80s Singers: George Michael

During the first half of the 80s, he was busy bumping hips with Wham! mate Andrew Ridgeley. But he spent the second half of the decade basking in the solo spotlight and earning a seat among the best and most admired (lusted after) 80s singers.

George Michael had swagger, he had style. He had a crooning voice full of passion. And he had a totally tight ass.

80s music gave us plenty of voices, but none were as smooth, sexy, or vulnerable as George Michael’s. Whether he was be-bopping a Wham! ditty or warbling a heart-wrenching solo love song, his vocal prowess stopped you in your tracks. He made you dance, smile, cry, and laugh at love. To put it simply: he made you feel.

80s Singers: Style or Substance?

In the 80s, singers often danced around their own voices. In fact, you didn’t have to have great vocal abilities (a sad fact that’s even truer today) to be a hit singer in the 80s. Marketing experts mastered the art of convincing listeners that the way singers looked was even more important than the way they sounded, and video… well it went and killed the old radio star.

But George Michael had the whole package. He could hit the high notes and he looked pretty tasty while he was doing it. He showed the world of 80s music that listeners still appreciated real talent, as long as it was packaged in a pair of tight jeans topped up with a sexy leather jacket.

In a decade that preferred style over substance, George Michael gave people both. He had it all.

George Michael’s 80s Music

George Michael first came to the public’s attention as one half of the British pop duo, Wham!. These two 80s singers formed their little band in 1981 and promptly put out the album Fantastic, which included several hit 80s songs, including “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do).”

In 1984, with their release of the album Make it Big, Wham! became a worldwide 80s music sensation and the boys suddenly found themselves plastered on the walls of suburban teenage girls’ bedrooms here and across the pond. Hit songs from Make it Big included “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Freedom,” “Everything She Wants,” and “Careless Whisper,” a single that marked George Michael’s first solo effort.

After becoming the first Western pop music act to tour China in 1985, Wham! released their final album, Music From the Edge of Heaven, which featured a second solo single by George Michael, “A Different Corner.” The die was cast and Michael’s solo career took off. Wham! officially split in 1986, saying goodbye to their fans by releasing a compilation album titled The Final.

Going Solo

Tired of playing to screaming female teens who were more interested in collecting pin-ups and having sexual fantasies about him, George Michael shifted his focus to a more sophisticated sound and officially kicked off his solo career in 1987 by recording a duet with music icon Aretha Franklin. “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” became a number one hit on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100. Together, Michael and Franklin won a Grammy in 1988 for Best R&B Performance (Duo or Group with Vocal), beating out several other 80s singers.

It was the fall of 1987 when George Michael released his first solo full-length album, Faith. He wrote and produced all of the tracks except for one (which he co-wrote) and played numerous instruments on the recording. But before the album came out, the first single hit the airwaves.

You Want My What?

“I Want Your Sex” came out in the summer of 1987, and I remember it clearly. Everybody loved the song because it was so dirty. The rockers loved it, the hip hop crowd loved it. Hey, everybody wants the same thing, and George Michael just decided to go and sing about it.

As a reward for his honesty, George Michael got banned. Some radio stations wouldn’t play “I Want Your Sex,” although there was plenty of other 80s music that was just as racy, even if it was more subtle about it. Other stations opted for a toned-down version that replaced “sex” with “love” (as if they’re the same thing!). MTV only played the video late at night, proving that they weren’t as cutting edge as they had been just a few, short years earlier (hell, they played “Like a Virgin” all day, every day, practically 24 hours a day! MTV never turned their backs on 80s singers Madonna or Cyndi Lauper, did they? Wait… did they?).  Casey Kasem suddenly started acting like an old geyser; he refused to say the song’s title and instead introduced it as “the new single by George Michael.”

People can be so totally lame.

