Back to the 80's

[Doctor Damage]

These photos are pretty much how I remember high school in the 1980s. No crazy styles, no MTV stuff. No cute asian girls, either.

 

[ton312]

These photos are pretty much how I remember high school in the 1980s. No crazy styles, no MTV stuff. No cute asian girls, either.

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I straddled the 80’s and early 90’s in HS and it was much the same. Except I do remember a cute Asian girl. Sally Kim. Sigh. Anyway. Is that you in the rugby?

 

[ton312]

Edit. RIP John Hughes. So many spot on movies. If not in reality, most certainly on sentiment.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Edit. RIP John Hughes. So many spot on movies. If not in reality, most certainly on sentiment.

As someone famously said about Hunter S Thompson's excellent book (in my opinion his best book) on the 1972 presidential election, "It was the least factual but most accurate book about the campaign."

 

[Seb Lucas]

I don't recall what people wore in the 1980's and am always surprised when I see the photos. The only thing I remember was being thankful that flares were gone and that coat lapels were narrow. I listened only to classical music back then so for me the 80's are Mahler.

 

[dannyk]

I was born in ‘86. So the 80s are a blur to me. The 90s I was not fashionable in most regards. I grew up middle class and a punk rock kid. But I definitely fell into the black jeans, wide leg, loose waist, always wearing a hat to the back or the side look for a long while. There’s always a few years we choose to skip over showing the family photos to with friends and family. Until we reach a certain age where we can look back and laugh. I’m 32 I have reached the look back and laugh age. Although growing up late 80s early 90s don’t get me wrong. I had a baby mullet, and lightning bolts shaved in my temples, wore overalls, and was probably in some weird mix of Duran Duran and Kjagoogoo. Thanks mom and dad.

 

[Edward]

Nah, you're safe. Kimba and Speed Racer can be taken straight up.
Battle of the Planets however is a totally re-edited, rescripted, and inferior mash up of the original Japanese version called Gatchaman, which is much bloodier and darker. It's also missing the abominable 7zark7 monologues that work around the plot holes such chopping induced.

I always wanted to catch the original G-Force / BotP ever since first hearing this when it did the rounds as something of an urban legend back around 1985.

@Edward, I remember Bowie and Numan going through 40's retro in the 80's. Numan had his cyber-noir thing going on (can't remember the album, Music for Chameleons) and Bowie did The Hunger which is very 80's noir.

All the most stylish stuff in the eighties was very consciously looking backwards. Course, it had some things that were fun too - I loved The A Team. and those old episodes still hold up today. I have no real nostalgia for the period - or any other in my own life for that matter. I think of my self as having been happier decade on decade - my 30s were better than my 20s, and my 40s so far better again; I don't look back on school or university years as my 'heyday', so I'm sure that informs my sense of things. I imagine if I wanted to go back to my uni years, I'd be very nostalgic for the mid 90s.

 

[Big J]

@Edward, yeah, the original is worth a look if you have the chance. It's still just a kids cartoon, but it's far better than Battle of the Planets.
However, I love the first two episodes of Mazin Kaizer. It's a tribute to the original robo anime Mazinger Z, features the same characters, but with modern high production value animation, and is totally a knowing tongue-in-cheek poke at the original.

Lizzie Maine said something on another thread a few years back about how pathetic the high school quarterback is when he's in his 40's and did nothing else of note with his life. And I agree with her. It's kind of pitiful to spend your whole life living in the past. That's not nostalgia, that's something else.

But I think that reaching middle age and feeling nostalgic is ok. I'm with you; I made good choices, bad choices, and was lucky, and have never second guessed myself- my life is working out great. I'm thankful. I don't want to live in my past or 'do it over again'. But I think that it's ok (maybe even healthy) to reconnect with the past; that jacket I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford, the car that was too expensive new back then, but can be bought now. It's fairly harmless fun if there's bread on the table. And also, as Hoosier Daddy once said, I'm kind of at that age where I don't care much what other people think; the youngsters are never going to think I'm 'cool' no matter what I wear. The best I can hope for in that regard is that I 'dress my age', which means I should look like their styless dads. No thanks.

And living in Japan, there's nothing I could wear that would stop me from being conspicuous as hell. My 'foreigness' is what people notice, I don't think my clothes make that much difference. So why not go for it?
I may as well rub my individuality in their forced conformity faces when the opportunity arises.

When I was an undergrad back home, there was this mature student who came to campus every day dressed as Las Vegas Elvis. This guy sure took some beating behind his back. But the thing is, I actually admire him so much. He was truly free, and doing his own thing. It wasn't my thing, but that's not important. It takes guts to go your own way.

 

[ton312]

@Edward, yeah, the original is worth a look if you have the chance. It's still just a kids cartoon, but it's far better than Battle of the Planets.
However, I love the first two episodes of Mazin Kaizer. It's a tribute to the original robo anime Mazinger Z, features the same characters, but with modern high production value animation, and is totally a knowing tongue-in-cheek poke at the original.

Lizzie Maine said something on another thread a few years back about how pathetic the high school quarterback is when he's in his 40's and did nothing else of note with his life. And I agree with her. It's kind of pitiful to spend your whole life living in the past. That's not nostalgia, that's something else.

But I think that reaching middle age and feeling nostalgic is ok. I'm with you; I made good choices, bad choices, and was lucky, and have never second guessed myself- my life is working out great. I'm thankful. I don't want to live in my past or 'do it over again'. But I think that it's ok (maybe even healthy) to reconnect with the past; that jacket I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford, the car that was too expensive new back then, but can be bought now. It's fairly harmless fun if there's bread on the table. And also, as Hoosier Daddy once said, I'm kind of at that age where I don't care much what other people think; the youngsters are never going to think I'm 'cool' no matter what I wear. The best I can hope for in that regard is that I 'dress my age', which means I should look like their styless dads. No thanks.

