The 80’s
Having grown up in the 90’s, I have pictures from the early 80’s when I was born so I was reeeeaaaalllllyyyyy not on board with the resurgence of the 80’s fashion that’s come along in the last few years. All that neon, hairspray and elbow pads? Nope. No way. But, leave it to the professional fashion designers to pick out the good and leave the rest behind. The parts of the 80’s that are the least offensive visually, are the parts that stuck around. Let’s explore.
Can You Say Leopard?!
Of course you can. Vixin Debbie Harry rockin’ a leopard catsuit is definitely a look I can get behind. You know Debbie Harry from Blondie of course! The rocker chic chick has many staples that define her as a fashion goddess and leopard print is merely one of them. If you’re not down with catsuits during the day, have no fear! Animal prints in lingerie is way easier to get into your everyday than you might think. Stylistically it’s been mixed with sheer lingerie elements like lace putting forth a lady like effort. What I love about leopard print is how it’s completely accessible for everyone to implement into their own personality.
Luckily we work in a pretty even men to women ratio here at PinkCherry (Woo!) so I went around the office asking what people thought of leopard print, how it made them feel, which made my Social Service diploma actually come in handy. Most responded with: “Meow!!”
Basically what they’re saying is that they associate the print with wild, sexy and fierce. Others weren’t so passionate, one even saying that it reminded her of old church ladies, which begs the question, what awesome church ladies could pull that off on a Sunday morning? All in all though, the consensus was split. On one hand it can come off as being gaudy and almost trashy. Peg Bundy anyone? (Please keep in mind this was a personal opinion and does not reflect the opinions of PinkCherry or me. Katey Sagal is a gem of a human) On the other hand, it comes across as a fierce, confident print worn by fierce, confident women. Peg Bundy anyone? See what I did there? Since it’s been so popular since the 50’s and hasn’t really gone out of style, there’s almost no way it will be disappearing anytime soon, so those not on board should really just get on board already. (No offense Matt, Rick, Jeff and Mel)
Let’s Talk Lingerie Accessories!
Madonna’s 80’s style was obviously fashion forward, but the best part was that it didn’t even look like she was trying. This is actually a pet peeve of mine. Like A Virgin was my favourite tune at the tender age of never you mind, and although I didn’t fully understand the point of the song, all I wanted was to be able to have as many pieces on as Madonna did. All the jewelry and accessories were thrown together in a way that somehow ended up looking effortless.
Studs, fishnet, lace and more lace are a Madonna dream! So is her playful layering. As a fashion icon, it’s hard to pick just one style as she’s been popular for close to 40 years. She’s just as well known for her provocative videos that got her in boat loads of trouble, but what she really should be known for is her resistance to becoming just another cookie cutter pop star. If Madonna is your kind of gal, here’s a couple up to date pieces to get your creative juices flowing!
Let’s Talk Colour!
Or rather, Neon!
I know I said I wasn’t a fan of neon in the opening of this blog, but it’s not that I hate the idea of neon, I’m just not a fan of the execution. I mean, look at this:
No wonder Corey Hart wrote a song about wearing sunglasses at night. It all makes sense now!
Thankfully though, we’ve made peace with the must-have multiple neon and moved on to using bright colours a little more sparingly. Mixing and matching is still alright, just throw a neutral something something with it to balance the brightness. I just recently watched a fashion update on 2019, and they’re suggesting a soft brown, like a soft camel to balance out the neon of today. I mean, I would have done a solid black, but that would just make me look like I was straight outta the 80’s. Again. So instead, here’s a couple stellar pieces to get your fix without going overboard.
One thing I hope you learn about the 80’s is that aerobics was a way of life. At home workouts with Susan Powter and Richard Simmons were a complete staple and going to aerobics classes were kind of expected. In turn, leotard bodysuits quickly became part of 80’s fashion must haves. Notice the very high cut hip on the bodysuit that is still popular today. Especially in bathing suits!
Fashion has decided to take the layered look of Lycra from the 80’s aerobic studios and implement a new rule; Lycra = Bad. So instead, 2019 & 2020 will see a host of other materials like lace, satin, sheer mesh and so on that will pair extremely well with any of your regular street wear. And that’s where a little personality comes in. And you know that PinkCherry is all about individuality, even if you have the same pieces as someone else, it’s not hard to make it your own. Check out all the lingerie styles today and find something you can call your own.
