If I could travel back to any era it would be the 1980s, if only to retrieve my mother's shoe collection. I could well up when I think about all that two tone, snakes skin, peep toe, kitten heeled, ruched, soft leather action. She still has the shoe collection to rival Imelda Marcos but I can't help but wonder who is rocking all that vintage footwear now.
For me the 80s embodied both decadence and sass. We witnessed the birth of the yuppie and time shares in Marbella. Investors made a killing on the stock market. People ate caviar and drank champagne like it was going out of fashion (and it did). Not since the roaring 20s had a decade celebrated wealth so audaciously. Even our music promoted affluence. Think The Flying Lizard's Money and Gwen Guthrie's Ain't Nothing Going On But the Rent.
Fashion reflected this over inflated ego. Women wore their prosperity on their puff-sleeves. Enter the power suit, stilettos, shoulder pads, gilt, sequins, diamante. It was farewell to au naturale and hello to hard-edged grooming. The dewy look of the 1970s gave way to bold red lips, sultry, smoky eyes and structured hair. Cue the morose girls in Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love video.
"I love that outfit. I'm amazed it's lasted so many seasons!"
One show that really encompassed the zeitgeist was Aaron Spelling's prime time soap opera, Dynasty (1981-1989). It surrounded the lives of the Carringtons, a wealthy Colorado oil family. Saturday nights became all about the Denver Tycoons and and their pampered fashionistas. It was the ultimate style fix. So much so that the series spawned The Dynasty Collection, a successful fashion line, complete with luxury products. The show's initial reception was mediocre. It wasn't until the introduction of
Alexis Colby's character, in the second season, that ratings soared. She was notorious for her multiple romances, acid tongue and physical altercations.
Joan Collins portrayal possessed so much joie de vivre that she even beat Sophia Loren to the part.
Alexis also elevated Dynasty's style quota. Whether it was a one-shoulder lamay dress or white fur hat, she was always immaculately turned out. She owed her style to late costume designer, Nolan Miller. Previously working on The Love Boat and Charlie's Angels, he was essentially the Patricia Field of the 1980s. He would accentuate Alexis' femininity with nipped in waists and plunging necklines. He also ensured that she was bejeweled within an inch of her life. Collins commanded $120,000 per episode, proving to be one of the most watchable soap stars of the decade.
Other 1980s fashion icons:
Daryl Hannah as Madison in
Splash. Think turquoise roll neck bat wing jumper dress.
Jennifer Beals as Alex in
Flashdance. Think halterneck tuxedo top and bow tie.
Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira in Scarface. Electric blue, satin full length gown. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Flawless.
Next post, boys are back in town.
