193 '80s Life: Fashion, Hair & Make-Up, Glamour Shots, and More

This is the second episode in a series on daily life as we remember it during a brighter, more hot neon pink in America’s history. We’re talking about The ‘80s.

In this episode, we focus on ‘80s fashion, where everything was big. Big hair, big clothes. I mean really really big, loud, bright, and too much. We know this now.

But we didn’t know it then.

Duran Duran

Here’s a list of the stuff we mention in the ep.

‘80s Hair

Hair: frizzy, big, feathered, and messy

‘80s Make-Up

Eye shadow & Lipstick: fuchsia, purple, pink

Blush: dark and angled

Nothing was subtle, except for eyelashes. People didn’t use false eyelashes.

Men with big hair and eye liner: Jack Wagner, Duran Duran, Boy George & Culture Club

Madonna

‘80s Fashion

Shirts/Tops: really oversized, with shoulder pads

Belts: really oversized belts, perhaps stretchy, and ~5” wide

Print Designs: neon colors, typically in a paint splatter design, also checkerboard designs

Accessories:

What a feeling.

  • Broaches that were also giant sized (~3” in diameter) and gem-studded

  • Earrings that were giant and dangly

  • Painter’s caps

  • Feathers on clips, clipped to the painter’s cap or to your hair

  • Handbags…made of plastic

  • Watches by Swatch brand…made of plastic

  • Bolo ties

Shoes: Jellies brand…made of plastic

Parachute pants and MC Hammer

Flashdance the movie and movie soundtrack

Aerobics fashion: leotards, leg warmers, wrist warmers, headbands, Jane Fonda, Olivia Newton-John

Madonna the pop music artist re-appropriates Catholic artifacts, like rosaries and crosses

A couple More ‘80s Trends

  • Glamour Shots at the mall

  • Airbrushing on sweatshirts…also available at the mall

The unifying theme: excess in many forms, including and outsized attention to appearances.

Siena & Toast