Shoulder Pads
By Lori Ferraro Fashion confession: I loved my shoulder pads back in the 80s, and I have my fingers crossed that they’re next in line for a huge comeback. There…I said it. At the big game on Friday night it was kind of hard to tell the difference between the players on the field and the girls in the stands. We both had our uniforms on — giant, helmet hair and giant, linebacker shoulder pads. Am I crazy? I loved the look!...
You’re the Bomb – Bomber Jackets
At some point in the late 80s, teenage girls (and boys) were walking around like they were straight out of the Air Force Academy. The bomber jacket was all the rage my senior year of high school – it came in many different styles, leather or vinyl, usually in some shade of brown. Some had big ‘ole collars and buckles and some had white, nubby lamb’s wool on the inside. Some were that army green color with the bright orange lining....
Fashionable and Folded – Fold Over Jeans
By Lori Ferraro Who else wore these high-waisted beauties? My girlfriends and I were all at the height of eighties fashion in our fold over jeans. I saw a picture of a pair of these the other day and it tooootally took me back: Not the most flattering look for us short girls, fold over jeans had pleats, several extra decorative brass buttons and button holes, and from what I remember they were almost always done in acid wash. I had...
The Cosby Sweater Returns
By Caroline Gidiere Brace yourselves: The Cosby Sweater is on its way back in!!! Rag & Bone, popular for their jeans and the ubiquitous “Classic Newbury” ankle boot, sent three looks down their runway at the Fall 2014 show that bear a striking resemblance to “Cosby Sweaters,” those worn by Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) on the long-running 80s television hit, The Cosby Show. Marcus Wainwright, who along with David Neville...
The Rainbow Connection: Rainbow Shirts
By Lori Ferraro In the early-to-mid 80s my pre-teen bedroom was overflowing with the following decor: Hearts Unicorn Pegasus Kittens and… RAINBOWS. From rainbow shoelaces, stickers, barrettes, corkscrew earrings to a felt puffy rainbow wall-hanging above my bed I, along with every other girl in the sixth grade, had rainbow fever. My love of rainbows could also be seen on my favorite sweater and sweatshirt – did you have one too?...
And All That Jazz: Capezio Jazz Shoes
Junior year I tried out for Starettes, the school dance team which made absolutely zero sense…seeing as I was a pretty terrible dancer. I went out and bought some spandex “pants” (shudder) and wore a tank top with the obligatory off the shoulder sweatshirt over it. There was no need for me to run out and buy a pair of shoes because I already owned two pairs of these: Capezio “JAZZ SHOES.” Lots of girls in high school wore these,...
Christmas, 1987
By Lori Ferraro Below is a page from my diary, dated December 25, the year was 1987. Ladies – how many of you woke up to find one of these blasts from the past under your tree? 1. A few Forenza sweaters. Yes, those hot, chunky cable knit roll neck sweaters from The Limited. I even had my senior picture taken in my favorite, a Peptol Bismol pink number. 2. An Outback Red turtleneck. Again, from The Limited. Outback Red was a hot brand...
Essential Eighties – Esprit
I had to smile last week when I reached into my drawer to grab a pair of socks and put these on: Giant sweaters, blindingly bright colors, stripes and polka dots all come to mind when I think of the essentially 80s clothing brand Esprit. Oh, and everyone was walking around with these thin canvas bags getting lost in their oversize sweaters: I vividly remember a sleeveless, crisp white and navy Esprit sailor dress that I was in love...
Essential Summer Brands of the 80s
When I moved to Tampa, Florida in the mid-eighties my eyes were opened to a world of new things and new experiences like . . . beaches (yay!) the invasion of boys who came to visit for spring break (double YAY!) and Cuban Sandwiches (TRIPLE YAY!!!) My wardrobe was also introduced to less clothing and new brands. Brands that weren’t dark, designer jeans or Members Only jackets – these were tropical, bright, beachy fun wardrobe...
Patterned Shoelaces – My Saving Grace
By Karin Bell Go back to the early 80s, if you will, to a time of endless wonder and fashion possibilities. Back when we made our own fashion rules; we laughed in the face of conservative clothing. Ha! You non-cushioned shoulders! Ha! You deflated pants! In the midst of all the laughter, I was battling a dilemma…deprived was I of those awesomely cool Air Jordans or Adidas Grand Slams that would have made me cool. I had Keds....
Overalls in the Eighties
By Julie Anderson The 1980s had some undeniably bitchin’ fashions. Acid wash denim, parachute pants, neon everything, and stirrup pants come to mind easily, right? But, there’s one 80s fashion trend trend that might seem a bit out-of-place amid all that glitz and those linebacker-padded shoulders – that is, unless you lived through it. Overalls, dude. Totally. Overalls were casual and playful, sporty and relaxed. Perhaps not the most...
Gold Chains in the 80s
The 80s were all about glitter and shine; and what’s shinier than gold? It makes perfect sense, then, that gold chains would be all the rage in the mid-80s. Perhaps Spandau Ballet said it best in their 1983 hit, Gold: Gold Always believe in your soul You’ve got the power to know You’re indestructible Always believe in, because you are Gold This particular fashion trend transcended gender, and guys were just as likely to...
Knickers
By Julie Anderson Knickers were girls’ and ladies’ pants that ended below the knee. They were cuffed and fuller in the thigh than, say, capris or clamdiggers. There were relatives of gauchos, another great eighties trend, but pretty distant cousins. (And all you people from outside of the United States can just stop with the snickering. We know good and well what you mean when you say “knickers.” These are NOT panties we’re talking...
Coca-Cola Rugbys
By Julie Anderson Coca-Cola rugby shirts were SOOO cool in the mid-eighties. With bold primary (or sometimes pastel) wide stripes and that famous cursive logo, we thought they were totally radical. My best friend had one and wore it, like, EVERYWHERE with her pinstriped pleated jeans. Coke rugby shirts were so cheerful! So colorful! So sporty! Heavy D & The Boyz performing “Mr. Big Stuff” in 1986 certainly gave the trend a nice...
Underoos: The Underwear That’s FUN to Wear!
By Julie Anderson In the late seventies, Larry Weiss came up with a really great idea: print superhero costumes onto kids’ top-and-bottom underwear sets. In retrospect, it was marketing genius, but the idea was rejected by Hanes and then dropped by Scott Paper company. Fruit of the Loom, which had been lined up to supply the blank underwear for screen printing, stepped up and bought Underoos in 1978. It was a wise decision....
