“I’m scared! Mind if I hold onto you?”
A suggestion from the Jackie Annual 1980 on small talk worth trying on a boy in the cinema. The article was titled ‘Boy Calendar – where they’ll be – what they’ll be wearing – and how to catch them.’ Apparently boys at that time could be found fishing, watching football and jogging with suitable openers being “Are those really maggots?” “Why is that one dressed in black?” and “You’re not Brendan Foster’s brother, are you?”
We may cringe at this now and despair of encouraging girls to attract boys by appearing needy or dim, but at the time the Jackie magazine was a trail-blazer for the young teenage girl market. I adored the magazine and nothing could prise it from my grasp when it dropped through the letter box every week as I hurriedly turned to the Cathy and Claire problem page.
The magazine, offering fashion tips, beauty secrets and comic-strip stories, was published between 1964 and 1993 but was probably in its heyday in the 70s. Looking back at my old 1980 annual I realise how tame and innocent it all was. It’s full of silly quizzes and articles about boys. ‘Catch him if you can’, ‘Could you light his fire?’ and ‘Are you a dating disaster?’
References to where you should go with your date for ‘private moments’ hinted that these activities should be chaste as they included going to the local library or taking a round trip on a country bus.
Jackie told me the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach though I’d like to know how many young boys were treated to the enticing recipe of chicken with jacket potato and frozen peas – with grapefruit for starters and cheese and biscuits for dessert.
Celebrities were still fĂȘted: no change there. The ‘wanted men’ in 1979/80 were Rod Stewart, Mark Hamill, Leif Garrett and Bob Geldof.
There’s a wonderful article about gauging personality by looking at the shape of your thumb. Apparently my pointed thumb indicates that I don’t like giving away much about myself but am a sympathetic listener.
I was always a sucker for horoscopes though I didn’t heed their advice as I married the one star sign, Aries, I was warned to stay away from.
Teenage girls today must have a wealth of information at their disposal to help them through those difficult years but I don’t suppose it’s any easier. They might have the internet to scour for advice but the dating game will always be challenging, although at least now they can chat to boyfriends on a mobile phone rather than have to stand in the hall trying to whisper into the landline phone as members of the family wander past.
I’ll leave you with this gem from Jackie 1980, so representative of the day. A light-hearted piece on ‘You know it’s time to leave the party when…’ suggests ‘your lurex boob tube is unravelling at the rate of 3 inches every ten minutes.’
This article originally appeared in the Lincolnshire Free Press in the Trish Takes Five column. Due to a glitch it didn’t appear online so I thought I would share it here instead.
Did you know Cathy and Claire were (gasp!) the same person?
How could they fib to all those impressionable girls!
I remember Jackie – my sister liked it, but she also liked Patches and I remember she had a letter published in it once. We were so incredibly excited. Those magazines seem like something from such a long time ago now (not that we are old, of course). You know it was named after Jacqueline Wilson who was working there, don't you?
Your sister had a letter printed… Wow, I wonder what it was about?
I had read about the Jacqueline Wilson link when I wrote the article. There are some arguments about this. She definitely worked there but I don't think is was named purely after her.
Cathy and Claire – remember them well. Wonder what the contents of a 2015 Jackie would be? There you go – a blogging prompt!
I had a look at a list of some of the teen mags – probably like Hello magazine with younger celebs?
I didn't read it, my friends did. I still don't read magazines, I just don't 'get them', it's always the same stuff. I read smash hits for a while I remember. I think it was because it had more factual stuff in it. Numbers of records sales sort of thing.
I just looked up HWMBO'd and mine star signs for compatibility…..it's no wonder we argue so much!!!! Now if I'd have read Jackie, I'd have known that and would have avoided him like the plague!
I used to read comics – Whizzer and Chips – before graduating to Jackie. Must admit, not fussed too much about magazines now. I try them for a while then get bored. Rather like Coast magazine and we get The Week on subscription.
Sorry you are now getting the advice about your perfect man a little too late ;-))))
I loved Jackie and read it cover to cover. Innocent times and the teens of today would hate it which is such a shame as I miss those innocent times.
I think they would laugh themselves silly at the Jackie now….I certainly did reading the annual. It was so sweet.
Been trying to think of the "other" one I got – Pink. Anyone remember that?
I don't remember it but a friend from school mentioned it on the Facebook thread.
I always wanted to buy those mags but not many came to NZ and I think I didn't have the dosh. My friend Susan got Tiger Beat though, lucky thing
Oh you missed out on so much – how did you learn how to kiss without them?
I had to look up Tiger Beat as hadn't heard of it – looks very cool.
As I said on FB, I loved Jackie magazine, and tried to hide it from my big brother because it had articles on subjects which I thought too private for him, such as periods. đ
I remember thinking that there was this world of girls and boys who dated each other which bore no resemblance to mine. The boys in my life were spotty and silly and the idea of going out with them was just revolting. đ
My big brother used to laugh at me about it. I wonder if he took a sneaky peek though?
You're right – looking at the book, the boys all looked very swishy haired with perfect skin and a scarf tossed over their shoulder.
A late comment – my big sister got Jackie while I was still at the Bunty and Judy phase, why did girls comics & magazine almost always have a girls name, whereas boys weren't?
And I know someone who married Brendan Foster' brother, I should ask if she used the chat up line.