1980’s
Driving Forces of Fashion
Content
Pages
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Welcome to the Eighties
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The New Man
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Power Dressing
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Diana and The Fantasy Wedding
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Impact of the Sony Walkman
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Fitness Craze & The New Body
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New Romanticism
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Witches
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Madonna
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Acid Rave
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Into the ninties
Welcome to the Eighties At the turn of the 80’s, the social, political and economic landscape was evolving, with rising prosperity and increased experimentation of fashion and styling soon to define the decade. After the swinging sixties and the excess of seventies punk rock, the eighties responded as a backlash, with the art of being serious; grown up and hard-working carried to the extreme (Carnegy, 1990, p.5). Influences from the seventies such as punk style were carried through to the early 80s, although styling was considerably toned down, individual expression was still prevalent. A rising demographic, coined the ‘Young Upwardly Mobile Professionally’ (Yuppies) reflected the rising prosperity during this decade, however with the emergence of Thatcherism and other economic factors, many also faced material deprivation and were unable to engage in a fashion trend lead by a newly meritocratic and status orientated mind-set. Through critical analysis, I will be identifying and evaluating the driving forces that motivated and influenced fashion during the 1980’s.
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The New Man The movie and television industries played a key role in introducing new ways in which men fashioned their clothing. In particular styling from the iconic television series ‘Miami Vice’ influenced a ‘cool’ and ‘casual’ look that consisted of a t-shirt underneath a coloured suited jacket with loafers or boat shoes without socks. This styling clearly highlights the more relaxed styling of men during the eighties, which juxtaposes the traditional tailored suit style of the seventies. Men in the early eighties developed a better awareness of sexuality after the advent of feminism and liberation of homosexuals, asserting their right to wear comfortable clothes, previously denied by the sartorial tradition of the past. (Tonchi p.140). Style and culture from the eighties music scene from pop artists, propelled the popularity of androgynous styles. Pioneers of androgynous fashion Prince and Boy George adopted a style of frilled blouses, high- heeled boots and overdone makeup. Although it has to be noted that androgynous fashion was certainly not a new development in the fashion industry, it represents a continuation of gender ambiguity and decreased restriction in gender norms.
At the beginning of the 80s, across the west a new middle class was emerging, a generation of men who wanted to dress with class but without going back to the tradition of style and elitism of their fathers (Tonchi, 2004, p.140). The popularity of the dark suit that lacked colour and detail was gradually falling out of fashion, with the new man rejecting this traditional styling as a useful symbol of status (Tonchi, 2004 p.140). Comfort was becoming increasingly important in male styling, meaning that the traditional tailored suit of the 1970s was slowly declining in popularity. There was a demand for a comfortable and non-traditional elegance, colourful and imaginative styling, sophisticated in its materials and details. (Tonchi, 2004, p.140). Trousers were tailored to be more comfortable, in which the pleats were multiplied from to four or six, with more space in the leg but narrow at the ankle (Tonchi p.140). The rise in popularity of the yuppie look pointed male fashion in a new direction, with more conservatively styled suits and ties becoming high fashion even for youngsters (Carnegy, p.18).
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Power Dressing to win confidence and elections (1990). The media, in particular advertisement, used a strategy of consumption for career women, which aimed to provide them with a set of principles for dressing that would enable them to purchase a trouble-free wardrobe for work (Entwistle, 2000, pp.223-226). The emergence of the new political force known as the ‘Yuppies’, created a new market and consumer habit amongst those in their early twenties and thirties who were in high earning jobs. Described as the success story of Thatcher Britain (Short, 1989, p.175), Yuppies emerged due to the rise of non-manual, managerial and professional categories of employment (Short, 1989). Carnegy commented on how advertisements targeted this group, through portraying a wealthy, successful, hardworking but young lifestyle (1990). In fashion, the silhouette was used to define this newly emerged social group, leading to the emergence of female power dressing. Women were awarded the right to vote in 1972 and by the 1980s they were adopting a more masculine way of dressing. The acceptance of women into high status managerial roles lead to women presenting their powered by wearing suits, jackets and skirts as work attire. In particular broad shoulders were used on jackets and were accentuated with padding, creating a statement of authority. Inspiration can be lent to then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who according to Carnegy paid a considerable amount of attention to her appearance, using her manner and dress as one of her tools
‘Never flashy, just appropriate’ Margaret Thatcher.
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Diana and The Fantasy Wedding
‘One of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history.’
