"It is impossible for a stranger traveling through the United States to tell from the appearance of the people or the country whether he is in Toledo, Ohio, or Portland, Oregon. Ninety million Americans cut their hair in the same way, eat each morning exactly the same breakfast, tie up the small girls curls with precisely the same kind of ribbon fashioned into bows exactly alike; and in every way all try to look and act as much like all the others as they can." - Lord Northcliffe

Some re-visited trends allow you to wallow in a glow of nostalgia...some, on the other hand, cause you to hang your head in embarrassment and plunge into the depths of the "what the hell was I thinking?" pool. I was visited by the second feeling as soon as I spotted the 'silk pony bow' on Urban Outfitters website.

All those memories came flooding back...of attempts to fit in to the (admittedly rather posh) boarding school that I had been sent to...by wearing a very Sloane-y mix of clothing...accessorized with limp silk squares attached to top-knots and pony tails. Desperately uncomfortable I resembled...looking back on it, with the clarity of time...one of those show dogs with strange bows in their hair. Even more depressing...retailers are trying, once again, to foist this "look" off on people. Take it from one who knows...just say no (to the bow).