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The mass style of the 1980's can be described in one word - too: too skin-tight, too revealing, and too bright. The models of the 1980's incited the public showing blatant sexuality and signs of status. That was the time of “femmes fatale”, strong and aggressive. The Military and Safari Styles and combinations of red or green and black colors became characteristic that time. The image of the 1980's is quite contradictory.
In the haute couture fashion golden embroidery and
rich décor prevailed; the business style was distinguished by big
shoulders and mini-skirts; casual clothing connected elements of sport
dress, disco and punk styles: tees, sneakers, mini-skirts, and black
leather jackets. The most distinct trends became apparent in the
Italian fashion of the 80s: provocative luxury and sexuality in the
Gianni Versace style, amount of class and elegance in business unisex
suits by Giorgio Armani, punk by Franco Moschino.
Being dressed in one designer’ garments, having a so-called "total
look", was considered the chic sign. Slim figure and white teeth smile
radiating self-confidence became obligatory for everybody.
The main silhouette copied the 1940s: padded shoulders, covering
knee-length, kimono, batwing and raglan cut sleeves, combination of
turtlenecks and blouses with vests, and small flat rectangular purses.
All typical pants of this time were narrowed to feet with high wide
waist belts and non-pinched pleats (the so called "baggy-thigh” pants).
At the end of the 1980s there appeared multi-colored stirrup pants with
bright patterns and narrow fit stretch jeans of rich blue color. The
novelty was worn-out jeans, so-called "acid washed denim". And not only
jeans were acid washed, but also stockinet, flax and silk. Mini-skirts
during the perestroika period were worn in the combination of thick
lurex sweaters with oversized padded shoulders and black or fishnet
nylon panty hoses. In the unisex fashion there was a new thing too - a
short cut dustcoat made of whipcord with an attached waist belt, a
goose down parka and moon boots.
The most popular among shoes there were round toe low cut pumps on
staked heels narrowing to the bottom or without heels at all, “jelly”
rubber flats and wide ankle cuff boots (often without heels) in a
Gothic style.
In our minds the 80’s have three the most obvious and typical images:
business-woman of the 80s dressed according to a very original
dress-code: an obligatory mini-skirt and a loose wide jacket in the
style of a club blazer, often double-breasted, with oversized padded
shoulders and the English collar. As a rule, the radiant make up,
oversized clips of faux gold and accessories completed the image.
Business skirt and pant suits a-la Margaret Thatcher or Raisa
Gorbacheva became a uniform for women worldwide. A desire for
“conspicuous consumption” resulted in the passion for prestige brands.
Exactly that time the garments and accessories of the firms with the
recognizable styles and famous labels - Chanel, Versace, Moschino, Hugo
Boss – became in request. The Dynasty, a popular TV show of that time,
reflected the style all-around. Besides, the business style of the
1980s looked back at collarless straight cut Chanel suits, often with
piping details. As a rule, they were complimented with T-shirts or
expensive silk blouse with a small collar and status sign purse (often
a shoddy). And indeed, Chanel style was copied in the 1980s more often
than any other brand.
The revived fashion came from street: college students wore their
grandmothers’ vintage jackets of Chanel like suits with jeans as well
as the famous Hermes scarves (this brand also experienced its second
birth in the 80s).
In 1983 the owners of the House of Chanel invited Karl Lagerfeld for
the art-director position. He created a mini-skirt suit collection that
caused an immediate flutter: all remembered that Gabriel Chanel had not
liked short skirts. Ditching the idea of classical garments,
traditional for the House of Chanel, Lagerfeld kept the style
introducing into it humor and lightness. With the help of recognizable
piping elements, metal buttons and chains, he gave a Chanel like look
to any fashion article of the 80s: to mini-dresses and pant suits,
leather jackets and swim suits. For the novelty effect, Lagerfeld mixed
incongruous elements (i.e., a bustier instead of traditional blouse
with a bow or a tweed suit in the combination with moon boots). He
distorted the traditional style view (a well-designed jacket of Gabriel
Chanel turned into a bolero jacket or coat, and a quilted bag into a
tiny purse and enormous beach bag).
The Sexy Style was also aggressively provocative laying emphasis on a
beautiful body. In the 1980s mass sport breakout continued. But this
time the aim was not health, but a perfect body, which became the
symbol of a high social status. Bodybuilding, shaping and suchlike were
popular since they helped to “mold” the body, which had to be clad in
the Sexy Style garments.
Leggings came out into street from gyms. The Sexy Style required
everyone to obligatorily to wear leggings. Not like the ones which now
are worn with skirts, but instead of pants that was permissible only
with an ideal figure. Nevertheless, the passion for leggings grew like
an epidemic. Sizes L and XL were sold like hot cakes. The same style
meant wearing short balloon skirts, bat sleeved angora mix lurex
jumpers, and mini-dresses embroidered with beads and diamantes.
The typical accessories of that time were plastic bright or oversized
clips of faux gold, charm bracelets and bead necklaces, hair barrettes
and also sparkling artificial diamond necklaces - exactly as the
Dynasty’s characters wore. Stylish cascade haircuts like the singer
Sandra or Sophie Loren had, spiral permanent and bob haircut with the
asymmetrical bang were worn; hair was garishly dyed with the aubergine
color, hair highlighting.
There was used a
lot of make-ups: pearl eye shadows and dark nail polish, bright rouge,
eyeliner, and lipstick of aubergine shades. The images of aggressive
temptresses and Sexy Style garments in the 80s were created by Gianny
Versace, Clod Montana and Tierry Muegler.
Romantic Style came forward in the 1980s due to the princess Diana (who
became a new idol of mass and fashion) and her famous wedding dress
with puffy skirt and equally puffy sleeves. Lady D’s wedding dress,
made by British fashion designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, inspired
many designers to create romantic collections. And thousands of brides
from different parts of the world patterned their wedding dresses after
this style.
This style features were dresses
with wide knee skirts with tight fit waist. Silk blouses with romantic
frill details along the front closing, small band-collars, ruffles,
ties and bows on the front and wide cuff sleeves were in great request.
And bell check skirts of covering knee length were also very actual.
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