George Michael decided to step forth and defend his poetry. He recorded a brief introduction for the video in which he said: “This song is not about casual sex.” Well, listeners didn’t care what kind of sex it was about. They wanted the song just as much as they wanted the sex. And they got it. “I Want Your Sex” hit number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in August, 1987. And it stayed in the top ten for six weeks. That sure showed all the prudes out there what’s what.

You Gotta Have It

The second single, “Faith,” went on to become even more popular than the sex song, if you can believe that. This was probably mostly due to Mr. Michael shaking his booty up close to the camera in a pair of nice, tight Levi’s. Now it wasn’t just the teen chicks who wanted to touch his body (I know, not everybody). The MILFs and the grannies, they all wanted a piece of his action too. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing Michael as one of the most popular 80s singers of the decade.

The album itself spent a grand total of 51 (non-consecutive) weeks on the Billboard 200 Top 10, including 12 weeks at number 1. Three more number one hits followed: “Father Figure,” “One More Try,” and “Monkey.” Eventually, the whole album went diamond by selling over 10 million copies in the US.

Hit the Road

I was lucky enough to see George Michael shake his groove thing during his 1988 Faith tour. Let me tell you something: the man can sing. I like to joke about what a hottie he is, but his music ability is totally something to be reckoned with. He’s right up there with Freddy Mercury. Sure it’s pop music, but it’s sweet and soulful and heck, it’s downright sexy. I still have my ticket stub and my concert booklet, and I remember dancing in the grass with my friends as this man’s amazing voice boomed around us. Good times. Good times, indeed.

80s Bands: The Cure

I hate to categorize the Cure with 80s bands because to me, the Cure and their music are absolutely timeless. They didn’t start in the 80s and their success has continued long past the end of the decade. But the Cure’s 80s music is what catapulted the band into cult-like stardom.

In the 80s, people became fanatic about music. New musical genres and a little station called MTV made music more personal and easier to access. So, subcultures became rampant.

One of the most notable 80s subcultures was the new wave movement. Some new wave music was labeled modern rock. Much of it would evolve into the gothic realm.

Mod 80s People

In the 80s, people who listened to new wave 80s music and wore dark clothing sometimes accompanied by pale face makeup were labeled “mods.” Today, this style is generally considered gothic (“goth”) or emo.

Because of their music and dress style, the Cure became affiliated with the gothic subculture, although Robert Smith, the Cure’s lead singer, has stated that he doesn’t personally use the “goth” label. Many other 80s bands were happy to slap a label on, but the Cure was more focused on their own artistry. In 2006, Robert Smith said, “It’s so pitiful when ‘goth’ is still tagged onto the name The Cure.” He went on to add, “We’re not categorizable. I suppose we were post-punk when we came out, but… I just play Cure music, whatever that is.”

Enigmatic 80s Music

The Cure originates from West Sussex, England. The band was formed in 1976 but has undergone several changes in its lineup since then. The only constant in the Cure is Robert Smith, who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and principal songwriter.

Their debut album, Three Imaginary Boys, came out in 1979 and established The Cure in the post-punk, new wave movements that were sweeping Great Britain. By the early 80s, their music had a distinctly dark edge and this sound along with the band’s style linked them to the gothic rock scene.

Displeased with the band’s dreary reputation, Robert Smith wanted to inject more pop sensibility into their 80s music. The result was 1982′s “Let’s Go to Bed,” a fun, frolicking tune about doing the nasty. Spin Magazine said, “The Cure have always been an either/or sort of band… [Either] Robert Smith is wallowing in gothic sadness or he’s licking sticky-sweet cotton-candy pop off his lipstick-stained fingers.”

But the Cure would never become one of the many trendy 80s bands that rose and fell throughout the decade. Their unique sound set them apart and helped them gain mainstream success without sounding like every other 80s group. In 1992, when asked about the Cure’s unique sound, Robert Smith stated, “I think when people talk about the ‘Cure sound,’ they mean songs based on 6-string bass, acoustic guitar, and my voice, plus the string sound from the Solina.”

