The Eighties: A Fashion Revolution
The eighties. They weren’t such a bad time if you think back to them. In fact, they were pretty ‘badass,’ considering the style and trends that erupted back then.
Truth is, Madonna had some pretty awesome songs, and the style of dress that came along with them—a mix of grunge and aerobic wear (don’t forget the scrunch socks)—was pretty hot. Just recently, you may have noticed that leg warmers are coming back in the form of ‘boot socks’ (no idea why boots NEED socks). Neon clothing, which literally makes you glow in the dark, is also a hit at local high and middle schools. Look a little more closely, and you’ll see that girls are again wearing ‘friendship bracelets’ and ‘slap bracelets,’ tying bandanas around their legs, and even carrying around those trendy Trapper Keepers from the ’80s that made scholarly organization a breeze.
Fads Come and Go, But the ’80s Are Forever
For decades, it’s been a fact that all fashions come back around. The funny thing is, if you try to crawl into your attic to get out your Jelly shoes, Swatch watch, or your skinny jeans with the zip-up legs for your daughter to wear now, she will likely roll her eyes and exclaim, “OMG MOM. It’s not cool anymore!” If she only knew, right?
Kids today think they are so far ahead of the fashion meter that there’s no way parents could understand. But most of the fashions that are coming back for the youth today are rooted in the wonderful 1980s. A few months ago, Wendy’s even brought back the “Where’s the Beef?” commercials (classic ’80s), which has teenagers thinking it’s cool and trendy to buy the t-shirts again. (Bet you have one tucked away in storage.) Ripped jeans for both girls and boys are back in style, and parents are paying tons of money to buy them at the mall. Chances are these parents (meaning you) think the fad is just as silly as their parents (meaning yours) thought it was, wondering why anyone would pay $55 for a pair of jeans that are already shredded.
Remember Vans tennis shoes and breakdancing? Why are so many people on hit shows like American Idol, The X Factor, or iCarly wearing Vans while breakdancing? And why won’t your child believe you when you tell them you used to wear Vans and breakdance? After all, the ’80s were the generation that first launched rap music, starting with “The Freaks Come Out at Night!” Guarantee, if you spun that little gem of a song for your children while sitting in the carpool line, your kiddos would think you were cool! Or, how about at the next sleepover your daughter hosts? You could bust out Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th (the originals) to show them just how ‘boss’ horror movies were during the ’80s compared to today.
One thing that hasn’t come back, however, is BIG hair (at least for girls). While most young boys are walking around with puffy quaffs that resemble The Beatles, girls today are opting for the ’70s fad of straightening their hair. Instead of using ironing boards and irons, they now use hot irons, which make the process much simpler. If you’re a mom still curling feathered locks to try and mimic Farrah Fawcett, chances are your kids are laughing at you and calling you a dork. Or, they might just be embarrassed to be seen with you. The Miami Vice look hasn’t come back either, so it’s best for all fathers of pre-teen or teenage children to avoid trying to look like Don Johnson. (And definitely stay away, at least for the moment, from ‘Members Only’ jackets. Don’t worry, they’ll be coming back soon enough.)
Let’s face it—when it comes to fashions and fads, each generation has always tried to be a leader or innovator, introducing new trends and having a style all their own. And while today’s generation of young people may think that the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s were a bit lame, the truth is that ALL of their fashion and trends are actually rooted in these three decades. Even so, your kids just aren’t going to think that Mom (or Dad) is that cool. They certainly aren’t going to believe that you ever wore parachute pants or cat suits or were from the generation that first introduced Nintendo. And at some level of your child’s existence, it’s their responsibility and right in life to give you a hard time about the way you look and the clothes you wear.
Even if you scrounge up your old belongings to give them authentic gear from Aerosmith or KISS concerts, they’re probably going to be happier with the prints from Old Navy or Target. Even if you take them to the skating rink and show them all of your fabulous moves you learned from hours (and hours) spent skating when you were young, they’re going to think you’re a dork. And that’s okay because you know that your kids (and all other kids today) have no idea what ‘cool’ really is and are nothing more than copycats trying to ride the wave of coolness that the ’80s generation has left behind!
