revivalism

I have to say, I find myself troubled by the recent spate of 80s revivalism I've been seeing around campus. The leggings trend was bad enough--after all, I'm old enough to remember when leggings were popular the first time, and spent much of my childhood in those lace-edged horrors. Are stirrup pants next? (God forbid!!)

But really, leggings are mild compared to some of the fashion choices I witnessed at the Girl Talk/Man Man show this past weekend. Let's all take a moment to reflect on just how horrifying the 80s were, fashion-wise. I mean, VH-1 has made itself millions hiring C- and D-list celebs to make fun of what we all were wearing back then! Because it was UGLY!!

So imagine my shock and dismay to see all those horrible 80s trends crammed into one club. I saw scrunchy stilleto boots. I saw neon. I saw weird Flock of Seagulls hair. I saw that horrible ratty punk-style bird-nest hair. I saw dudes in vests (one of those had a moleskine notebook in his back pocket--OH MY GOD, how trite can you get??). I saw basically every ugly 80s look you can imagine (and my mocking bitchery achieved new heights that night, let me tell you).

But the WORST! The absolute WORST thing!

I saw MULLETS.

Mullets that weren't on the sort of people who maybe don't know that mullets haven't been fashionable in 20 years. They weren't on people who didn't realize how unflattering they are.

They had obviously been DELIBERATELY GROWN. People had grown mullets in a misguided attempt to be COOL. Now COME ON!!! I know there's always a lot of hipper-than-thou in indie music scenes, especially in college towns. But I saw five people who had deliberately grown mullets in order to look cool. That is taking the 80s revival thing waaaaaay too far.

One of the mullet-bearers even had a weird 80s porn mustache! I remember when the 'stache thing hit Chapel Hill a couple years ago--those dudes were so proud of how stupid they looked. So I guess the mullet thing is an extension of that. But come on!!!! Mullets?????

I spent more time freaking out about the teens in 80s-wear than I did paying attention to the show--that's how bad it was. The clothes, not the show, which was actually pretty awesome.

If mullets are back, does that mean big hair and bangs will be following soon? (Ugly Betty as inspiration for that new fall look?) Better stock up on the hairspray!! I sense the forefront of the next trend!