Ah, you were a down-do. In my high school, the girls were split into two rival factions, the up-dos (who had their hair sprayed and teased until it stood at least four inches above their heads) and the down-dos, who had their hair permed like yours and more.
Considering that the up-dos were also usually smokers, I’m amazed there weren’t girls bursting into flame from the haze of hairspray they were constantly applying to each other.
By the time I graduated high school in 1991, I was so sick of perms and fluffed-out hair that I rebelled. How? I let my naturally dead-straight hair be dead-straight, and then I started wearing tie-dye, bright red lipstick, a whole lot of black, Lennon-style sunglasses, and lots of silver jewelry. I was so done with the 80s. Of course, it was 1991…everyone was. (Well, some needed more time than others…ahh, parachute pants…)
But…but…they’re coming back!! Has anyone noticed the fashion trends lately? I flipped seeing HUGE brightly colored plastic-y earrings and bangle bracelets at the mall, and lately I’ve been seeing big poofy blouses worn with ridiculously oversized patent leather belts worn at the waist.
I remember sophomore year (1988-89) being so stoked about my big blue plastic earrings that so nicely matched my blue Benetton shirt, and I remember the big black plastic pseudo-leather belt I had that I wore over my red oversized shirt (worn with black stirrup pants and go-go boots, of course). I swear, I could almost wear that now and people would think I was Hip.
Oh, sure, we’re all laughing…but I remember in the 80s laughing at 70s bell bottoms in a “What the HELL were they thinkin’?” way. Then I watched in horror as the style returned. A familiar sense of horror has crept back into my fashion psyche…
No pics of me in the 80s to display. Are you kiddin?? Those old school pics would have to be SCANNED…and no way are they worth that much effort.
It only took one instance of getting one of them caught on something and nearly severing my earlobe to cure me of doorknocker earrings.
How is it that we’re talking about the 80’s and no one has mentioned Star Wars yet? You people are an embarrassment to geeks everywhere! 
“Right” said Fred. That and “I’m too sexy for my shirt.”
Because Star Wars was released in 1977?
I never would have considered Footloose a definitive 80s movie. Flash dance yes, Footloose no. I actually like **Bosda’s ** suggestion of Breakfast Club and I would add in Fast Times. These movies set styles, helped define (not so good) music and really seemed like the cultural icons of the time. Of course, this probably had a lot to do with graduating in '84.
The 80s weren’t all bad, we had many very good movies, the end of the cold war*, some good music and especially some good heavy metal[sup]2[/sup].
Activism seemed to still work to help end Apartheid and Save the Whales.
Jim {Hal, what event were you at in that monkey suit? That was quite the “look”.}
[sup]2[/sup] Of course the hair bands really blew and were almost as much of an embarrassment as Disco was for the 70s.
I wouldn’t say activism was still working in the 80’s; we just didn’t know yet how spectacularly it was not working.
Oh, yeah. But I don’t think it’s really going to hit for another ten years. We’re not done pillaging the 60’s and 70’s yet, and the really influential designers are still slightly too old to have the nostalgic love for the 80’s that we do.
In fact, I’m seeing more 50’s inspired looks in the mainstream than anything else right now. Even corsets and girdles (although now they call it “slimwear” or some such thing) are back with a vengeance.
The cutting edge is '80s, but it won’t be in Target for a while yet.
Did anyone else notice the caption under the girl’s picture? It sums up the syle in it’s original Latin. “Girlus Aquanettus” 
Also known in my neck of the woods as “Mall Hair” or “The Sideways Mohawk”
I knew someone was going to nit-pick.
The Empire Strikes Back came out in 1980 and Return of the Jedi was in '83.
Collectively, Star Wars.
My two best friends and me, just before Junior prom. As you can see, only one of us escaped the dreaded “poof”. I am the girl in blue, caught mid-conniption (I think I’d just had a moment of clarity re: how we were dressed. Thank goodness my gloves at least had fingers).
I admire everyone’s willingness (foolhardiness?) to share these pictures.
And I repeat my assertion in the OP – “Bad Hair.”
Man, to think I pretty much missed the 80s style. At the beginning I was a broke college student cutting my own hair and buying clothes at Salvation Army. Then a law student, then married, starting work as a lawyer, buying a house and having kids. Suits and short hair. No poofy hair for me.
Have a faint recollection of the early 80s being some punk and new wave, and late nights dancing at the local gay bar, but that’s about it.
The fashions of the early '80s have hit the women’s wear department. It’s not hard to find pastel blouses with ruffles down the front, or big bows. Now you too can dress like Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, or Shelley Long in the early seasons of Cheers. The plastic, fluorescent clothes will be along shortly, I’m sure.
Speaking of comebacks, I purchased a pair of parachute pants in 2000. The 80’s has been slowly trickling back for years. I saw leg warmers in Seattle in 1999.
Just a reminder to people who may not know this - if you wore it the first time it came around, you can’t wear it the second time without looking silly. Well, sillier.
I hate stupid ruffles and gathering on my shirt sleeves. I better go shopping and stock up on normal shirts before everything has a stupid ruffle on it.
