassy back already.

Zinnia Cress said...

holy shiz- i think i'm offically old now. i remember ALL of these issues- as i sneaked them from my older sisters to read. sigh. if i find any- i'll sendy over. ;o)

Trees Traumhaft said...

http://missy-magazine.de/
this one's a feminist magazine. but some of the arcticles remind me of sassy, cause they're hilarious. Like: before and after, where they uglified a girl so she won't attract any more attention on the street.

reckless daughter said...

love it. It would be great to recapture some of that original sassyness. but can it be done? hmm...

Minnie said...

Love the Sassy magazine. Especially the PMS page.

Anonymous said...

when you recreate sassy, let me help. this is all i want in my life. it was half australian originally yo

Unknown said...

Oh man, thanks for the scan of the "What He Said" page - I was the intern-for-a-week who interviewed Jason in that piece, and it never ceases to thrill me to see that piece make the rounds on the internet. What magazine today would let some random high-schooler hang out in their offices with no references, no resume?

Little Miss Know It All said...

Perhaps it is just because she has the name Chloe attached to her picture but that gamine young woman with the pixie cut looks very much like Chloe Sevigney.

Kissed By Fashion said...

I love all the pics and concept of the magazine. It speaks of true authenticity unlike some magazines today. Thanks for the share! =)

Shel said...

JUST yesterday i was thinking of sassy. seriously. i had a subscription to that fantabulous magazine and was so sad when it stopped. there was "jane" afterwards, but it wasn't the same as sassy.

i am so buying that book! found you via "daddy likey" and am so subbing you to my bloglines. xo

Ania said...

Wow ! Co za blog !

cancercowboy said...

thanks for uploading all these pictures. Sassy looks really interesting. tried to find some as pdf or similar, but no luck so far.
and Godspeed! to what sounds like you putting together a new mag!

Melissa Walker said...

Guys, here's a great interview with Christina Kelly and full PDF of the Kurt/Courtney interview in SASSY:

http://www.iheartdaily.com/2009/04/flashback-kurt-courtney-.html

Anonymous said...

Please bring us a 2010 Sassy. :(

Sincerely,
Sarah from The Etiquette Cult

Masha said...

WOW a reader you bring all these magazines? You're so lucky! It's a real treasure!!

www.leblogdemasha.blogspot.com

www.leblogdemasha.blogspot.com

millions of cells said...

CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE ANOTHER SASSY FOR OUR AGE?! PLEASE?! I WILL HELP YOU MAKE IT. THERE ARE SO MANY IDEAS IN FASHION, POLITICS, ETC. THAT TEENAGE GIRLS HAVE BUT CANNOT EXPRESS BECAUSE OF THE ASSUMPTION THAT ALL WE CARE ABOUT IS BEING THE PERFECT ABERZOMBIE!
PLEASE TAVI. I BEG YOU. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST POSTS YOU'VE EVER MADE.

Anonymous said...

What a flashback, wow I feel old!

Anonymous said...

My goodness Tavi!
You certainly are good at giving food for thought, ever since your post on how nerdy and weird is cool i've been going nuts on what our generation has to offer, and what we'll all be known for. I mean, i know i can say that my mum was this and that as a teen, but im afraid i'm fresh out. And upon asking the older people around me, all they can say is that we are lazy and boring. And, as much as i don't want to, i'm beginning to agree with them.


We need something like Sassy to liven us all up a bit. Give us ideas and fill our minds with educated ideas and values. It doesn't need to be indie or outcast to be cool, it really needs to be fantastic, and if more people like it than expected, GREAT.


But as far as inspiration goes, you've certainly inspired me to take a course in journalism at university, so thanks for that.
Keep up the awesomeness.
xx

I'm A Big Fat Manshe said...

Hello Tavi,
I love your style! Whenever I see your outfits my heart stops beating for two full beats. Your so fierce! I'm scared of your extreme individuality.
From a fan of your style and achievements,
Wemma.

