You know you want one.I was just over by Elle.com and came across a post on perhaps my favorite school accessory of all time (Elle Undercover "Fashion Week Accessory: The Trapper Keeper" by Johanna Cox). Oh my gosh, I LOVED Trapper Keepers as a student! My mother helped indulge this fixation by buying several of them in different designs, even for herself and for my father (who was starting a journalist career at the time).
I am this close to getting myself one for...oh well, just because! I should probably buy several and have a Trapper Keeper Giveaway here, picking up from the Sharpie Giveaway I held last last month. Oh what fun! Do drop me a line and let me know your thoughts.
The author of the article mentions another 80's school supply icon, Lisa Frank. Admit it: You looked forward to those Balikbayan boxes for those bright, whimsical stickers and folders. To quote from the post in which Cox notes the usefulness of the Trapper Keeper for the upcoming New York Fashion Week:
"Although no longer themed with Lisa Frank’s acid-trippy unicorns and dilated teddy bears, the TrapKeep is still very much for sale. A Moleskin notebook is fine and nice, but does it come with tabbed folders, one each for Narciso, Marc and Rodarte? Can you slip your day’s invitations into its convenient plastic pouch? Can it double as a seat cushion if your mini goes micro mini upon taking your seat in the front-row? I think not."True.
Another remnant of my 90s student life is the FILOFAX. I remember pre-schoolyear trips to Regina's and Tickles, where they sold a variety of colors and fabrics, along with a bevy of refills, pockets, and whatever one could insert in every slot.
Eventually and at the turn of the millennium, things got smaller and smaller by way of the Palm Pilot. (I got the Handspring instead in an effort to not have what everybody else had.)
These days, I write everything down on a fuchsia pink Mead notebook and punch calendar reminders on my trusty Nokia phone. Everything else, I email to myself on Gmail.
Now if you'll excuse me for a sec, I'm browsing the Mead website, reviving my long-lost Trapper Keeper fancy :)
Images courtesy of Mead.com
UPDATE 09/09/09: I just won this on eBay! It's the exact same Trapper Keeper design I had from Freshman year in high school :) Thanks, jump-dumpster!
Why do I not know what a Trapper Keeper is? XD
ReplyDeleteAh, that's because by the time you got to high school, students were carrying laptops, and not groovy binders like the Trapper Keeper. Oh but I'm sure you'd love it! I'll bring you one when I come home for the holidays :)
ReplyDeleteHeh, I saw that posting at Elle too. I found a cache of old Trapper Keepers in an old grocery store, and I've been putting them up on E-bay. If any of them don't sell, you can have one for a giveaway.
ReplyDeletehttp://myworld.ebay.com/jump-dumpster
I had the zebra-striped version in Jr. High myself.
Andrew
Oh wow, thanks so much, Andrew! That's very nice of you :) I'm browsing your eBay postings right now, and I'll most probably end up bidding/buying. Wow, I can't believe you found vintage ones.
ReplyDeleteTrapper Keepers! I think I only owned one just for the heck of saying I have one, but I never really used it that much because it was bigger than my upper body. Hahaha. But now, I feel like getting one.
ReplyDeleteI still remember the FiloFax! And a few years ago, I got myself the real FiloFax and a fancy pen to go with it. I felt all business-like, until I realized it took a lot of handbag space that my wallet occupied. Haha.
Hi, Joy! Yup, I found the exact same one I had in high school on eBay, courtesy of Andrew who left a comment earlier. It was surreal seeing it; I'd forgotten all about it but when I saw the design it was, "Aha!"
ReplyDeleteAs much we're in this wired and techie world, it's still nice to have these, right?
wow..you are lucky bcoz u have trapper keeper there..i've been trying to look for one bcoz i'll be going back to school very soon..i've been thinking where to get one..i really want to have one bcoz it makes my school docs very organize..lucky you..
ReplyDeletebrendane1@yahoo.com
Ooh I remember Trapper Keepers and Filofaxes from Regina's and Tickles! So fun! These days I just use boring regular binders :p Maybe I'll buy one of those vintage ones too!
ReplyDeletecan u tell me how or where else I can get the trapper keeper????please i really want it...thanks in advance....
ReplyDeleteciao,
brendane1@yahoo.com
Hi, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteYou can order them from Mead.com. Are you in the Philippines or in the U.S.? Not sure how shipping goes for overseas orders.
If you have a hard time ordering, let me know. I plan to buy a few to bring back home in November if ever :)
I wasn't allowed to have a Trapper Keeper haha but I did save up for a Filofax =) I still kinda have a Filofax, Kat Dy's Belle De Jour journal!
ReplyDeleteOoh! Those have really cool coupons, I remember!
ReplyDeletehi mariel..i always had fun reading your blogs..it brings me exitement everytime i read your blogs..
ReplyDeleteanyway, yes, i am really having a hard time getting one for myself since meada rapper keeper is not available here at present in th Philippines.
please let me know, if you'll be back home in November or earlier..i really want it since i'll be back in school in November..
thanks a lotty lots
Hi, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment! :)
Okay, check out the website and let me know what color calls out to you. I'll try to bring it Nov if I don't get too caught up with other things :)
hi maan:> i still clearly remember you trapper keeper back in high school..it was exactly the same design..galing..
ReplyDeleteAng galing, Mildred, talaga?:) Wow! Yup, pagkakita ko sa eBay natandaan ko bigla so I had to have it :)
ReplyDeletehi mariel..i think i prefer the purple if not then the pink will do..
ReplyDeletewaaahhhh..m hoping but not expecting since i know ul be caught up with a lot of things when u come back home..but then i am really thankful in advance..
u r so nice..
ciao
Okay I'll let you know :)
ReplyDelete