Sometimes in our RSS-haze we forget that “indie rock” wasn’t always so fashionable. In fact, if you go back to early nineties, the style was a lack of style, and not in some “I’m going to wear this because no one would think that I would actually wear this” sort of way. (Look at you Mom jeans.) Rather, it was earnest, as if all indie rockers of the ’90s merely woke up, saw their jeans and put them on. It was honest. It was real. Often, it was pretty ugly. While the slacker style has surely come back into play by kids whose first CD was Bush Sixteen Stone, it just doesn’t feel as “authentic” as it did back then. Times have changed kids, but the classic t-shirt, Levi’s and All-Stars will never die. It just will never look as cool as it did on these dudes.

You could even be a fat dude in shorts and that was cool…even in Europe! (Fun fact, pretty sure Ira Kaplan has been swapping between the same two t-shirts since Yo La Tengo began in 1984.)

As Pavement demonstrate, your clothes did not have to “fit,” let alone be “form fitting.” Also note, white long sleeve tee. God I miss the ’90s.

Sonic Youth wear coats. Long leather jackets, black and purple nylon ski parkas and denim jackets with leather collars.

As for video fashion, Chavez may have put it all out on the table when they shot their video for “Break Up Your Band” on a trans-gender hosted talk show featuring suburban moms, stripping firemen, kimono clad rickshaw drivers, loin cloth covered dudes in bear masks, and a bevy of gigantic collars.

Something tells me Veruca Salt will opt against the floral crop tank top when they inevitably reunite. (Notice the gold microphones. Oh, Glastonbury.)

Lou Barlow in Germany in 1995 looks like my fifth grade Earth Science teacher in Germany in 1995.

On the other hand, J. Mascis looks pretty much exactly the same.

The first two Pavement shows sold out in a matter of moments. (Matador says the first sold out in 2 minutes!) A third, September 23rd, 2009, has since been added and is still on sale. Get ‘em here, while you still can. If not, well, just what until they hit your town on their world tour. Maybe they’ll bring Smashing Pumpkins along, ya know, for ole times sake.

According to Brooklyn Vegan, who quotes “reliable sources,” Indie Rock demigods Pavement will reunite in the summer of 2010 for a four night run at Central Park’s Summerstage in New York City. Of course, last time we heard rumors of Pavement reuniting it was for ATPNY and Wayne Coyne was the one asking Malkmus, Spiral Stairs and Co. and, well, that didn’t happen. While rumors are still just rumors, though from reliable sources, whatever that means, many expect Golden Voice to pony up Michael Jordan divorce settlement money for Pavement to reunite at the always popular reunion festival known as Coachella.

UPDATE: Pitchfork has confirmed that Pavement will indeed reunite on September 21st, 2010 for a show at Central Park’s Summerstage. More info later after we clean the collective shit out of our pants.

Above is the troublesome cover art for The Real Feel, the real deal solo debut from Spiral Stairs, neé Scott Kannberg and co-founder of almighty Pavement. You may have already tinkered a bit with Kannenberg’s work fronting Preston School Of Industry, but The Real Feel marks his first outing under the pseudonym with which most music nerds still know and sorta miss him. Word according to the Matablog is that the recording went down in Seattle late last year and includes contributions from former members of PSOI and the Posies, as well as Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene. That very same blog is currently streaming new track “Maltese Terrier.” Give it a listen, album’s out on Matador in every format imaginable on October 20th!

In one of the goofier contests in recent memory, Matador Records created “Date with Ikea,” based on the Pavement song of the same title. The prize? Oh, just a $500 shopping spree with a member of the legendary slacker rockers. Lucky winner Jenny Bergen, a recent New York transplant, spent a fun-filled day with Bob Nastanovich frolicking through the Swedish furniture , the travails of which a Pitchfork.tv intern turned into a movie. Winning over the hearts of Pavement with her pathetic air mattress and 74-year-old roommate, Jenny went home with a proper and stylish bed and other goodies. We’re still not sure about the fate of the elderly roommate, however.

—Nikki Turner