1980's Fashion: Do it BIG

The '80's were so over the top, styles usually evoked one of two reactions-either you loved it or hated it! There was nothing meek about it. Clothes were wild, bold, and overdone. A lot of the looks were retro too: '80's does '50's, '40's, almost every fashion decade found a place in the '80's. First a sidebar regarding the 1980's and vintage clothing: many "vinties" do not consider the '80's as old enough to be vintage. The Vintage Fashion Guild does not even include the '70's in their fashion timeline. Becky and I (aka Heffy's Collections) feel this is a sad oversight. I covered the '70's in last week's blog and there was almost too much going on in style trends to do it all in one blog. And it was a big era. As for the '80's...well, frankly, we love it! So it too is included here and in the clothes we seek out for our store. We just couldn't do vintage without the '80's! So take a look and make your own choice whether you want to include it your personal look. Leave a comment with your vote! Would you include it in vintage?

There are several style points leading to the consideration of the "80's as over the top. I will go through a few here. First is the outrageous, bright, bold colors used. Turquoise with berry pink, yellow with red, or combinations of neon colors were very much in vogue. If you thought of a color palette one would dare not use, it can be found in '80's clothes! Arguably the biggest go-to trend was shoulder pads. Squared off, huge shoulder pads could be found in jackets, blouses, or suits. Now most shoulder pads are removable, but in the '80's, they were sewn in to stay. I look like a linebacker in just a t-shirt, so this was a particularly trying time for me. I got to be good at assessing how something would look without the pads and then would remove them before venturing out anywhere. The look has stayed, albeit softened, so it helps a lot of people look polished. Miniskirts were popular, usually in denim. They were often worn with oversized tops or sweaters and leg warmers. To be really cool, the top was belted over the skirt. Pencil skirts came back. Pants varied from parachute pants (first debuted by MC Hammer) to stretch pants with or without stirrups.

Along with the oversized tops, killer shoulder pads, and outrageous colors, we had big hair and huge earrings. There was nothing wishy-washy in the '80's looks. Everything went over the top. It was fun, it was showy, it was uniquely the '80's.
Here are a few examples of 1980's fashion, starting with a bold, colorful beaded pattern on black in a sweater dress.

Chadwick's sweater dress

Blue on white boldly accentuates this abstract patterned jumpsuit with shoulder pads and a wrap front top:
Splash jumpsuit

The '80's brought back the bubble dress:
Black bubble dress with pouf sleeves

This black cocktail dress is a good example of the "over" in the '80's with it's pleats and stiff huge ruffles:
Tadashi dress

This blouse is in bold colors with batwing sleeves that are oh so '80's:
Mervyn shirt

Anything Goes '70's

Ah, the '70's. What seemed like a disorganized confluence of styles actually became an era of wear what suits you and don't be driven by fashion trends. Designers are still a very big part of the clothing scene now, but the 1970's brought on a different view toward how much they determine what we wear. If I look better in a midi or pants, then I should wear what looks good and I feel comfortable in, even if minis are the current style. The '70's gave us ready-to-wear, casual business clothes and so much more. It didn't happen all at once, nor did it take hold immediately, but a slow process began during this decade.

The '70's began as an extension of the '60's. Hippie style was still big. Some bell bottoms got wider as the rise (the distance from the top of the leg to the waistband) dropped to as little as 4 inches (think bikini :0) ). Peasant style was very popular. The mod style also continued well into the '70's.
Floral peasant top

Strictly Mod shirt

As the decade progressed, subtle changes or extensions crept in. Jumpsuits were very popular, often for night wear in discos. These were one piece zip front outfits, in all types of fabrics and colors. Polyester became the material of choice for these "catsuits" and the leisure suits for men. We have one jumpsuit currently in Heffy's store, very indicative of the style:

Perfect for dancing
They are still "in", we can't seem to keep them very long before someone snatches them up! Empire waist dresses, halter tops on shirts and dresses, and floral prints continued the popularity started in the '60's. Skirt lengths were all over the place as minis, midis and maxis prevailed. Here are 2 very '70's dresses:
Empire waist peasant maxi dress

Halter maxi

The disco suit look for men led to 3 piece suits being popular, with ever widening ties. The suits had wide lapels and flared pants. Some were in some pretty wild color combos and prints. It's no wonder a lot of people won't admit they ever wore '70's fashions! There just aren't many guys who say they ever owned a leisure suit or wore a 5 inch wide tie, but the pictures tell a different story. I really get a kick out of it! We lived it and of course we wore the current styles. Chunky shoes with platforms were a must for men and women for day and night wear.

Later in the '70's, caftans, muumuus, and ethnic prints and styles were big. People traveled more and fell in love with the clothing in other countries. Pants and pantsuits for women were seen everywhere. It was finally okay to wear pants for almost any occasion. Mix and match separates were available for the first time and helped make dressing easier. Many of the trends brought forth in the '70's are still around today-and thankfully some of them aren't!