I'm A Big Fat Manshe said...

P.S
Those Gingham shoes are so Lolitia

softbonesbabyy said...

daniel clowes sealed the deal. i wish i read sassy...ahhhhh!

jane said...

cool :)
http://jane-likedresses.blogspot.com

Enke said...

oh. think u`re mad about sassy...well u`re just lookin sassy too.
but it`s nice ... good ... girls magazine.

Glamour-Och-Fläskpannkaka said...

a lovely magazine!

agent 0017/shay said...

sigh......I think I was supposed to be born in the nineties instead of the age of the Uggs.;(

great post and loved the pictures :)

Violet said...

So, about the shut down, maybe you shouldn't post nude pictures anymore......Just saying....Younger people do read this.

lpkitten said...

you bring a tear to my eye Tavi! Ohhhh woe is me that I did not save my old Sassys (what would the plural of a Sassy be? Sassies?) It is funny how time puts things into a different perspective. Nostalgia. Nostalgia. And also, I feel old now.

lpkitten said...

and also....I think feminism died in the 00's along with sassy. let's bring it back. girl power!

BEHIND THE SEAMS™ WITH STACY IGEL said...

my sister worked at Sassy at the very end. I will always remember visiting her at her office. Thank you for bringing back the Sassy Memories :)

nameless said...

woww love those old magazines!so inspiring....
thanks for sharing them!
http://glamchicglitteryboy.blogspot.com/

citlaliac said...

No... I think every middle-highschool does the phone in shoe thing... shit... i getter pt my phone in my boots right now... teach coming this way... keep up the hunky dori work spice mastaa!
-Citlali

Criteriamour said...

This stuff is sooo cool. I'm going to read everything you put up!

rory said...

if you love sassy and the inspired and hopeful mood of the 1990's, you NEED to watch "My So Called Life". Like the magazine, we look back on the show and compare it to today's teen shows and think "how could something so unspoiled by moral and corporate pressures even have existed in this country?" it really is a beautiful show.... very inspiring and empowering.

Another show I adore is Britain's Skins.I would only compare it to sassy and My so called life in that it is shocking when compared to other forms of teen entertainment.Skins is just so....TRUE.out of all tv shows i have ever watched, skins is the only one i could call "life changing". both my so called life and skins can be found on surfthechannel.com

Alice said...

Oh.This magazine is, well was, amazing (: I googled it, and i saw so many people who said that Sassy was "inspiring" and so on. It´s so disappointing that Sassy does not exist anymore :[ I mean, todays Teen Magazines are sooo boring [well, boring in my country].Thats why i started reading magazines like Vogue and InStyle.
:/ for few years i bought every month my favourite magazine called "Sugar". and guess what ? one day i couldn´t find this magazine in the shop.Never again :/
Thank you Tavi for this gr8t post :D
Aly

juliapersson87@gmail.com said...

U made me want to read Sassy and I'm so want to read the book "HOw Sassy Changed My Life" Thnx for showing me new great stuff

Passport Smiles said...

I didn't know what the hell Sassy was until your blog, and I am 10 years older than you are! And I obsessivenesly read Teen and Seventeen when I was a kid.

I regret that I didn't know about this one. It kicks ass, ESPECIALLY Thurston Moore's Dear Abby-esque column.

NOELIA said...

hey tavi! this is my first comment in your blog! I see u in fashion magazines and in others blogs
I add u in my fav. since 2008 !!
YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION IN THE FASHION WORLD, THANK U <3!

pd: I love too The Ramones, they are so mytic...(:

Anonymous said...

I loved Sassy so much in Jr. High and High School! Then I loved Jane Magazine (though just slightly less than Sassy). I was that girl that wore a bike chain choker and Dr. Martens with my cantaloupe colored poofy dress to my high school prom! I like Nylon now- it's the closest thing we've got, I guess. Then again, I've gotten old and totally boring. Although I've been wearing loads of old flannel shirts and Docs again lately. Viva la 90s.

