August 9, 2006

Next Retro Trend: 1980s, It’s Your Turn

It's a hectic Monday morning in August - the first day of school.  While packing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into a Superman lunchbox, you yell for your older daughter to come down.

As she gallops down the stairs and pops into the kitchen, you take a look at her outfit and drop the baggie of Goldfish.

She’s wearing a miniskirt...with leggins.

You’re torn.  On the one hand, you’re glad there is finally something substantial under that skirt. On the other hand...aren't those the same leggins you wore when you were pregnant with her?

Yes, they are back, and so is the gaudy candy-colored jewelry and polka dots.

While it was inevitable for the 80’s to follow the 60’s and 70’s revivals in the popular fashion industry, there is something disturbing about seeing new generations rely so heavily on their predecessors to define their style.

You may be skeptical of the magnitude of the problem – after all, she’s not sporting a power suit. But the selection of clothing is one of the first assertions of independence in our youth. It is a vital part of how her peers define her and more importantly, how she sees herself.

Except some very visionary Japanese designs, every style is somehow retro. Yet popular clothing stores that can fit a family budget allow young people too little room to experiment with their look. They create a creative monopoly by offering almost identical merchandise.

So unless your pubescent ray of sunshine wants to go goth and drop your back-to-school money at Hot Topic, get ready for skinny jeans (a size flattering on girls size eight and down...great confidence builders) and communist-inspired military caps. Those may prove useful in letting your kids in on an ‘80's event bigger than shoulder pads - the Cold War.

Now won’t that make the drive to school exciting?

The lack of options discourages teenagers from creating something of their own style, one that their children and grandchildren will try to mimic.

So far the only lasting fad this generation has dubbed as its own is copying.

It's not likely that you will convince your daughter to not splurge on red patent leather platforms as seen on Jessica Simpson. And the leggins are here to stay - fans include a variety of characters, from Hilary Duff to Oscar winner Charlize Theron.

The best you can do is pack them a healthy lunch and try to encourage them to personalize their look. Remind them that even if they want to sport the look of the moment they can still add a unique spin on their interpretation of the trends.

That’s how personal style is built - knowing when to say ‘no’ to a look and when to embrace it. It's a matter of developing the intuition for what works for you and what doesn't. It can be something as simple as adding a sentimental necklace or pairing one trendy item with casual gear like a sweatshirt.

It’ll make them look special and stand out in the crowd, and not just because they’re wearing their mom’s clothes.