80s Party Costume Ideas: Where’s the Beef?
Wendy’s “Where’s the beef?” commercials were wildly popular in the mid-eighties. The question became a catchphrase of the decade. We heard “Where’s the beef?” in political debates and saw it on t-shirts, when we weren’t hearing it on TV. Here’s one of the commercials from 1984: http://youtu.be/Ug75diEyiA0 The outspoken granny (played by Clara Peller) on the right in the video has...
Smurfs Costume
What could be Smurfier than going as your favorite little blue creature for your next 80s party or Halloween bash? With the new Smurf movie out this summer (2011), being blue is back and hotter than ever. This makes a great group costume; each person can tailor their accessories to be their favorite Smurf. For example, add some round, black glasses and a big book, and you are Brainy Smurf. Spend the party sleeping on the couch, and...
In Search of Clear Skin
By Julie Anderson It’s the mid-1980’s, before Proactiv, before even Retin-A. However, even way back when Reagonomics was in full swing, women wore makeup (often LOTS of it) and teenagers got acne. We needed products to cleanse our pores, dry our pimples, and make us look all fresh and dewy and clean, at least until we spackled on some more Maybelline. I asked my husband this morning what products he used to wash his face in the...
Bermuda Bags
By Julie Anderson Q: What’s reversible, preppy, utilitarian, and totally 1980s cute? A: Bermuda bags! They were totally perfect for girls and young ladies in the 80s. Not exactly go-to-work “professional” in style, but very nicely tailored. Each came with a fabric cover that buttoned on to wooden handles. You could reverse that canvas or corduroy cover easily, and also switch it up with entirely different covers. Navy, pink, green,...
Puffed Sleeves
By Julie Anderson QUESTION: What do Sugar Smacks, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, Jiffy Pop, and the sleeves of 1980s ladies’ garments all have in common? They were all really, REALLY, puffed. I actually remember feeling dismay when sleeves stopped being puffed. They felt uncomfortably restrictive, weirdly fitted. Just WRONG. But styles change, sure enough, and once we were in the 90s, puffed sleeves (along with their soul sister, big...