Reading your post is making me want to put on some Sonic Youth and watch My So Called Life dvds.

You're lucky to have all those old magazines! I wish I still had mine!

ESTEVEZ said...

dear tavi,

im sure i missed this in reading, i tend to skim, but where'd you get all your sassys'?

K said...

Wow, I have vague memories of those - I remember friends' older sisters having them. Great post! Also, on the Ugg topic - it's not just middle schools. College campus = full of girls wearing oversize t-shirts and sweatshirts as dresses with no pants and Ugg boots. Okay, occasionally they wear bike shorts or leggings, and a North Face jacket but still... It's funny to see the early Ugg boots before they acquired this look.

ólöf said...

lets get sassy back..oh..and DEAR BOY section!

Bonnie Lea said...

Thanks Tavi! I lost all my copies and now at 31 this brings me back. Sassy totally changed my life, glad it changing yours.

Sam Harvey said...

why would you want to be an x'er - you are more evolved than us! live in the now. there is nothing to gain by looking back. hey i thought that was your new years res. to not look back. i'm feeling the love...

hersheyskiss700 said...

Dear Tavi,
Can I just say that I have been obsessed with you for like, EVER! I am also obsessed with fashion and photography, so be surprised when I tell you that my dream is to move to New York and be a model/photographer. I am 15 years old, and I just want to tell you to keep doing what you do and never give up! That is what I tell myself everyday because I know that my dream is kind of far-fetched. I love photography so much and I have entered two contests, sadly I don't think that anyone likes my photography-probably because it isn't cliche enough for them. I do my own thing, and you should keep doing yours!
-Anne
p.s. can I borrow your wardrobe?????
oh and also, I hope you read this!

damali said...

OMG---i love(d) Sassy soo much! tx for posting this.

Alice Liddell Blog said...

I'm dying to read that article about "One Beastie Boy Bakes Us A Birthday Cake"!

M.E. said...

Hi, Tavi! I love your blog but I think this is the first (maybe second?) time I've ever commented. Obviously, I could check in more often... this is such a late comment.

I subscribed to Sassy through most of its run; I think I missed the first year. The last issue of my subscription was the first issue of the "new" (terrible) Sassy.

For one thing, I would say that Sassy never came off to my peers as a magazine for dorky girls; instead, it was a magazine for impossibly hip alternative girls. (Dorky girls read 'Teen; princesses read Seventeen; YM went through several identity makeovers but was definitely dumbed down in about 1989.) I was a loyal reader but I never felt quite like I had what I would now term the hipster cred to understand some of the stuff they were talking about -- like, I liked Thurston Moore's contributions to the magazine, but I didn't ever hear anything by Sonic Youth until after it had already ceased publication.

Another note is that the resemblance of some of the features to CDG ads isn't a mistake. CDG clothes were definitely featured now and then -- usually in some feature or other that required frilly white blouses.

My early-90s nostalgia here is that most of my friends looked like some variation on the girls on the right side of the You Are Beautiful page, especially Miss Eyeliner in the bottom corner (bobbed hair and dark lipstick no matter what their ethnicity); I looked more like the girl on the top left side!

Anyway, pretty much everything you think is true, from someone who was there. I definitely feel that Sassy helped make me who I am today -- for the better.

brightlightsbigcity said...

so much sassiness! how i wish there was a magazine now that was like sassy... it's so great. post more sassy!

http://watermelonfeet.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

LOVE this! Thanks for posting. The authenticity of Sassy Magazine is definitely needed today. I'm working on Tribute to Sassy myself. It's not a fashion perspective, more about community--to recreate that same combination of self-expression and support for the "Digital Natives." I just started and I'm amazed at all of the love for Sassy that is out there. I'll definitely link to whatever you are creating if it's cool with you. Can't wait to see it!

