Hey McFly!: Time-travelling 80s Fashion

Ok, a serious question: How rad is Back to the Future? Personally, my opinion is that it is extremely rad.  It is certainly one of the best trilogies to come out of the eighties and one of my childhood favourites.  I happened to catch the first of the series on the old squawk box the other day and I was pleasantly surprised by something I had previously over-looked - Back to the Future has some seriously sweet fashion.

Lea Thompson is wearing a sweet
peter pan collared dress and sporting
classic 50s curls

Last week I talked about the magic that is 50s fashion.  It was still on my mind when, bam, here comes BTTF with all its "simpler time" cinematic style. Not only that, but this movie is an amazing melange of both 50s and 80s style.  Oh, the peter pan collars and circle skirts! Oh, the denim on denim and feathered hair!

As I reveled in this classic and all its cheesy glory, it dawned on me that although the 1950s era of Back to the Future is represented as a "very different time" than the "modern day" 1980s, they do have quite a few fashion overlaps.  

Amazing 80s: denim jacket with the cuffs turned up
Amazing 50s: suspenders and plaid!
Plus, notice the 50's -esque hairdo on Claudia Wells

As a crazed vintage clotheshorse, I sometimes find that the 50s styles I adore are hard to find from their original decade of invention, but can often find styles from the 1980s that are a little more than reminiscent of those 50s designs.

Look at those jackets!
Doing double duty in two eras
for certain!

Afterall, the 80s was a sort of time travelling adventure back to the 50s in a lot of ways. Socially, economically and fashionably these two eras shared some historical DNA.  As the 50s were a time of economic growth with bustling new industry, so too were the 80s a decade of gregarious greed.  If the 50s were the start of keeping up with the Jones', the 80s saw the Jones' being blown out of the water by a guy in a fluorescent speedo and a speed boat.  Fashion-wise, whereas the 60s and 70s were a time of mini skirts and skin-tight disco duds, the 80s began to revisit and re-imagine the more conservative looks of the 50s - long skirts, tailored jackets, sweater vests and plaid.

A time machine? That red vest?
Marty Mcfly was so bad ass.

So, whether you like Back to the Future as much as I do, or you just think it's a lame 80s cheese-fest, if you are interested in vintage fashion, I recommend you give it another watch. If Marty McFly were around today, I'd bet all the girls would wanting to get into his  DeLorean and his Calvin Kleins.

Here are some of my favourite Back to the Future inspired looks:

Vintage Plaid Shirt by Grannys Threads

A great plaid shirt looks fabulous on men or women. It's not surprising this style has stood the test of time.

Rockin' Cat Rockabilly Shirt by Fabgabs

It seems I just keep coming back to Fabgabs. I can't help it! They have such great stuff! This shirt is very similar to many of the ones worn by Marty in "the 50s", but would totally fly as an 80s style.

Puff Plaid Western Vest by Nest Egg Vintage

I love this variation on Marty's red vest. This one has much more character and it's even lined with plaid! What more could you ask for in a puffy vest?

Teal Blazer by Violet Forest Vintage

At first glance, this jacket screams 80s, but the two-toned colours are totally a 50s throw back. Remember the band's jackets from the movie? Amazing.

Sweet Cream Cardigan by Retro Regalia

I just love this creamy cardigan with the adorable peter pan collar. 

An essential 50s style updated for vintage bliss.

Holly Go Lately: The 50s are Back

Oh, the 1950s. A time of repression, growing commercialism and the spread of a disease called urban sprawl.  But, I must say, while suburban housewives cried into their Crisco, they sure looked lovely.  So let us just blur out all that business about the H bomb and civil rights squashers and reveal the truly wonderful fashionable side of the 50s.

Lucille Ball was wacky,
but a style icon nonetheless

Some really key transitions took place in this mid-century decade. With the invasion of television into more and more homes, popular fashion became influenced by the most-watched TV stars and musicians. Not to mention the expanded influence advertisers had over their consumers, making the introduction of the new and latest styles an instantaneous and wide-reaching venture.

This picture says it all about the early 50s: Commercialism,
Italian immigrants and lots of tiny tots
dressed just like mom and dad.

And then there was the advent of that most powerful of human forces, the teenager.  It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when society as a whole just refused to recognize an emotional, hormonal or stylistic difference between dear old dad and rebellious young danny boy.  Previous to the 1950s, young men and women had no choice but to dress like their parents, but advertisers quickly cashed in on the idea of targeting teens and tailoring fashion just for them.

And so, the sweet style of the 50s came to be. Pompadours and poodle skirts. Leather jackets and tight tees. Horned rims and rockabilly. It was like an explosion of awesome after the static style of the 1940s.

The Man in Black knew how
to rock a sweet pompadour

Lucky for us, the tremors from this era have been rumbling just under the surface ever since. But recently, I sense a fuse has been re-lit. I feel another explosion coming on.

Yes, that's right people. You (possibly) heard it here first. The fashion of the 50s is back.

Glamorous in a gorgeous circle skirt dress

I'd love to give each amazing style an individual little blog hug and go on about their virtues, but for now, it's just general tip of the hat. This one's about comebacks, and all the aspects of the era are resurfacing. The recent lean towards more tailored and feminine styles is like a flashback to what 50s fashion was all about.
Easy to wear shirt dresses and circle skirts that emphasize the waist are paired with leather jackets and brow-line glasses. It's like the greasers got it on with the squares and had beautiful trendy babies.

Buddy Holly had style

As for men's fashion, I've been seeing more and more young men donning the Buddy Holly horn rimmed glasses, showing off biceps in a tight white tee and sporting a well-groomed pompadour. I have to say, this look is a little more than dreamy.

So, my fashion advice for 2011 is: hop on the sock-hoppin' 1950s bandwagon before it's full and the fuse fizzles out.

Buddy Holly Glasses by Thrush

These glasses are an especially interesting mix of the horn rimmed and the brow-line styles.
Love the two tones.  Thrush has a great collection of 50s pieces.

Mary Norton Sky Blue Dress by Pretty in Prague

There is so much to adore about this dress I don't even know where to start. The buttons, the shape and that irresistible circle skirt that looks light as air. Sigh.

50s Via 80s Motorcycle Jacket by Vintage Verite

It can be hard to find true 50s vintage, so why not go for an inspired substitute? Elements of 50s fashion have been popping up all over the place over the years, especially during the leather-jacket-loving 80s.

Debate Team Sweater Vest by Fab Gabs

The sweater vest: Dapper, yet practical. I especially like the look of a simple sweater vest like this paired with a plain white greaser tee.  Two 50s styles together at last.

Poodle Skirt by Butch Wax Vintage

Break out the Little Richard record, 'cause it's time for the sock hop!  This is a sweet classic of a poodle skirt.

Robin's Egg Day Dress by Creature Songs

Oh, to have the perfect shirt dress. This so one is so lovely and dainty with the delicate colour and the lacy collar. Makes me want to run through a field of grass at sundown, or something.