“Rock the Block” host Ty Pennington discovered an incredible throwback photoshoot on social media and was eager to share it with his fans. The home renovation star was tagged in a post by the Instagram account Forgotten ‘80s, and he shared the post on his Instagram Stories on Wednesday, October 21, along with the message: “Holy throwback” and a shocked face emoji.
Ty Pennington Reacts to Epic Throwback Photoshoot
But what is the post about? The post highlights a photoshoot between Pennington and his then-girlfriend, Kay Pitts, for Sassy Magazine’s “Baby, It’s Cold Outside!” shoot in October 1988. It shows pictures of them in downtown New York.
In the pictures, Pitts sports a short, bright blonde pixie cut. They pair model various cold-weather outfits, and some of the photos appear quite loving. A text on one of the photos reveals that Pitts is 20 and Pennington is 23. It also refers to them as “doing an awfully good job at acting like boyfriend and girlfriend. Well, it wasn’t just for the camera. See, they have been going out in real life for a year and a half. They even moved from Atlanta to New York to break into modeling together.”
In the caption, the Instagram account Forgotten ‘80s gave context to the photoshoot, writing, “Meet K. and Ty @thetypennington & @kpitts36 a real-life couple who moved from Atlanta to New York to pursue modelling. Together for a year and a half, they appeared in this fabulous Sassy editorial, capturing the effortless cool of late 80s downtown style. And remarkably, exactly how the fashion-forward are dressing in 2026.”
They continued, “The looks and proportions are everything. Oversized coats, generous shoulders, relaxed denim, chunky boots, masculine tailoring and beautifully layered knitwear. Nothing overly considered. Just that effortless, slightly undone silhouette that feels so incredibly now. And her hair. That short, almost platinum blonde boyish crop. So chic, so androgynous and the perfect contrast to the volume of those oversized silhouettes.”
Ty Pennington & Fans React to Old Photoshoot
Pennington reacted to the post in the comment section. He wrote, “Omg! Can’t believe you found this! That’s @kpitts36.” Fans loved the photoshoot and shared their thoughts in the comments.
“Such an amazing photo! Loved this era and style!” a comment reads. “The lady aged beautifully too. Good for her,” another person shared.
A third fan shared, “I remember this spread in my sister’s Sassy magazine when I was in junior high. I wanted to be those NYC young people and eventually would be, though a bit rougher around the edges and with cell phones.
Other reactions include, “I remember this photo layout so well! Like I looked at it yesterday, when really it was almost 40 years ago!,” and “What a great shoot.”
A fan even shared a story about how Pennington is such a nice guy, writing, “I went to college in Atlanta and TY was several years older than me. All my friends, including me, had a crush on him. He was a very regular guy, no ego. He was very creative and artistic. And always in a relationship. He dated a girl from my college for decades. Very nice guy.”
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Ty Pennington Gives Fans a Look at an Incredible Throwback Photoshoot With His Ex-Girlfriend