National

National trends in women’s fashion in the 1980s was characterized by an aesthetic that luxuriated in big hair, big accessories, and color choices that can most kindly be referred to as “unique.”

Some of the most iconic looks from the 1980s stemmed from various musical idols: Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Netown-John to name a few.

Through a “Twist of Fate” Olivia Newton-John brought the retro look with Pink Poodle skirts into the 80’s and the importance of getting “Physical” in spandex unitards and leggings.

Cyndi Lauper brought garish color clashing and frizzy giant hair that somehow still  worked, telling audiences that “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

Madonna introduced giant hair bows, conical brassieres, and a general aesthetic that brought looking “Like A Virgin” into “Vogue.”

The unusual shapes and color coordination brought a degree of uniqueness to the fashion of this decade, but the sheer number of people copying these iconic looks simultaneously created a landscape of homogeneity.

So why were these trends so prevalent in the public consciousness at this time?

For answers, I interviewed Dr. Krystyn Moon, Head of the American Studies department at the University of Mary Washington.

In the early 1980s…there was a shape. In terms of shape, I remember as I got older wearing enormous shoulder pads. And having shoulder pads put into sweaters, and shirts, and not just jackets. I remember you could actually pay to have bigger shoulder pads put in.”- Dr. Krystyn Moon, American Studies professor at UMW

This quote concisely summarizes just what fashion was in the 1980s: it was creating an image that could be made more pronounced through consumerism.

One of the largest catalysts for these consumerist attitudes stemmed from the mass consumption of popular culture in the privacy of one’s home. With an increasing number of working parents and so called “latch-key kids” being left to their own devices between the end of school in the early afternoon and the return of parental supervision in the early evening, cultural outlets such as MTV began to hold a greater sway over how younger generations made clothing choices.

“I think people were using their bodies as a form of play and to figure out who they were. It became a central part of popular culture that identity was tied to what you wore with your clothes and your hair and your makeup.” -Dr. Krystyn Moon

“And there were people policing what was deemed acceptable when it came to playing with gender. Ironically, these people were the hippies of the 1970s who were policing how younger people presented their individual identity.” – Dr. Krystyn Moon

As is so common the case, younger generations chafed against the expectations of those that came before.

To that end, a greater degree of exploration and experimentation with physical appearance to carve out a sense of individual identity became a popular ideal in popular culture at the time. This in turn spread to the populace through young people’s mass consumption of popular culture via movies or television.

And while some of these fashion choices might not have stood the test of time, (looking at you ozone destroying levels of hairspray), women’s fashion in the 1980s still holds a certain nostalgic flair.

Listen below for the full interview with Dr. Krystyn Moon