The Fragrances of Our (Electric) Youth

Pass the Colors by Benetton, please.

Hi hi friends.

I was mindlessly scrolling Instagram the other day, as one does, and a clip from Debbie Gibson’s “Electric Youth”¹ video popped up in my feed. It had been quite some time since I’d watched that baby in full. Which I immediately went over to YouTube and did, promptly forgetting whatever task I was procrastinating completing that led me to mindlessly scroll in the first place.

I implore you to take a gander, you’ll be very amused. Come for the choreo², stay for the super random Michael Jordan insert. (No, that’s not a bebe Olsen twin in the beginning, but it sure looks like MK or A.)

Honestly, I feel like Bella Hadid would wear ole Deb’s main look—with the denim short and the button-down and the vest—walking down a Manhattan street today and a whole slew of people would be sufficiently gagged and running for dupes. Also, was Debbie super pre-curve for making an over five-minute dance pop video in 1989?!?

Anyway, of course the words ELECTRIC YOUTH made me think of one of the most memorable fragrance bottles of all time. At least for Gen X.