Unusual 80s Bands

In the 80s, The Cure became somewhat of a hit machine. They reached an international audience and were eventually recognized as the single most successful alternative band of all time. In fact, The Cure was one of the first alternative 80s bands to achieve commercial success, and they did it before alternative rock became mainstream.

Cure Trivia

• At least two films have used Cure songs as film titles: Boys Don’t Cry (1999) and Just Like Heaven (2005).
• Robert Smith appears in an episode of South Park in which Kyle yells “Disintegration is the best album ever!”
• The Cure has had at least 19 hit singles and has sold 27 million albums (2004)
• They have released thirteen studio albums and more than thirty singles.

In the 80s, people discovered the Cure. Today, people still adore them.

80s People: Harrison Ford

80s People

When you think about 80s people who defined the decade, Harrison Ford doesn’t immediately come to mind. In fact, plenty of other 80s actors were far more willing to hog the spotlight. Meanwhile, Harrison Ford preferred to lie low, maintaining his privacy, even though his characters soaked up the limelight.

80s Actors Didn’t Always Outlive the Decade

In the 80s, many celebrities hit the big time only to see their careers deflate once the 80s came to an end. Maybe it was all those 80s fads and the way stars clung to them. Harrison Ford wasn’t having any of it. He projected a classy, timeless demeanor and avoided becoming another trend.

Maybe that’s why his booming career exploded in the nineties, which was when Harrison truly established himself as an A-list celebrity rather than a character actor. Unlike other 80s actors, Harrison Ford managed to sustain a career that as of 2010, has already spanned over four decades.

His acting career lasted beyond those of other 80s people, but it also started long before most other 80s actors. His earliest roles were in the mid-sixties, so by the time he joined the ranks of 80s actors, he’d already put in his due diligence.

Harrison took on roles that transcended the decade. Both of his biggest screen personas did not belong to the 80s though they became staples of 80s movies. Han Solo was from “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” and Indiana Jones was living in the early 20th century. The characters were timeless, Harrison Ford was timeless, and so were the 80s movies that he starred in.

A Decade of Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford put out ten 80s movies over the course of the decade. That’s just about one film per year. He was best-known and most-loved for his roles as Han Solo from the Star Wars films and also for his portrayal of Indiana Jones from the Indiana Jones series, which returned to screens recently after a 20-year hiatus.

Han Solo and Star Wars

The first film hit theaters in 1977 and was a blockbuster, a smashing success like no other. Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope captivated audiences. The two sequels that made Ford one of the most popular 80s people were The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Indiana Jones

Though Han Solo is one of the most famous film characters of all time, it was Harrison Ford’s role as Indiana Jones that left no doubt that Ford was a leading man. Raiders of the Lost Ark was a box office hit, and in the film, Harrison Ford stole the screen, captured imaginations, and made the ladies swoon. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was just as popular, though by the third film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the novelty seemed to have worn off.

By the end of the 80s, the Indiana Jones trilogy was completed, and it wasn’t until 20 years later that audiences once again got a taste of the Indie adventure. In Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), a handsomely aged Indiana Jones reminded us why we fell in love with him (and Harrison Ford) in the first place.

Other Notable Film Titles from Harrison Ford

As an 80s actor, Harrison Ford spawned the decade playing staple 80s characters Han Solo and Indiana Jones. But Ford kept himself busy with other film projects as well:

Blade Runner (1982)

Witness (1985)

The Mosquito Coast (1986)

Frantic (1988)

Working Girl (1988)

Decade after decade, Harrison Ford delivers the goods that makes him top-notch, not just among 80s actors, but among all actors. Though both Harrison and his films are timeless, his 80s movies must be remembered as the films that won our hearts. That’s why Harrison Ford is one of our favorite 80s people.

