Words by Ebony Williams
Illustrations by Anastasia Kosyanova @kova_lab
Earlier this year I wandered into one of my most treasured clothing stores. I was overwhelmed as great excitement filled my entire body and I was lured towards an A-line blazer with killer shoulder pads. Glorifying music resonated throughout the boutique and a ring of angelic white light illuminated behind the jacket. I had never seen a piece created to such perfection until something strange happened. My soul departed from my body and a fond memory came rushing back to mind. I have seen this blazer before. I remembered a polaroid with the words “Wild Days” written in black ink—an image of my mother wearing a strikingly similar blazer paired with spandex, an iconic leopard fanny pack, and the biggest hair I had ever seen. I used to always tease her about shoulder pads—how unsightly they were—and she would always say, “Ebony, fashion always comes full circle.”
I continued to browse the clothing overflowing racks throughout the store, and then it hit me. I was literally standing inside my mother’s closet, the same closet I eagerly helped her clean out in the mid 90s. Talk about being in the Twilight Zone. I envisioned my mother’s face looking at me and smiling. “I told you so.” There I was about to eat crow and admit that I was wrong. I held onto the blazer and immediately called her. I said the four words I hoped I would never, ever have to say: “Mom, you were right.” We laughed together and became engrossed in a conversation about the ways in which fashion trends never die. Instead, they just take a nap.
Despite being over four decades since spandex and leotards were the core of most ensembles, today, we are traveling back in time. Some of our most adored TikTok personalities are getting on with middle parts, vibrant neon hair, and fluorescent clothing. Zoomers are falling head over heels with the oversized clothing we used to see in old-school hip-hop music videos, and as proud millennials, we are trading in our hip-huggers for those timeless high-waisted mom jeans that make us feel as sweet as Kelly Taylor from Beverly Hills, 90210.
Reluctant to admit that my mother may have actually been fashion forward, I did have to thank my Run-DMC-listening-vogue-dancing-what-in-the-Joan-Collins-in-Dynasty-wearing parental for showing me how it’s done. It is because of her generation that the 80s not only inspired past fashion trends, but it is also greatly influencing the ones we are seeing today. With the highlight of the 80s, something else has also come full circle: a tragic declining economy.
Last year was a challenge and not only did it propel both individuals and small businesses into a harsh financial crisis, it also led to a decline in sales for some of our beloved high-end luxury brands. According to Europe’s luxury goods market, the industry took a hit in 2020 with numbers dropping by 23 percent. The U.S. also took a hit with a 27 percent decline, the first and the largest on record since 2009. Much like the iconic Black Monday crash in 1987, there was a downfall of monies ranging across various companies, but when the market recovered, the economy followed. And if history repeats itself, there is a bright side at the other end of the madness. With China seeing an increase by 45 percent in the fashion market, there is hope that the industry will soon rise again, and you can be certain it will be done with the rebirth of 80s fashion and its iconic trends.
From baggy contours and fanny packs—aka waist bags and hands-free errand runners—to chokers, patterned silk scarves, and scrunchies, the brightest and boldest decade in contemporary fashion is back in a big way, like my mother’s hair. Brands like Adidas and Eddie Bauer are bringing back the bucket hat in their latest 2021 collections and some of the most chic models are completing their runway styles with retro kicks. In an effort to infuse vintage streetwear looks into the new generation, haute-couture houses are collaborating with sneaker brands and labels like Puma and Reebok are hitting the market hard with celebrity endorsements from Cardi B to Lauren London. Wallet-friendly chains like Forever21 are also adopting the 80s fashion trend—creating nostalgic product displays and fixtures evocative of Molly Ringwald’s closet in Sixteen Candles.
While drooling over the top 2021 must-haves of the year, the level of anticipation for the industry’s upcoming fashion trends is unmeasurable. The spirit of in-your-face colors from deep purples to florescent pinks and yellows, geometric color blocks and tulle, polka-dots, and pastels. In Paris Fashion Week 2021, Louis Vuitton displayed looks with graphic tees, voluminous trousers, and oversized trench coats. The new-age twist on these iconic pieces included cutting the hems and pairing loose-fitted t-shirts with oversized blazers and billowing pants. Daniel Roseberry on the other hand, showcased electrifying garments in the Schiaparelli spring/summer collection. Saturated in silky silhouettes and shocking pinks to puffsleeves, sharp jackets, and golden ornamental accessories, Roseberry curated a radical concept of fierce femininity with 80s-inspired undertones.
With the character and charm that 80s fashion embodies, the question remains: is it here to stay? “We’re expecting to see big-shouldered, 1980s style sleeves adorned with oversized ruffles,” fashion stylist Lana Blanc told Insider during an interview. As platform shoes, metallic jackets, and acid wash jeans make their way into our wardrobes, we shall wait to see what other bodacious trends revive. But in the meantime, go apologize to your mothers for poking fun at her shoulder pads and if you’re lucky, she just might dig out a few other treasures from her time capsule of threads.
