Today is the 10th anniversary of my sixteenth birthday and I could not let this moment pass without paying homage to America’s ultimate birthday fantasy, Sixteen Candles. John Hughes so totally gets teenaged girls it’s eerie. And by teenaged girls I just mean girls in general, because hello, I can still feel completely relate to Samantha Baker.
Acne summer dress $280, quartz earrings $78, flower crown $42, party hats $8, 1988 Trans Am $16900, charm bracelet $42, 1980s vintage pumps $32, sustainable party cups $7, slice of cake $4.50.
My own sweet sixteen 10 years ago was kind of drag, I was stuck in the car for 19 hours on a road trip with a friend and her family. No group of clambering nerds following me, no wild senior parties, or red trans am’s waiting for me in the driveway. Today’s birthday wish? Jake Ryan, pure and simple. -amy m.
straw hat $28, steven alan undies $29, essie nail polish in “tart deco” $3.50, portable boombox $115, oxford shirt $10, toilet paper $8, 6-pack of pbr $5, pink phone $39.99, vintage quilted bag $42.
76 Comments
The straw hat has become a permanent summer staple for me, as it should! I got mine in Cambodia. Love it.
Best movie of all time! Thanks for the post!
A great homage to a classic, girlie movie. Happy Birthday!!
Sorry… guy commenting… but, isn’t that a Porsche 944?
i love this, but i think he drove a porsche.
Yea, Jake drove a Porsche, but Sam & her friend want a Trans Am for their 16th birthdays! Sam wants a black Trans Am & a ‘pink’ guy.
:)
Great post!!!!!
Favorite. Movie. Ever.
When I turned 16, I received an Anthony Michael Hall keychain that says “Farmer Ted” on it, and 9 years later, I still carry it every day. LOVE.
so sweet. I love this
I love this. Did anyone hear Molly Ringwald on “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me” this weekend? She was great. I would love to see one of these for “Pretty in Pink” sometime… that’s my fave.
GREAT JOB. This is my favorite Living In yet…. Swooon!
exactly–you can’t substitue a trans am for a 944. : )–LOVE this movie, but don’t love your suggestions….sorry
sara
read the comments above- it’s not a substitution, it’s the car that sam and her friends want, not the car the boy drives ;)
you can check the movie transript here for “trans am” and you’ll see the line: http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/s/sixteen-candles-script-transcript-molly.html
grace
Awesome post! Sixteen Candles is an absolute classic. It’s a must see for all growing up. So right about Hughes and how he understood “teenage angst.”
xoxo
Love the suggestions… just grateful you didn’t source a sweatshirt with a ’50s skirt like the one Joan Cusack used to wipe her mouth. : )
Love this! Such a great movie :)
AH! Seriously! Best Movie Ever!!
Married? Mawried! Married? Mawried!
And- I’m in agreement with others- Porsche wins hands down!! No Trans Am. No, no,no.
Whew! And Jake!!! I wonder what he looks like today. I was in LOVE with him forever!
This is one of my favorite films. The ending and “If You Were Here” by The Thompson Twins chokes me up every time.
Happy Birthday Amy!!
GENIUS as ever, Amy!
I love the fact your Suggested Items include toilet paper, PBR, and panties.
Every Saturday morning in the Fall of my freshman year in high school, I awoke to newly papered trees in my front yard, and my Father standing over me looking pissed.
Also, Michael Schoeffling currently works as a wood worker in Pennsylvania and is married with 2 kids.
I love that movie. Watching it as a little girl made me think high school would be that cool. It sooooo wasn’t! And oh, Jake Ryan! He will forever live our eighties hearts as the hottest babe.
I love the pink Princess phone. I think Molly used that on Pretty in Pink also.
Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve watched this movie, I just never tire of it.
Very cool, except.. Jake’s car was a Porsche 944, not a Firebird.
Oh, sexy girlfriend…..Donger need food!
I agree…Best..Movie…Ever
One of my favorite films! Love the pink phone, the cute little panties, straw hat and that vintage quilted bag (I had one just like it back in the 80s). Great memories!
Happy Birthday! I am almost 42 and STILL LOVE THIS MOVIE!
So happy to see this finally up here. Excellent movie. Excellent idea. If I may add my own 2 cents…
http://jamielatendresse.blogspot.com/2010/04/fted-jcrew.html
I love this post, all of it. Although I think the cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon might be my favorite. My husband has suddenly taken it on as his ‘summer beer’ of choice!
Ahhh Jake Ryan. My first movie love.
i adore this movie…one of my favorites ever. great pictures and collages!
Man, I’d almost gotten over my deep lust for that hot-ballerina-princess Acne dress! The dress, the panties, & beer in red plastic cups would be the best party look ever. Someday!
Adorable! Happy Birthday!
My husband and kids know my weakness for this movie, and bring it out every once in a while to pep me up. They absolutely love Anthony Michael Hall and the grandparents (wah la! breakfast!). And, yes, Jake…that last scene and the music track get me every time! Thanks…fun post.
