The 80's Are Back!

Over the weekend, I went to the University Park Mall just miles from Notre Dame for an outfit to wear to the upcoming MBA 80's party. I did not expect that nearly every women's clothing store was chalk full of clothes from the 80's. I purchased an 80's type plastic beaded necklace from Claire's with a "Gem and the Hologram's" type star, featured black, pink, orange, purple and red on sale for $3.50. From Old Navy, I purchased a pink and navy horizontal stripped top with a boat neck line for a pricey $4.98. To complete the look, I hit up Forever 21. Not only did they have stirrup pants, which I bought, they even had items for sale for $19.80.

The point is not that I'm looking for clearance items for an upcoming costume party, but that 80's fashion is back in full force. Since 2006 is has been reported that 80's fashion is back in fashion with models and celebrities sporting legging on covers of magazines and just simply wearing them around Hollywood.

It has taken 3 years to go from the Cover of Teen Vogue, to most women's, teens, girls, store in South Bend, IN but the trend of clothes of the 80's is back. From scrunchies, to hot pink jeans, to t-shirts featuring boom boxes, to "mix tape" inspired wallets the trend is full force. There are now groups of social networking sites, such as Facebook, dedicated to the style of the 80's, first started around leggings.

I myself purchased my first pair of leggings, this century, last year. Often when I wear them, I get asked by my guy friends, if they are pants, or tights, with a friend even calling them "Pants Things." Although more inspired for a costume party than for everyday wear, I have to admit I have been a consumer, therefore supporter, of the trend.

It it always interesting to see fashion from 20 or 30 years ago, come back in full force. In the 90's it was the 60 and 70's and now approaching 2010, its the 80's. I guess its true that what some find in their mothers closets, come back into fashion and that like I was taught in 7th grade history class is true, "History repeats itself."

From a marketing perspective, its important to note that nostalgia sells. As showcased in the book the Culture Code, PT Cruisers connected on a nostalgic level with consumers. The same was the case with the design of the relaunched VW "bug" and the round lights of the Jeep Wrangler.

The nostalgic bug catches those who remember what is was to own a '69 "bug," but the greater opportunities often lie with the younger generations. The large market is for the tweens now shopping for clothes that were first trendy before they were born, when mixed tapes were the way to get more than one artist on a cassette player, way before ipods, or even burned CD's.