Reliving My Youth Through Fashion

I think we can all agree that the 80s might have been the height of pop music. Who doesn't love classic Madonna, young Kylie Minogue, Duran Duran, the Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper or The Bangles? Most 80s music is fabulous. It transcends generations. Even my students love it when I turn on 80s music, and most of them even know the songs. 80s candy? Super amazing. Who doesn't love Nerds? Razzles? Pop Rocks? 80s movies? Truly classic. Nothing can top The Princess Bride, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, The Goonies or The Breakfast Club. However, it has come to my attention recently that the fashion of my youth is making a comeback. While most things from the 80s are fabulous, let's be honest. The 80s were the height of bad fashion.

Me in 1988

 The first inkling that I had that 80s fashion was making a comeback in the department stores was when I started to see jellies. If you grew up in the 80s, you surely remember jellies...they were the translucent plastic slip on shoes in bright neon colors. I really thought that once people realized that they made your feet smell and weren't as comfortable as they looked, they'd stay dead! My next clue that the 80s were inching toward a comeback came when I began seeing jelly bracelets in the stores. These plastic, gummy-ish, colored bands were all the rage...when I was in the 4th grade. It wasn't until I saw my students making friendship bracelets in class that I truly began to fear that the 80s was well on its way back. I started noticing that trend  had taken root last year when big hair, cropped one shoulder shirts and neon hi-tops were sprouting up all over the place amongst my students. I was still in denial that this 80s comeback would really take hold until I saw stirrup pants...yes, that's right, stirrup pants...in a highly respectable department store recently.

Some of the trends I've noticed making a comeback include acid wash jeans (a trend that surely should have stayed dead), bright neon giant hoop earrings (and neon everything, in fact), Chuck Taylor Converse hi-top sneakers and legwarmers. While I can get with legwarmers (with some embarrassment I admit that they would look super cute with skinny jeans and heels), I can't wrap my mind around the rest of these 80s fashions.

Are we going to see the return of multiples? Benneton bags? The Pop Swatch? (Although I think that my Pop Swatch still exists in my parents' basement somewhere...) I thought that it was universally accepted that the fashion of the 80s should remain dead.

But, if that weren't bad enough, it seems that the fashion of my teen years--the 90s--is beginning to make its comeback as well. Recently, in the stores, I've seen cross body bags--how many of those did you have in the 90s ladies? I was so glad when we finally got rid of the long purse strap that can go across your whole body. I mean, who looks good with a strap between their breasts? No one, that's who! I've also noticed that a great number of my students are now wearing flannel shirts as well. At least this time around, the girls' flannel shirts are fitted instead of baggy. But, when I start to see Doc Martens making a comeback, that might be the day I quit buying shoes.

Ok, just kidding about the shoes. But, I can promise you, I will never buy Doc Martens...again! (Ok, so I didn't have real Docs in the 90s...but I did wear my fake Docs to death.)

Oh, and everything except the picture of me and the Pop Swatch are items that are currently on major retailers' websites--like Bloomingdales, Macy's and Amazon.com. So, if you're hopping on the 80s or 90s bandwagon, you'll find plenty of items to feed your retro addiction out there in the stores or on the web. Happy shopping and happy surfing!