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Big, bright, colorful, and asymmetric. The 1980's was a decade of indulgence. Hippies from the 70's were growing up, graduating college and shedding their bell bottoms and leather fringe, for a newly coined term Yuppie. The Brat Pack showed an entire generation how to dress.

Women and men alike went for bigger hair sprayed up to daredevil heights and geometrically defying shapes with ozone depleting amounts of hairspray. Paul Mitchell and Vidal Sassoon quickly became a girls best friend. 80's hair is no simple undertaking. Many spent hours getting permanent waves, then curling and blow drying bangs to hang inches above the forehead into what has now been termed Mall Hair. Men had their own version which the hair was trimmed neatly in the front and around the ears then left longer and permed in the back. This style also was given a name the Mullet. As the decade wore on the styles became a little more extreme. Hair was shaved into geometric bobs with one side longer, the top ratted elevated inches above the head into spiky points. Bleaching hair to inhuman colors of blond then highlighting with strips of fuchsia, and eggplant colors also became a trend. The fact that anyone escaped with a full head of hair is simply astounding.

Clothing, and accessories became brighter, splashes of color carefully coordinated from the earing's to shoes became a necessity. Earrings came in all shapes the bigger and brighter the better. It was better to get lighter plastic so that the lobes would be able to support the size. Shoulder pads were added to every piece of clothing worn above the waist for men and women alike. It was as though the weight of the world could be supported on the shoulder pads of this self-centered generation. Don Johnson soon lead an entire generation of men to trade beloved Led Zepplin t-shirs for a new icon Ralph Lauren. Pastels of every color of the rainbow became the norm. Legions of people stormed the streets with out socks in colorful boat shoes and trousers cut to the ankles.

With the help of Boy George make-up took on a world of its own for men and women. A pale base coat was spackled thickly over the entire face, carefully avoiding the neck to create a mask like appearance. This created a clean slate to apply liquid eyeliner transforming the eyes into an Egyptian type diamond shape. Eye-shadows of every shade were used. Streaks of bright blush was carefully applied in streaks from the corner of the lip to the ear, carefully avoiding the hallow of the cheek. Shiny lipstick was then applied to finalize the look.

In general the 80's was a fun decade where everything was new, clean, bright, excessive. There was no line that could be crossed.

Learn more about this author, Karalyn Pierce.
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