And living in Japan, there's nothing I could wear that would stop me from being conspicuous as hell. My 'foreigness' is what people notice, I don't think my clothes make that much difference. So why not go for it?
I may as well rub my individuality in their forced conformity faces when the opportunity arises.

When I was an undergrad back home, there was this mature student who came to campus every day dressed as Las Vegas Elvis. This guy sure took some beating behind his back. But the thing is, I actually admire him so much. He was truly free, and doing his own thing. It wasn't my thing, but that's not important. It takes guts to go your own way.

Great post @Big J!
I completely understand your sentiment and couldn't agree more. Especially that last paragraph...more specifically the last sentence.

 

[Edward]

@Edward, yeah, the original is worth a look if you have the chance. It's still just a kids cartoon, but it's far better than Battle of the Planets.
However, I love the first two episodes of Mazin Kaizer. It's a tribute to the original robo anime Mazinger Z, features the same characters, but with modern high production value animation, and is totally a knowing tongue-in-cheek poke at the original.

THat sounds fun.

Lizzie Maine said something on another thread a few years back about how pathetic the high school quarterback is when he's in his 40's and did nothing else of note with his life. And I agree with her. It's kind of pitiful to spend your whole life living in the past. That's not nostalgia, that's something else.

Scott Fitzgerald skewered it well in The Great Gatsby - it's why I refer to it as "Tom Buchanan Syndrome".

But I think that reaching middle age and feeling nostalgic is ok. I'm with you; I made good choices, bad choices, and was lucky, and have never second guessed myself- my life is working out great. I'm thankful. I don't want to live in my past or 'do it over again'. But I think that it's ok (maybe even healthy) to reconnect with the past; that jacket I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford, the car that was too expensive new back then, but can be bought now. It's fairly harmless fun if there's bread on the table.

Yes, agreed - nothing wrong with that at all. I've got a few guitars now I'd have loved in my teens, even though it's now more than obvious I'll never be the future of punk rock....

And also, as Hoosier Daddy once said, I'm kind of at that age where I don't care much what other people think; the youngsters are never going to think I'm 'cool' no matter what I wear. The best I can hope for in that regard is that I 'dress my age', which means I should look like their styless dads. No thanks.

I've always identified with subcultures and rejecting the mainstream norm since I was about fourteen, but there's a nice sense of self to be had in getting to the point where one dresses for onssself and not for either he approval or offence of others. I think that's maturity....

And living in Japan, there's nothing I could wear that would stop me from being conspicuous as hell. My 'foreigness' is what people notice, I don't think my clothes make that much difference. So why not go for it?
I may as well rub my individuality in their forced conformity faces when the opportunity arises.

Ha, yes.... I remember being in Beijing in 2006, first time I'd ever been anywhere that I couldn't just keep my hed down and pass for local. It's a very different experience.

When I was an undergrad back home, there was this mature student who came to campus every day dressed as Las Vegas Elvis. This guy sure took some beating behind his back. But the thing is, I actually admire him so much. He was truly free, and doing his own thing. It wasn't my thing, but that's not important. It takes guts to go your own way.

I wonder how I'd feel if one of my students did that.... As final year lawyers, they tend to lack any real way of standing out - they're all looking for internships and training contracts, so I never get goths or anything..... I think I've only taught one long-haired young man in all these years as well.... I'd like them to be more creative, sometimes...

 

[bn1966]

I was a 'Scooter-Boy' (scooter-billy) during my 'adult' 80's, I wore 50's American clothing (from the Kings Road), sported a G-1 jacket, boxing boots, combat greens (pants) and a 'Flat-top' haircut. Drove a Morris Minor convertible when I wasn't riding a Vespa (had two jobs to fund it all).

 

[Doctor Damage]

This was the 1980s too...

 

[Big J]

@Edward, I can only say that's a loss for the legal profession. I for one would love to be represented in court by an Elvis impersonator with the proper credentials.

 

[HanauMan]

I entered the 1980s in my mid teens and left it in my mid twenties. It was a good decade for me and, yes, I also did the 50s retro vibe happening at the time.

My girlfriend at the time and I, late 1980s. I'm wearing a Levi trucker jacket, Levi chinos worn with a leopard print Western belt, black leather shoes, a poplin shirt and, of course, RayBans. She is styling the Bananarama look complete with big aviator sunglasses.

 

[handymike]

I found my box in the garage...

 

[Kladdagh]

I like the robots ... and the 80's !! ...
For the style, it is another story BUT I love the varsity jackets cut for that period ...

 

[Flightengineer]

I entered the 1980s in my mid teens and left it in my mid twenties. It was a good decade for me and, yes, I also did the 50s retro vibe happening at the time.

My girlfriend at the time and I, late 1980s. I'm wearing a Levi trucker jacket, Levi chinos worn with a leopard print Western belt, black leather shoes, a poplin shirt and, of course, RayBans. She is styling the Bananarama look complete with big aviator sunglasses.

View attachment 152719

Wow...I was dressed same way in the same time. I returned from military service in 1989 and it seemed that all the ways in the world were open.

 

[Doctor Damage]

 

[Turnip]

I wore a MA-1 in winter,

and a black cross zip jacket for the rest of the year.

+ five pocket denim, T-Shirt and combat boots, that was it.

 

[Al 916]

View attachment 528725

You looked great!