Halter Tops, Chokers and ‘Reality Bites’

Throughout the whole 4th of July weekend, I kept on referencing chokers and halter tops — mostly in conversation during my brother-in-law’s 40th birthday party. Using my cousin-in-law (is that even the appropriate way to address this type of relative?) Darlene as an example, this how the typical conversation went:

Darlene: What should we bring when we go camping in August?

Me: I don’t know, but make sure you bring your clubbing clothes — just in case.

Darlene: Clubbing clothes? Why?

Me: You never know when you’re gonna have to go to a club.

Darlene: Are you serious?

Me: Yes. You should bring a clubbing outfit like a halter top. And a choker.

I kept on wedging chokers and halter tops into conversation whether it was relevant or not.

Obviously, I was referencing one of the best Gen X cinematic opuses of all time (or at least 1994): Reality Bites.

It was the scene when Vickie (Janeane Garofalo) is in a diner talking to Lelaina (Winona Ryder) about her fears about having AIDS:

Vickie: You don’t understand. Every day, all day, it’s all that I think about, OK? Every time I sneeze, it’s like I’m four sneezes away from the hospice, and it’s like it’s not even happening to me. It’s like I’m watching it on some crappy show like “Melrose Place” or some shit, right? And I’m the new character, I’m the HIV-AIDS character, and I live in the building and I teach everybody that it’s OK to be near me, it’s OK to talk to me, and then I die. And there’s everybody at my funeral wearing halter tops or chokers or some shit like that.

Lelaina: Vickie stop, OK? Just stop. You’re freaking out. And you know what? You’re gonna have to deal with the results. Whatever they are, we’re gonna have to deal with them just like we’ve dealt with everything else.

Vickie: This isn’t like everything else.

Lelaina: I know that, all right? But it’s gonna be OK, you know? I know it’s gonna be OK. (pause) “Melrose Place” is a really good show.

Thank you Janeane Garofalo for saying such profound words. So profound it has stuck with me for over 16 years…and “Melrose Place” was a really good show. Andrew Shue’s best work — and a great place for halter tops and chokers.