Nicole said...

Please Please Please! tell me the name of the Canadian girl who was sassiest girl in america! Her name has plaqued my mind for years! Stephanie???

katie renee said...

these are awesome!! i had no idea this magazine even existed (seeing as i wasn't even in formal education yet)! it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing the early 90's had an edgy magazine for girls. also, maybe i'm just going crazy, but is that amy smart (from the butterfly effect) a few photos back just above the copenhagan, denmark page in the american flag shorts and leather jacket? just wanted to say thanks for sharing! :D

kathrynnova said...

sassy went the way of r.p. mcmurphy - the chief refers to this as the combine. it is in all parts of our culture and usually wins. not too many fly over the cuckoo's nest. this whole idea is in kesey's book (not forman's movie, though it is also amazing in different ways).

this may not be what you're writing about, but this is how it relates to me. it's part of our world that things don't continue forever and the good things, the REALLY GOOD things usually are the most tragic when they are brought down. like Sassy.

i really like your writing on this subject.

Anonymous said...

ugh i miss sassy and i miss jane, but mostly i miss mayim bialik. that chick single handedly influenced my childhood hat-wear.

Eyeliah said...

Oh my gosh, I’d love to see that Axl Rose Clotheshorse article!! You have totally got me rushing to eBay to see if there are back issues I can buy. I was a huge Sassy fan (was about your age when it was being published). I do remember Chloe as the intern too

tamerajane said...

me, in 1990, in a room PLASTERED with Sassy pages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/verhext/3080125249/

it's weird, i get lines from sassy articles actually stuck in my head like songs even now, but looking back on these it's AMAZING how profoundly ahead of ANY magazine was. i had no idea at the time, it just worked with how i felt. i didnt think about it, really.

Unknown said...

i remember when sassy was bought by TEEN and teen-ified. it was the first and only complaint that i ever sent to a magazine. it was so sad. thank you for posting these old pages!

drunk butterfly said...

Thank you for getting me to know Sassy.
Great post!

Izumihiiiflower said...

aaaaaaahle shaved, once you have tasted, we can not live without it!
and for good reason, I myself on one side of his head shaved!
^ ^

Kimberellie said...

This is totally brilliant. Thanks for this. Your writing is awesome. I never read Sassy (though I was the right age for it) but now I want to. You are just too clever!!

Gee said...

OMG this magazine is EPIC!

Des said...

After reading this, I am thinking "I really need to have another baby because if this (Tavi) is how kids are turning out these days, I seriously can't go wrong."

And the gen X nostalgia is killing me. I would clip out the "cute band alert" and zine reviews, and save my $$$ for stamps, because we LIVED through the mail - ordering zines, tapes, writing to zine pen pals...and had multitudes of ways to scam the post office for postage cuz kids were desperate for some interaction. The 90's didn't seem so pivotal, they seemed like a big sea of khaki GAP boring that you had to stomp through with your Big Ass Shoes. My mother actually cried because of my B.A.S. - you know, with floaty dress, over jeans? she thought I was wasting my youthful beauty with clomp-y shoes. Jeeze mom, alterna girls gotta represnt. Got my Sassy and my Hole cassette, what else?

Unknown said...

Eu gosto muito de ler o seu blog aqui no Brasil. Um beijo grande pra você. good buy

Unknown said...

Eu gosto muito de ler o seu blog aqui no Brasil. Um beijo grande pra você. good buy

Unknown said...

Eu gosto muito de ler o seu blog aqui no Brasil. Um beijo grande pra você. good buy

Unknown said...

Eu gosto muito de ler o seu blog aqui no Brasil. Um beijo grande pra você. good buy

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carla Vallenas said...

