Road Trip to UNC

Ten years of Yackety Yack

Last week I stopped by the year book office of UNC Chapel Hill for some extensive research regarding college apparel from 1960 through 1969. The "Yackety Yack" must mean something to me. I live in NYC and could easily have driven an hour south to Princeton for some time with their yearbook, the Bric a Brac. But UNC Chapel Hill still connects to me through amazing childhood memories visited here.

After some business around Charlotte, Concord and Winston Salem, I was reminded that fast food restaurants in NC share a similarity with full service gas stations in New Jersey in that neither are very accurate descriptions. I will admit to becoming a new fan of the Hardee's Country Ham Biscuit. Buy two and throw one of the biscuits out while adding the ham to the other and creating a double-ham biscuit. Sweet mother of God they are good.

1969 Yackety Yack

I was always curious when the transition from Trad to the more relaxed manner of dress (Hippie?) was made. Like flying from New York City to Florida in January...I'm always looking out the window in hopes of seeing that line separating cold from warm. I know it's not there but I can't stop looking for it. I do think I found the line at UNC.

Trad and Hippie -- this picture has it all in one place. The beginning of the end. Before you know it American apparel takes a nose dive for cheesy designers, rust colored shirts and ties as wide as the Jersey Turnpike. Nic Nic polyester shirts and Pierre Cardin polyester suits. You look back and wonder how it happened. I think everybody was having sex and didn't care what they wore. I feel the same way today but that's another post.

1967 Yackety Yack

She looks like a lot of fun. There's something about her that speaks to the change coming. She looks so 70's with the blouse and hair compared to the 60's hair spray and whoosh curl. When I was in the Army we would drive to Chapel Hill from Ft Bragg and try to pick up girls in the, "He's not here..." We'd explain our short hair by telling them we were Naval ROTC students. It never worked.

1962 Yackety Yack

You see what I mean about the hair? I apologise for all of these pictures. When I spoke to Michael in the Yackety Yack office he gladly took me into their archives and offered to scan anything I wanted. I felt like I was imposing and took pictures instead. Except when I saw this one. I told him I only wanted one scan and he advised me he could only scan in B&W.

I think Julian's has been in this location since the 40's. I admit, I'm not a fan of Alexander or the store. First impressions die hard. In 1977 or '78, I ambled into Julian's and asked to try on a shirt. I was told, "No." "How do I know it'll fit?" I asked. The salesman replied, "If you don't know your shirt size I can't help you." I didn't buy anything this trip either.

Competition? I doubt it. Julian's does have some nice stuff related to the university. Bill's khakis with Carolina Blue and White edging sewn on the rear pocket opening with brass buttons from the sleeve of a Blazer. How cool is that? Still, it looks like Joseph Abboud has made his way into the front room. A shame really. But they're still there and that's certainly saying something in today's economic climate. No doubt supported by all those wonderful people in the yearbooks. Beat Duke.