Princess Diana reinforced the styling of power dressing, by often being photographed by the press in broad shouldered power suits. Constant press and public attention caused Diana to unintentionally initiated a trend of wearing lower heeled footwear, due to being taller than Prince Charles, who she wed in 1981. (Hogan, 2016). Often described as the fairy-tale wedding, the development of cable television allowed what was thought to be a global TV audience of around 750 million people, to view Diana’s iconic wedding dress (Hogan, 2016). Designed by David Emmanuel, the ivory silk taffeta and antique lace dress was adored across the globe, setting a trickle down wedding fashion trend of large puffed sleeves, a full skirt and soft touch fabrics. (Rodd, 1982, p.92). Increasing economic independence as well as inspiration from strong female public figures in social and political positions, was profoundly influential in the way women began styling themselves as powerful asset to society.
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The fitness craze of the seventies carried through into the eighties and it was going mainstream. Gyms, aerobic and dance studios accompanied with exercise books and videotapes amplified the trend into the mainstream, encouraging people to get active (Carnegy, 1990, p.48). Technological development aided in the awareness and integration of fitness and exercise into the mainstream. The proliferation of hardware and technology was significant in the introduction of the Walkman TPS-L2 in 1980, one of the world’s first affordable portable stereo (Franzen, 2014). Sony aimed to advertise their product in a manner that emphasized the concepts of fun and innovation, that also reflected the lifestyle of the consumers (Genryu, 1986). The initial consumers were identified as the mid- twenty ‘yuppie’ music fans, however popularity rapidly spread into a wider and younger demographic, causing the Walkman to become a fashionable way to enjoy music. (Genryu, 1986).
The introduction of a portable stereo that allowed a more free and personal experience of listening to music, caused consumers to increasingly use the device during their workout routines. The company became aware of the increasing number of young people who were using the Walkman whilst exercising, therefore they modified their models by including an anti-roll back to aid jogging, as well as a waterproof technology for swimmers in the WM-F5 version. (Harris, 2005, p.13). The combination of fashion and technology had a positive revolutionary impact in how people consumed and fashioned leisure goods.
Impact of the Sony Walkman 8
Jane Fonda was influential in making fitness and exercise popular for women, sparking an interest in fitness attire through her workout videotapes. Lycra became a hugely popular material on the market that was figure hugging and aerodynamic, with Lycra pants becoming high fashion (Carnegy, 1990, p.48). In the mid- eighties Azzedine Alaia popularised and inspired the textile Lycra in body-conscious garments, such as the body-suit into the high street market, presenting his first New York show in 1982 for his Body Map collection (Kilcooley-O‘halloran, 2012). Within his designs, Alaia constructed dresses of leather and clinging fabric, revealing the curves women had developed during the fitness trend (Carnegy, 1990, p.49).Accessories such as leg warmers that adorned the Lycra garments were popularised by films such as Flashdance. Within the film “cut-off sweatshirts, leg warmers and leotards illustrated the blurred lines between dancewear and streetwear during the ‘80s.” (Fisher, 2015).
The cut-off sweatshirts spread the trend into the mainstream, however the trend focused more on the layering of garments. Batchelor explains how bodysuits in bright flashy colours matched with leg warmers and headbands became common way for women to dress leisurely (Batchelor and Stoddart, 2006, p.72). The introduction of the Calvin Klein underwear advertisements made men more aware of their physique (Batchelor and Stoddart, 2006, p.95). Consequently, this similarly created the trend where men were sporting vests, tight Lycra bodysuits and shorts, that were definitely not lacking in colour or pattern.
‘Possibly the greatest decade ever for fitness fashion, the style was tight, shiny, and neon-bright.’
Fitness Craze and The New Body 9
New Romanticism Born out of the London and Birmingham club scene during the early 80s, the New Romantics movement was a response to the punk culture in the previous decade (Johnstone, 1999, p.363), reacting against punk’s austerity and anti-fashion stance by becoming more glamorous and flamboyant (Evans, 2008, p.16). David Bowie, Boy George and Duran Duran were massive influences and inspirations behind the creative and imaginative costumes that was worn by those who followed the movement, cutting across “a seemingly inexhaustible range of historical periods, ethnic influences and gender boundaries” (Cateforis, 2011, p.47). Following the already popular androgynous fashion of the seventies, inspiration was also drawn from the style modern 1920s Art Deco movement, that during its time rejected the cold austerity of the first world war, which for the New Romantics perfectly corresponded their rejection of the uniformly grey post-punk aesthetic. (Cateforsi, 2011, p.48). Boy George’s unique style reflected the New Romantic’s movement, often styling himself in flamboyant outfits and makeup that were ablaze in colour and pattern, as well as his trademark dreadlock hairstyle (McNamara, 2015). The adoption of androgyny and individuality in his styling influenced his fans to fashion a style that was unique and no-conformist to the stereo-typical masculine physique, presenting himself as type of fashion innovator in his own sense, who however, didn’t follow the predictable fashion cycle suggested by (Easy find reference from lecture) Influence from historical contexts also inspired outfits that donned frills and extravagant fabrics. During 1981-82, Vivienne Westwood and Malcom McLaren produced their first autumn/winter catwalk show with their Pirate collection (Vivienne Westwood). The collection was inspired by romanticism, nostalgia and historical dress inspired the collection, with Westwood making sure to incorporate historical and ethnic cuts within her garments (Vivienne Westwood). The collection influenced the trend of historical dressing, such as Pirate trousers that had a baggy bottom, which was a complete contrast to the tighter fitting trousers of the hippies in the sixties (Vivienne Westwood). Another popular garment from the collection was the tunic that incorporated a powerful meandering print, which was accompanied with the fall-down stockings (Victoria and Albert Museum, Pirates). The New Romanticism scene eventually began to fade by the end of 1981, however its influence continued to be felt, leaving a historical mark on the fashion industry.
