Back to the Future: The Eighties Revived

The eighties are back. And not just in an acid-bright, drummer boy jacket kind of way. No, this is a fully-fledged zippered, jumpsuited, bandage-clad eighties revival with but a touch of lace.

Arguably one of the most influential decades of modern-century style, the eighties are giving us a taste of what has not yet been lost to the 1900's. An era that based their fashion moves on rebelliously against-the-trend fashion statements, while some envision horror at the return, fashion designers happily sigh at the idea of new fashion prospects. The eighties give us more to work with when it comes to texture, color, and shape. After all, the eighties was purely the age of experimentation, so could it really hurt to play the change card in the rapidly progressing modern world we live in? Hardly. Why throw away a shot at freedom of expression and the ability to take artistic license to a new level? After all, it's high time I invest in a pair of stringy platforms and a big-shouldered blazer plentifully bestrewn with thick, belt-like straps.

One fresh designer from the runway, Christophe Decarnin for Balmain, was the daring designer who made the return to the eighties so appealing to the fashion world. Decarnin drew his inspiration from the iconic style of Michael Jackson: acid-washed jeans, full-length jumpsuits, and drummer-boy jackets with oversized shoulders and crystal embellishing. At the collection's debut, Madonna tunes happily exploded throughout the room while bored-looking models waltzed down the catwalk. Other designers like Michael Kors, Phillip Lim, and Les Chiffoniers also drew some inspiration from Michael Jackson, while Erdem and Christian Lacroix have found Cyndi Lauper to lead them down their creative genius paths of design.

But alas, how long will the style stick? Far longer than the summer, I can tell you that much. Style experts and trend forecasters left, right, and center have been predicting the trend to surpass the sunshine season and hold strong into autumn. So stock your summer wardrobes while you still can! Key items to look for will be lace leggings, the aforementioned acid denim washes, bright accessories, and strappy shoes. Look for big shouldered items, like the blazers and jackets by Dolce and Gabbana, as well as Phillip Lim's statement cadet jacket worth attaching to your closet hanger. Naturally, electric blue, vibrant lime, acidic yellow, and explosive orange will be overwhelming the runways, so make sure to bring your favourite pair of aviator-lensed RayBans. And for those of you who cringe at the thought of shoulder pads and jumpsuits, stick to geometric prints, denim, sportswear, and bandage dresses as shown below. While designers are designing fun pieces to revive the spirit of the eighties, keep it alive in your world too. Perhaps Playstation said it correctly the first time around, "Live in your world, play in ours." Couldn't have said it better myself.