80s Videos: Take on Me

It was a pop song with a new wave twist, breathy, begging vocals, and a totally haunting melody carried out by synthesizer. “Take on Me” was standard fare in 80s music. But the music video for the song was anything but ordinary.

The video tells a story of a girl sitting in a café and flipping through a book of sketches. One of those sketches features a handsome fellow who winks at her. Wait! The sketch just winked? How is that possible? Well, in this video, anything’s possible because next, a hand comes out of the sketchbook and reaches for the girl. So begins her adventure.

80s videos often told stories or included special effects. Artistically, they were more creative and compelling than most modern videos because it was a new art form and people were enthusiastic about experimenting with short-form music videos. Now, they’re just standard fare, mini-commercials for the songs the videos are trying to sell.

80s Music

In the 80s, music underwent a dramatic change due to the launch of MTV. Countless film techniques were implemented to make each video more exciting and unique than the last. “Take on Me” was a groundbreaker.

There were actually two videos for the song “Take on Me.” The 1984 video used a different recording of the song and clips from this first video were actually used in the second video. You can catch those clips when you see the band singing in front of a blue background in the 1985 video.

The live action footage for the second video was filmed at a café and on a sound stage in London. It incorporated sketch animation combined with live action. A technique called rotoscoping allows the live-action footage to be traced over animation on a frame-by-frame basis. This causes the action to appear natural and realistic. Rotoscoping for the video took two months, which explains why “Take on Me” was one of the only 80s videos to use the technique.

80s Videos

“Take on Me” became one of the most popular 80s videos. In fact, in 1986, it earned six MTV Video Music Awards:

• Best New Artist in a Video
• Best Concept Video
• Most Experimental Vide
• Best Direction
• Best Special Effects
• Viewer’s Choice

The video was also nominated for Best Group Video and Video of the Year. At the American Music Awards that same year, it was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Video.

“Take on Me” stands out in a sea of 80s music primarily because of its video. I still remember how often MTV used it play it. The song was pretty good but the video was cutting edge. Take a look and see for yourself:

80s Songs: Walk This Way

Technically, “Walk This Way” is a 70s song. But something happened to it in the 80s and it was never the same.

Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, “Walk This Way” was the second single off Aerosmith’s 1975 album, Toys in the Attic. While the song was well received at the time, it would later become one of the most iconic 80s songs over a decade later when it was resurrected, revamped, and covered by an unknown rap group.

In 1986, rap group Run-D.MC. included their version of “Walk This Way” on their 1986 album Raising Hell, which itself became one of the defining albums in 80s music. The new version of “Walk This Way” quickly became an international hit and won both groups, Aerosmith and Run-D.M.C. a Soul Train Music Award for best rap single.

Run-D.M.C., Meet Aerosmith

While working on Raising Hell, Rick Rubin introduced Run-D.M.C. to Aerosmith’s music. Neither Run nor DMC were familiar with the 70s rock band. Jam Master Jay suggested they remake the song. Initially, Run and D.M.C. were not interested. But eventually, they covered the song and it became one of the most important 80s songs, laying the groundwork for Run-D.M.C. to become pioneers in hip hop and 80s music stars.

80s Music

The revamped “Walk This Way” helped revitalize Aerosmith’s career. More importantly, it popularized rap music and particularly a new hybrid genre, rock-rap, which combined rock music with rap lyrics. The single included Steve Perry on guitar, Steven Tyler’s vocals, and rapping and scratching by Run-D.M.C. According to VH1′s Pop Up Video, Run D.M.C. couldn’t afford to use everyone in Aerosmith, so only Steven and Joe were on the track.

To this day, “Walk This Way” is considered a pioneering success within 80s music. In fact, it was the first rap song to make the top five in the Billboard Hot 100. It paved the way for various genres to fuse with rap and hip-hop music through artist collaborations. VH1 named it number four in its list of the “100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.”

The Run-D.M.C. version of “Walk this Way” charted higher than the original. It’s totally one of the best 80s songs ever.