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‘Excess yourself!’
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Witches The development of globalisation saw fashion markets becoming increasingly global and countries becoming increasingly interconnected. National fashion houses and industries were transcending boundaries, creating the chance for designers from across the globe to collaborate. In 1983, the runway witnessed the fusion of British punk fashion with New York urban culture, through the Vivienne Westwood, Malcom Lawrence and Keith Haring ‘Witches’ collection (Butchart, 2016, p.64). Haring’s unique graffiti style and graphic style caught the attention of Westwood and Lawrence, with many of his designs depicting political and social imagery, expressing issues that concerned urban life (Haggerty, 200, pp.425-426). The collections name and designs were inspired by ‘magical, esoteric sign language’ that Westwood saw in Haring’s work, as well Lawrence’s interest in American hip-hop music, with the collection being released months after his solo album Dutch Rock which was a milestone “in the popularisation of hip-hop in the UK” (Victoria and Albert Museum, Witches). Haring’s art work was printed in florescent colour, which were synonymous with the colour palette popularised during the eighties, onto garments such as oversized jackets, cream cotton mackintoshes, tube skirts and pointed hats (Victoria and Albert Museum, Vivienne Westwood designs). Sold in Westwood’s and Lawrence’s World’s End store, the collection became popular amongst those interested in the fusion of art, fashion and the hip-hop culture, especially after Madonna wore a mini- skirt from the collection in her Borderline music video, popularising the item amongst young girls who aspired to be like Madonna (Cross, 2007, p.29).
‘...a magical, esoteric sign language’
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Madonna The music industry was significantly influential on fashion during the eighties, artists were not only appreciated for the sounds that they created but also for how they expressed their messages through style. The public actively looked towards celebrity culture for new fashion inspiration and trends. Emerging into pop-culture during the eighties, Madonna attracted a crowd that were inspired by her honest and free spirt. (O’Brien, 2007) Speigelman comments on how Madonna’s free and open sexuality helped her become “the personification of a boys dreams as well as a modern day role model for liberated girls” (Spiegelman, 2006, cited in Cross, 2007, p.27). She wore her hair dark and spiked up, often accessorising her outfit with a crucifix, inspiring her fans to imitate her by wearing fishnet stockings with pumps, errant costume jewellery and paint-splattered chinos. (O’Brien, 2007) Her cropped tops and crucifix accessory were becoming a fashion statement amongst club kids and fans (Cross, 2007, p.27).
‘Madonna’s chameleon sense of style has never failed to keep the fashion world on its toes.’
Styling in the Lucky Star video sparked a huge response from Madonna’s teenage fans who, despite disapproval from parent, replicated her all black outfit that consisted of leggings, ankle boots and her hair tied up with a floppy black ribbon (Cross, 2007, p.29). Madonna’s fashion presence and influence remained among her ‘wannabe’ fan club of 14-18-year-old girls who were entranced with her mix of glamour and rebellion (Cross, 2007, p.37). In the mid- eighties MTV became an integral part of the music industry, allowing Madonna to project her “raw sex appeal” through her music videos (Cahill, 1991, p.22).