The music! Only think that you have to leave out! xoxox
Love your post, love the movie.
I’m obsessed with those tear drop earrings, so pretty!
I just bought 16 candles for my sixteen year old daughter, she loves it as well, also the breakfast club. Thanks for this.
Love to revisit these John Hughes movies made right here in my neighborhood of the North Shore of Chicago. xo Joan@ anythinggoeshere
happy birthday!! i am loving your john hughes tributes! my sister and i were just quoting this on the fourth!
“well, well if it isn’t sammy baker davis junior!”
love this, two of my favorite movies!
Happy Birthday! I think I am going to watch this right now!
Ha! look at it this way Amy – you and Sam both had a bummer of a sweet 16! one more thing in common…
My 19 year old nephew is named Jake Ryan and I still crack up and think of this movie whenever his name comes up.
Hi! We love your website. Thanks for featuring us. :)
happy birthday!! what a great idea for a birthday post. love it!
That shot of Jake Ryan leaning on his Porsche is one of my favorite movie shots ever!!! Thanks for the memories.
Great movie! I still find the hotness of Jake schorching. I always wondered what happened to him, thanks Nicodemus Green for the update.
happy anniversary + happy birthday! xo.
…my absolute all time FAVORITE movie. love this!
My son is even named ‘Jacob Ryan’…okay, that was just a coincidence…really:).
i have to comment here. this is my favorite 80′s movie hands down!
i have the movie poster framed and still have a giant crush on jake ryan.
we would prank phone call in high school this all the time!
“is samantha baker there and if so may i converse with her briefly?”
thanks for making me smile all day from this!
The wallpaper in the staircase hallway above is the same pattern that hung in the entryway of my childhood home. In the movie the paper is a light grey and white pattern and very hard to makeout. Ours was a dark brown and white version. I adored it and would love to know the maker – if anyone out there has any info. I’d be eternally grateful!!
Oh man, I love this post beyond words. That is one of my all time favorite movies. You captured it so beautifully. LOVE!
Oh and HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
this is one of my favorite movies… everytime it’s on TV I have to watch it… the best!!!
Oh my goodness I just rented this last weekend and snuggled up with my 9 year old daughter(its winter here) drank rootbeer, ate cheetos… I was the same age as her when it came out and I loved it. she thought it was the “funniest movie ever” and so “cool” its a movie that will always be relavent and always be special to everygirl.
thanks
Hahaha You are sooo funny. 10th Anniversary of your 16th birthday…hahaha..happy birthday anyway!!
Loved your article in Belle Magazine (commenting here b/c I read it from my reader, but didn’t see it here!).
…I enjoyed reading about how you are inspired and how you stay motivated to maintain your blog. I look forward to your upcoming book! Congratulations on the feature and on your overall success.
LOVE this movie – it’s actually my favourite of all time – big call, but true! And I think any sixteen year old would love a Jake Ryan for her birthday! Happy birthday to you, and hope you get your very own Jake! K xx
Aww I love this movie. Who doesn’t want a “sixteen candles” kind of 16th b-day? So fun. :)
thanks so much torrie :)
g
Jake Ryan in a sweater vest, Levis, and loafers. A beautiful specimen of a man.
AWESOME. best yet. xoxo
oooh, swoon, perfect. love all your posts, but this completely takes the birthday cake. this theme would be perfect for the 14th anniversary of my (or any) 16th birthday (ahem, 30).
I am so glad I read through the posts before adding my own rant to the Porsche 944 sacrilege (…that wasn’t). Want to feel a clean, close shave?
I LOOOOOVVVVEEEEEEEE this movie!!! I love vintage!!! I love Design Sponge On Line!!!
Wow! We must be related, your choices are like the mythology of my childhood. I totally just watched this with my Aunt a little while ago and she had never seen it, oh the tragedy. Now she has been initiated.
One of my favorite “80′s” flicks. This made my afternoon. Thanks for posting it!
damm jake is so flipping HOT
good choice amy!
my husbands father was molly’s teacher in grade school….did she marry one of the beastie boys?
take care!
Cool collection… those movies are one of my favs… I love these pics… thanks
o… m… g. Thank you for reminding me of how wonderful this movie is. Must watch again, now! Frikkin’ Molly Ringwald – i idolized her so. :)
Happy Birthday, AmyM. I just turned 26 two weeks ago. So far, it’s great! Enjoy a delicious birthday feast and dress to be the center of attention!
-AmyC
Hands down, my absolute favorite Molly Ringwald and John Hughes film.
“What’s your last name?
Dong.
What’s your first name?
Long.
What’s your middle name?
Duk.”
Essie’s Tart Deco is awesome.
I love how PBR never goes out of style. This is my favorite movie and my favorite post thus far…
you might wanna look into it more closely, but it kind of looked like they were drinking Old Style beer, not PBR. similar labels, though.
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