Dear Tavi:
I´m from Lima , Perú and I was born in 1981. I´m kind obsessive with the 90´s. and discover this was amazing!! thank you so much (you must understand be a teenager in Perú in 90s, was not easy because we didn´t have internet and we are in South America... you know) I discover Nirvana in 1994, because of Kurt´s dead at the News and MTV unplugged was playing all the time around me then :O.
I think people been born 1976-1982 have a special taste in music and youth culture, (maybe fashion was unfancy (that word exist??) but we had a lot of teenage feeling. we lived (even far away from)grunge, riot girrls, hip hop, trip hop, acid jazz, techno, the very first rave in your town. and we have Bjork. :)
well... im a huge fan of your articles and i Love Rodarte sisters too!
Lots of love, Carla.
Sorry if my english sucks, I´m a sudaca.

Carla Vallenas said...

... people who were born 1971-1981 maybe??? I feel contemporary with people who was listening one of the mentioned music genre above, in tapes.
Cassettes and video cassettes for VHS (you made your own compilation and your own cover !!!) and watched The Simpsons, Beavis and Butthead,(and Saved by the Bell of course) MTV Latin America was great! good times.

vc said...

I had a subscription to Sassy & yes it was my fave teen mag. Got me through HS, funny how kids like you are loving those styles & looks.
I got made fun of for wearing plaid, docs and any other funky clothes. Wish I would have saved my issues! LOL

Pablo Picoso said...

Although I am a guy, who lived in the right time to read Sassy, I missed it, sadly. I like the energy of your edited selections. I think it's time for a Sassy revival, with Editor in Chief, Tavi G.

Anonymous said...

Here's a link to a scanned version of the entire Mayim Bialik issue: http://bit.ly/aTcZtq. I was a teen in the 90s and looking at these issues is such a trip down memory lane. Someday I hope I can rock the turquoise tights w/red fishnets, bulls blood docs, ripped jean shorts and see-through baby doll dress with my pixie cut again, but I don't hold the likelihood as high.

Julia said...

I just love this post. The article How to make him want you... bad! was so funny!
I wish I was the lucky owner of that much Sassy magazines... :)
xoxo

Lina said...

Meh, I officially hate you (I was totally loathing you in silence before). Not only do you have an internationally superly-duperly famous website, you also have Sassy magazine, which, as of 5 minutes ago, I must have. MUST!!!
So, not only is my little green-eyed monster attempting to eat you, you've started a new obsession, which will cause faint of heart, begging and possible drooling. FOR A WHOLE 15 MINUTES!!!

cori said...

when i was 16 i wrote a poem about my first, life-consuming, tragic crush (he was also my first kiss). i sent it in to sassy using just my first name (because i used the word "damn" - my family was very religious). 3 years later the boy killed himself. 13 years later, after searching for years to find a copy of it, you put a picture of my poem on your blog. thank you tavi.

AK said...

I remember the pillow case article!!! Think about it all the time.

Alyssa
Love Brigade

Allison said...

I lived in a small/rural midwestern town in the 90s and discovered Sassy in about 7th-8th grade. It did save my life, and it's one of the factors that led to a lifelong engagement with music. I bought the music they talked about, i made clothes and food like they suggested (still make a couscous salad -- couscous was WAY exotic in my town in 1993-- from a recipe they printed), I dressed like a weirdo and felt good about myself because of it. But besides their awesome styling and interest in all things alternative, the writing was also excellent -- it was funny and in-depth and didn't talk down to girls, and the writers' voices sounded real.

Do you have the issue that includes the junk food taste test? My sister and I would read it aloud to each other and die laughing.

Megan said...

Awesome Fluevog clogs in this picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28552145@N05/4559468368/sizes/l/

Anonymous said...

I am so jealous of your Sassy collection. That magazine was one of the best things to happen to me as a teenager. I lived in a small town on the east coast of Canada sans internet and Sassy was the the only magazine available to me that let me know there was a non-YM/Seventeen world out there for girls. I think I read every single one of the issues you photographed. I still love Dopey Fashion Poses.

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