Although seemingly ambiguous to the majority, her fan club bought the image presented in her ‘Material Girl’ video, that presented a “softer image of Monroe contrasted with the cold-hearted yuppie message”, further inspiring them to buy cut-off gloves crucifixes and an arm full of bangles (Cross, 2007, pp.36-37). Even though Madonna’s sexual liberation often offended and raged feminists, she knew that her image was as important as her musical talent and never hesitated to alter her image as she sees fit (Cahill, 1991, p.22). 14
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Born out of Chicago in the mid-eighties, the psychedelic dance culture arrived in the UK circa 1988, (Reynolds, 1999, p.3), shifting the social and cultural habits of youth culture (Bainbridge, 2014). Bainbridge describes the culture as the greatest youth revolution since the Sixties, altering the cultural landscape forever (xi). New Technology and the introduction of Ecstasy created the conditions for a new youth movement that revolutionised the music industry. The propagation of hardware and technological introduction of devices such as samplers, drums machines and mobile phones allowed DJs to produce new sounds for an eager and anticipating audience (Bainbridge, 2013, xii). With its far-reaching impact, acid house “transcended class, race, geographical and cultural divides”, a truly egalitarian genre. (Bainbridge, 2013, xi). Born out of Chicago in the mid-eighties, the psychedelic dance culture arrived in the UK circa 1988, (Reynolds, 1999, p.3), shifting the social and cultural habits of youth culture (Bainbridge, 2014). Bainbridge describes the culture as the greatest youth revolution since the Sixties, altering the cultural landscape forever (xi).
Acid Rave
New Technology and the introduction of Ecstasy created the conditions for a new youth movement that revolutionised the music industry. The propagation of hardware and technological introduction of devices such as samplers, drums machines and mobile phones allowed DJs to produce new sounds for an eager and anticipating audience (Bainbridge, 2013, xii). With its far-reaching impact, acid house “transcended class, race, geographical and cultural divides”, a truly egalitarian genre. (Bainbridge, 2013, xi). Similar to the music, rave fashion was inclusive of a wide variety of musical and social backgrounds and tended to be very diverse (Fritz, 1999, p.208). With the migration of people from the club scene into the rave scene, came their style. Fashions such as “tight-fitting short dresses with spaghetti straps, baby doll dresses, and halter tops” were often worn within the rave scene (Fritz, 1999, p.208). Danny Rampling revived the-
smiley face symbol as a symbolic representation of anonymity and non-aggressive nature of the youth culture (Huq, 2006), often seen on t-shirts promoting his night at Shoom, as well as in shops and markets across the country due to being easily reproduced(Slee, 2014). The lack of superficial social barriers gave way to ravers being less conscious and more expressive and free with their clothing, going with the notion that anything goes (Fritz, 1999, p.209). Ravers dressed in oversized baggy pants, baseball hats and hooded sweatshirts, as well as “the ubiquitous plastic chain”, originating from the hip-hop culture of black urban Americans and influencers such as DJs, who migrated to the rave scene from hip-hop (Fritz, 1999, p.209).
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In the visual sampling ‘byeting’ response to big corporations, serious ravers would sport clothing with anti-advertising, in the form of stolen logos. (Fritz, 1999, p.210). Similar to flyer art, high profile corporate logos were appropriated and turned into rave slogans such as the Coca-Cola script becoming the word Ecstasy. (Fritz, 1999, p.210). The colour, design of the original logo would have remained recognisable, however the messages reflected “rave cultures playful and irreverent lack of respect” for anything of corporate control (Fritz, 1999, p.211). Similar to the mods and rockers youth culture of the sixties and punk rockers of the seventies, the acid house subculture was beginning to be seen as a folk devil. Media exaggeration and sensationalist press coverage created a moral panic amongst the general public (Bainbridge, 2013, p.151). Following the ecstasy overdose of Janet Mayes, the perception of acid house was becoming progressively negative in the publics eyes, forcing the police to react (Bainbridge, 2013, p.149). In a response to the growing popularity and mass influence of the acid house genre, Margaret Thatcher attempted to destabilise the culture by granting the police extra enforcement power at raves. However, acid house continued to remain depoliticised as explained by Eckle, further uniting and strengthening the culture (Holden, 2013). To the ravers, “rave is more than music plus drugs; it’s a matrix of lifestyle, ritualized behaviour and beliefs”. (Reynolds, 1999, p.9).
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Looking to the ninties
At the end of the eighties the mood of the fashion industry was evolving, with increasing uncertainty amongst designers on what the 1990s had entail (Carnegy). Fashion designers were capturing the positive mood of the Acid House craze, in their 1988 and 1989 Autumn and Spring collections including fringes, beads and flowers (Carnegy). Fabrics such as paisley, lame, African prints and batiks were popular and many exclusive shops selling ripped jeans were influenced by nostalgia (Carnegy). The economic prosperity and excessive consumption enjoyed during the 1980s was soon to come full circle as the nineties approached. Majority of the global economy was soon to enter one of its worst economic recession during the nineties, caused by optimist low interest rates and income tax cuts, that encouraged consumer spending during the eighties (Jenkins, 2010, pp. 29-36). This was to reintroduce minimalist fashion in consumerism during the early nineties, contrasting the flamboyance and vibrancy of the eighties, completely transforming the consumption practises and fashion of the previous decade.
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