Site Navigation ] Art Deco Weddings ] Feminine Fifties ] Sixties Chic ] 1970's Revival ] Vintage Priscilla ] Vintage Gowns ] Gothic Gowns ] Vintage Accessories ] Return Policy ]

1920's Veil Styles ] Vintage Fashion History 1930's ] Vintage Fashion History 1940's ] 1940's Vintage Wedding Hairstyles ] Vintage Fashion History 1950's ] Vintage Fashion History 1960's ] Vintage Fashion History 1970's ] [ Vintage Fashion History 1980's ] Desiderata ]

 


Above: Nylon Chiffon Gown with Queen Anne Neckline


 

 

 


The 1970s BACK    NEXT 21st Century

Reagan wins 1980 election
March 30, 1981 Reagan survives assassination attempt
1981 IBM introduces its first PC
1981 Sandra Day O'Connor appointed to Supreme Court
1983 Regan's Strategic Defense initiative, Star Wars
Regan wins 1984 re-election
1986 Space Shuttle explodes
Nancy Reagan spends a million to redecorate
1987 Wall Street Greed, the Michael Milkin Story
1988 The Iran-contra scandal
Bush wins 1988 election, the first President to publicly scorn broccoli
"Read my Lips"
1988 Gorbachev declares the Cold War over
1989 The Savings and Loan Scandal

 

 


Brooke Shields

 

 

The Reagan 80s marked a period reminiscent of the roaring twenties; a sort of no-holds barred opportunity for people to push outside of the box.  With the onset of mergers and acquisitions during the boom period, Women entered into the corporate arena in unprecedented numbers as they had in the 1920's, albeit with the same unenthusiastic welcome from their male counterparts. 

The need for women to fuse themselves into a predominantly male corporate arena  meant that clothing designers cut and boxed traditional business attire with generous shoulder proportions.  "Power dressing," at least  for designer Claude Montana, meant a fuller, square cut shoulder pad that gave a reverse triangle shape to the female form, somewhat similar to a Man's physique.  Off the rack designers then fought back with the dreaded yet professional "perky bow" at the throat to feminize the square shoulder.

As in the 1920s, clothing styles were mannish but nothing similar to the boyish appearance of the flapper.  This was the Yuppie of the 80s, in good company with the Punk, Retro and New Wave Schools which all shared hard angles.