How could 80's fashion have happened???
By liquorice
@liquorice (3887)
January 28, 2010 3:22pm CST
I just watched a really old episode of Dynasty on CBS Drama. It's a great show, but it made me realise how scary fashion was in those days. What were we thinking? (Well, not me really, I was too young to be held responsible for it
, although I probably wore some pretty shocking things at the time...)
Joan Collins and Linda Evans were, and still are, stunning women, but a fuchsia dress with killer shoulder pads, matched exactly with shiny fuchsia lipstick; terrifying! And Linda Evans looked like a linebacker* with the huge things balanced on her shoulders. I'd have stayed out of her way... I know that the 80's is making a bit of a comeback now (or maybe it's now comeback and gone again, losing track..), but I don't understand why.
Did we really think it looked good at the time? Is it only in hindsight that trends look so bad, or was it a particularly bad era (like I suspect..)? In 30 years time will we be looking back in horror at the fashion of the naughties?
*(hope that's the right term - my knowledge of American football is poor!)
, although I probably wore some pretty shocking things at the time...)
Joan Collins and Linda Evans were, and still are, stunning women, but a fuchsia dress with killer shoulder pads, matched exactly with shiny fuchsia lipstick; terrifying! And Linda Evans looked like a linebacker* with the huge things balanced on her shoulders. I'd have stayed out of her way... I know that the 80's is making a bit of a comeback now (or maybe it's now comeback and gone again, losing track..), but I don't understand why.
Did we really think it looked good at the time? Is it only in hindsight that trends look so bad, or was it a particularly bad era (like I suspect..)? In 30 years time will we be looking back in horror at the fashion of the naughties?
*(hope that's the right term - my knowledge of American football is poor!)1 person likes this
5 responses
@l33tgirl (288)
• New Zealand
29 Jan 10
Well it's hindsight and I think every generation will have items that are an eyesore. The eighties will likely have more than any other but what about the fluro of the 90's?
I think some will look back in horror over the fashions of the noughties. But not to the same degree of the eighties, in the eighties everybody dressed in crazy clothes, now it's just a few who fashion concious enough to follow lots of trends.
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
1 Feb 10
Yes it's true, hindsight is a wonderful thing! Funnily I don't remember the fluro of the 90's, I think of that as just an 80's thing, but maybe I'm blocking it out, and just blaming everything on the fashion disasters on the 80's. (Which are further back and perhaps easier to put to the back of my mind..
)
I will be looking back in horror over some aspects of noughties fashion - mainly the 80's revival part!! Yes, thank goodness I'm not interested in trends any more. I can't keep up with it, and don't really want to. Comfort rules!!!
(I sound ancient!)
)
I will be looking back in horror over some aspects of noughties fashion - mainly the 80's revival part!! Yes, thank goodness I'm not interested in trends any more. I can't keep up with it, and don't really want to. Comfort rules!!! (I sound ancient!)
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
29 Jan 10
I think it's the same for any decade, we look back and say did we really think that was cool to wear. I am sure in 30 years time people will look back to now and ask "what were we thinking"
I think the reason why the 80s sticks in the mind for being a decade of fashion faux pas was that it was all big, big shoulder pads, big bold colours and also even bigger hair, everything was an excess. Nothing really complemented each other and everyone was making some sort of fashion statement by trying to be different. But I have to say the penchant for flourescent colours, knee warmers, head bands, wrist bands and many other terrible things I wore in my teenage years makes me cringe.
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
1 Feb 10
Yes, it probably is true to some extent about all past decades having their cringe-worthy moments, but the 80's was particularly bad! Yes, it was big and bold and bright ..and bad! Sadly I too had a few fluorescent mistakes, in fact some fluorescent and black Bermuda shorts are coming scarily to mind...
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
28 Jan 10
hubby and i have been watching tv shows from the 1970's on dvd and it seems that decade had their own style too. men wore wide ties and plaid pants (and jackets).
but you are right, the shoulder pads were really something. i wonder what the fashion fad of the 90's was? i think the 2000's it has been skinny jeans.for
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
28 Jan 10
Yes, the 70's also had its particular quirks! But that's an era whose fashion I really like. I think 1970's fashion was cool - well, for women anyway! I love the whole flower power thing, and would have quite liked to have been old enough at the time to appreciate it!
I agree, the 2000's probably were characterised by skinny jeans. You had me googling 90's fashion, and apparently it was a minimalist era. (Perhaps in contrast to the 'maximalist' era which had proceeded it!) Wikipedia mentions items like flannel shirts and overalls. I used to love my flannel shirts 
. It's all coming back to me now... Also retro clothing was very popular, as well as clothes inspired by sportswear.
I agree, the 2000's probably were characterised by skinny jeans. You had me googling 90's fashion, and apparently it was a minimalist era. (Perhaps in contrast to the 'maximalist' era which had proceeded it!) Wikipedia mentions items like flannel shirts and overalls. I used to love my flannel shirts . It's all coming back to me now... Also retro clothing was very popular, as well as clothes inspired by sportswear.
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
29 Jan 10
I've seen pictures of what some people wore in the 80's and I have to say that it wasn't all bad. Although I really don't like those huge shoulder pads, they look SO weird! It's interesting to see how fashion evolves throughout the years. I think that some of the things that were used back in the 80's are coming back into fashion but the really good things. Hopefully not those huge shoulder pads. Although Lady Gaga has been wearing those huge shoulder pads which are just scary. Even though I am like her biggest fan I really don't like those shoulder pads.
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
29 Jan 10
Yes, shoulder pads are weird and very unnatural looking!
The 80's do seem to be back. This year (especially during the summer) they seemed to come back with a vengeance. But I wasn't too happy about it! The shops were full of bright pink, green and yellow stilettos and chunky, colourful plastic jewellery.
I have a theory that maybe those who didn't experience it the first time around don't appreciate the true horror of how it was back then. They're just seeing the toned-down modern-day version of it, lol! (Or a more likely story is maybe I'm now too old to appreciate or understand 'what young people are wearing today'...
)
)
@much2say (55901)
• Los Angeles, California
28 Jan 10
Of course we thought we were hot stuff - hee hee! Looking back, we might all gag how we dressed in the 80's . . . but I remember it being a time when I was totally into the fashion. I was in junior high / high school at the time, so I was really into looking good at school. I remember those shoulder pads - ha ha - and how we all looked like football players. I also remember, tuxedo shirts with the shoulder pads and wearing bow ties, knickers, the think neckties, those shirts with ruffles going down both sides, neon colored clothing, suspenders, beaded necklaces, oh and remember that Flashdance look with the top of the shirts cut off with a tank top underneath?! And let's not forget that Madonna look with the netting and cut off gloves. We were sick, eh? Hee hee. It was cool back then - we didn't look like fools because everyone else was wearing this stuff!
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
28 Jan 10
I love the enthusiasm in your response! And your fantastic descriptions, I didn't get quite so much into 80's fashion even at the time, but I have to admit I did do a bit of neon. And some of my clothes may have had shoulder pads in them. (Although I remember angrily ripping them out at some point..)
I'm glad you're remembering those times with such positivity! Sounds like you had a ball!
I didn't get quite so much into 80's fashion even at the time, but I have to admit I did do a bit of neon. And some of my clothes may have had shoulder pads in them. (Although I remember angrily ripping them out at some point..)
I'm glad you're remembering those times with such positivity! Sounds like you had a ball!