Every decade has its good and bad fashion moments, and that includes the 1980s. Yet many people seem to only remember the worst of what I regard as one of the very best fashion decades, which is why I often find myself sticking up for the brilliance of ‘80s trends. So much of today’s incredible fashion can be traced back to the ‘80s. 

Our forum recently asked me to pull together some fabulous ‘80s looks, and I obliged right away. I also had great fun putting together a pinboard of fabulous ‘80s fashion, which showcases actual photos that were taken back in the 1980s. There are many examples of ’80s elements that have been modernized in current looks. It’s this throwback to ‘80s style that makes me love 2014 fashion so very, very much. 

Let’s take a peek:

I could go on and on about how these ‘80s looks make my heart sing. Yes, there was also lots of less-than-fab frilly, twee and poufy styling. Shoulder pads, make-up, big hair and glitz were out of control. Sometimes we wore outfits so oversized, they wore us. And excessive neon and over the top colour combinations made our eyes hurt.

But to my mind, ‘80s silhouettes and juxtapositions were delightfully interesting, creative and detailed, and therefore worth a lot of praise. The era was as dressy as it was casual. There was ample colour and graphic black and white. Women’s trends were masculine, and men’s trends were feminine, which made for a marvelous melting pot of style.

Of course, my memories of ’80s fashion are shaped by my influences at the time — one giveaway being the prominence of the British band Duran Duran in my collage. If you were enjoying fashion during the ’80s, what in particular sticks out in your memory? And if you are seeing ’80s fashion after the fact, what are your impressions now? 

'80s Collage