80's Fashion: a guide
80's Fashion - dontchya just love it?
Well, we don't. The 1980's was the decade more commonly known as "the time that fashion forgot" and for that very reason, 80's fashion tends to feature frequently on our "Crimes of Fashion" pages here at The Fashion Police. From shell suits to leggings, acid wash jeans to poodle perms, there was just very little about 80's fashion to love.
Let's take a look back at the decade...
80's Fashion: the basics
The 80's fashion silhouette was a very distinctive one. Hair was big, and either spiky or curly. Shoulders were equally big - think Crystal Carrington in Dynasty and you're on the right track. Sweaters were big, baggy and bat-winged. Nice. In fact, the only thing that wasn't big about 80's fashion was the legs, which were generally encased in leggings, creating a "sack balanced on two sticks" look. Hmmm.
Your basic 80's fashion wardrobe, then, would consist of:
* Bat wing sweaters - the crazier and louder the pattern, the better
* Leggings
* Leg warmers
* Pointy-toed stiletto court shoes in neon colours
* In fact, anything in neon colours
* Acid wash jeans
* Jeans with cartoons printed on them
* High top sneakers - Reebok was popular, but you had to remember to thread them with neon "crazy laces"
* Neon socks. (Are you seeing a theme here.)
* Mismatched neon socks. One pink, one yellow - what's not to love?
* Shoulder pads
* Power suits for women -pencil skirts and big, boxy jackets
* Prom dresses - in the shiniest, cheapest looking fabric available, natch.
* And, of course.., shell suits! The biggest 80s fashion crime ever!
80's fashion that came back
Of course, if 80's fashion had just stayed in the 80's, it would all be well and good. We'd look back and laugh at it occasionally, but there'd be no harm done. Sadly, though, that's not the way it worked out, and 80's fashion continues to come back to haunt us, perhaps more so than any other decade before or since.
Leggings, leg-warmers, puffball skirts, prom dresses... they've all found their way back into the fashion landscape in the last few years, with even acid wash jeans struggling to become acceptable attire in the "naughties". Luckily they seem to be failing in this attempt, but The Fashion Police eyes are peeled.
Leggings were perhaps the most surprising element of 80's fashion to make a comeback,and the comeback itself has been going on for a few years now, making us wonder if they're actually here to stay. Will 80's fashion ever really die? Sadly, it seems the answer to that one is "no"...
80's Fashion links
Get your 80's fashion fix at these pages:
Fashion Crimes of the 80s
80s style prom dresses
80's fashion on eBay
