Bringing Happy Back

It's been a tough year, the Covid pandemic has taken a toll on the world, physically, financially and emotionally. Everytime we turn on the t.v. it seems all we hear is doom and gloom. Bad news, followed by worse news, it's enough to throw anyone into the doldrums. But here's the thing, no one wants to be in the doldrums. How do we get out? I mean, we can't control world events, right? Perhaps, but we can control our own little corner of the universe, and what better way to do that than by putting on something that makes us smile.

As the old saying goes, "clothes make the man," or the woman. We all know it's true. We've all had that feeling of putting on an outfit we just love. We stand a little taller. We smile a little wider. We check ourselves out in shop windows as we strut down the street (admit it, you do). We feel instantly awesome, all from what we put on our bodies.

Speaking of awesome, and all that it entails, it's high time we bring back the decade that brought us a whole lot of it, the 80's. The Decade of Decadence has never been more needed than it is now. The carefree optimisim, the come-as-you-are inclusivity, the refreshing abandon of letting your hair hang down (or up) are exactly what the doctor ordered.

I can see you furrowing your brow. You're skeptical. I get it, but having been born in 1971, I spent my teenage years steeped in this glorious decade, and I can autoritatevely attest to the fact that it was so much more than leg warmers, shoulder pads, huge hair, and neon. It was all that, and those things were great, but it was also anything and everything else.

Maybe you don't think you have Madonna's body and you don't want to march around town in a mesh top over a flourescent green bustier, paired with a micro-mini skirt and skin tight leggings. No problem, the 80's have the solution for you, maybe a crisp pair of Red Tab Levi's and an oversized Club Monaco or Benetton sweatshirt is more your thing. And if you're a little chilly, add a jean jacket and flip that collar up, baby!

I can still see you rolling your eyes. "But, I'm a professional," you say. Yeah, okay, I get it, jelly shoes, no matter how surprisingly comfy, and neon streetwear just don't play well in the courtroom or boardroom. It's okay, the 80's still got you. Try a nice tailored asymetrial dress, or a bright blazer with a well-fitted skirt, or maybe a pantsuit. If bright colours don't suit you, the 80's have a wonderful range of pastel offerings from powder blue to seafoam green to blush pink.

With clothes out of the way, we can't talk about the 80's without mentioning the hair. The big hair was my thing. I AM big hair! The look was wonderfully wild, controlled chaos, carefully constructed with sprays, gels, blow driers, crimpers and curling irons. But again, you didn't need the stereotypical rocker hair to fit into the 80's vibe. More conservative and sleek options are, and were, readily available and highly coveted. Princess Diana's sweeping bob, Whitney's choppy pixie, or, failing all that, just grab that hair and throw it in a ponytail, either on the side or in the back and up high. Bonus points if you add a big bow. Not conservative enough, no problem, just grab a banana clip and voila, your locks are suitably and stylishly subdued.

Don't worry, fellas, I haven't forgotten you. Get yourselves a nice pastel blazer, toss it over a t-shirt, and a crisp pair of linen pants. Roll those pants up to mid-ankle, add a pair of deck shoes, and you're stylin' like Miami Vice. Need a little more, ummm, edge? Get out your Red Tabs, a pair of high tops, and a faded jean jacket, and make sure you iron on a huge patch of your favourite rock band.

And don't worry guys, anything goes for your hair too. Rocker locks are cool, but so are mullets, mohawks, jheri curls, high top fades, spikes, and carefully blowdried coifs. And if you're more "low maintenance" than that, the 80's also offer the buzz cut, or the slicked back Wall Street look.

The 80's had something for everyone. Male, female, gay, straight, or anything in between, the fashion of the most transformative era in recent history really didn't care. Come as you are and do you. Makeup and bold prints were equally available for all that wanted them. And for those that didn't, no worries. It was the ultimate decade of euphoria, self expression and the sense that everything was going to be okay, not just okay, but "totally awesome"! So come on, let's put some happy back into the world, you know you want to.