I still have my Jem doll that was given to me in 1987. All of my Barbies had squeaky voices but I would give Jem a husky one. She was daring, edgy and cooler than the rest. While they were concerned with hosting a cute party and titillating Ken, Jem was rocking out in a garage.

Sometimes, when I sang the theme song, I’d secretly adjust the lyrics so it became, “Jen is my name, no one else is the same, JEN IS MY NAME!” 

Beyond childhood, my love for Jem continued into high school. I remember dressing like her for a St. George’s school dance. (Private school for boys on Howland Ave in The Annex.) More than once, my friends and I would slip into sparkly tops, inflate our neon electric guitars and put on crazy eye shadow to do lip synchs and Jem dance routines in the boarding school hallways of Havergal College.  

I’m happy to share with you that Holt Renfrew will release a collection of limited edition Jem and the Holograms dolls for the holiday season. At $125, they aren’t exactly cheap but I may choose to decorate my desk with Jerrica Benton. After all, I applaud the “truly outrageous.” 

Perhaps a costume consideration for our Halloween party? Gather your posse and figure out who will be a Misfit. And then wage war on whose song/outfit is better!

Excitement, adventure, glamour and glitter….wait, this could be Shedoesthecity’s theme song! Watch the video and you’ll magically travel back to the mid 1980s. Wicked.

CLASSIC JEM, JERRICA BENTON, SYNERGY and RIO PACHECO are available for $125 each (limited quantities of 1 character per customer) at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada starting November 17th. 

~ Jen McNeely