80s Songs

“Walk This Way” kicks off with a two-measure drum beat that morphs into a now-famous guitar riff, which was written by Joe Perry. The intro is followed by the first verse backed by a steady drum beat and bassline. Meanwhile, there are two lead guitars dueling it out. In short, it’s a noisy song, which is notable since most 80s songs tended toward the melodic.

The lyrics are about a high school kid losing his virginity and were inspired by a line from Marty Feldman’s Young Frankenstein. The rhyme scheme is metered and stressed, which may be one of the reasons why the song lent itself so well to rap.

The Run-DMC cover lyrics are almost identical to the original version of the song.

Rock, Rap, 80s

In a decade jam-packed with new and innovative 80s music, “Walk This Way” was one of the few covers that was not only successful, but a true reinterpretation of the original rather than a cookie-cutter remake. As far as 80s songs go, it’s unique because it single-handedly popularized hip-hop music, bringing an entirely new genre to mainstream listeners.

80s Albums: Thriller

Thriller was not only the most successful of 80s albums, it was the most successful album of all time. Within a year of its release, Thriller had sold more than any other other album in history. The album still holds that title in 2010 with 65 to 110 million units sold worldwide.

Released in November, 1982, Thriller was Michael Jackson’s sixth studio album and the follow-up to 1979′s Off the Wall, which was critically and commercially acclaimed.

Thriller was a hybrid of pop and soul, R&B and rock, and even echoed disco dance music of the 70s. It soared up the charts and set the tone for all 80s music to come.

Michael Jackson, ever the over-achiever, also filmed a number of breakthrough videos for the album, many of which entered heavy rotation on MTV. Foremost among those was the album’s title track. Another single, Billie Jean became an iconic music video and established Michael Jackson as an MTV fixture.

80s Music Awards & Accomplishments

Most albums are lucky if they boast two or three singles, let alone any hits. However, of Thriller’s nine tracks, seven were released as singles and every single one of them made the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.

In 1984, the album broke records at the Grammys, earning eight awards.

Due to the success of Thriller, Michael Jackson is credited with having broken racial barriers, particularly with regards to MTV. The station has been noted for refusing to play videos by non-white artists, but once Thriller became the most successful of 80s albums, their policy started to change.

Note: MTV’s official statement on this matter is that they were a rock station and they didn’t play black artists because black artists didn’t make rock music. However, as 80s music evolved and MTV became more popular, they broadened their genres to better appeal to a wider audience.

In 2003Thriller ranked number 20 on Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

80s Albums & Videos

Thriller delivered three of the best music videos of all time. In fact, videos were a key component in marketing the album, and this set the stage for future 80s albums to use music videos as promotional tools. Using videos, Michael Jackson was able to elaborate on the songs. Each video functioned as a short film that told a story.

The video for the title track “Thriller” was groundbreaking. At 14 minutes, it told the story of a young couple leaving a theater where they’d just seen a horror film. It featured zombies and one of the most famous dance sequences in history.

“Billie Jean” tells the story of a man who claims he is not the father of his former lover’s child. As with all of Jackson’s other videos, it included iconic dance moves.

The “Beat It” video was a retelling of West Side Story and included fight-like street dancing.

25th Anniversary of Thriller

In 2008, Thriller 25 was reissued as Thriller 25 and included remixes featuring contemporary artists, a previously unreleased song, and a DVD.

Remembering 80s Music Legend Michael Jackson

Any mention of Michael Jackson always takes me back to the first time I noticed him. I was just a kid, about ten or eleven years old, watching a little 80s TV with my parents. It was the Motown 25th Anniversary Special.

I didn’t know who the guy was, but when he suddenly glided backward across the stage, appearing to defy the laws of physics, I sat up and my eyes went wide. I remember that my parents, too, were astonished.

“Did he just do that?”

“What was that?”

“It had to be special effects!”

Michael Jackson had just debuted the moonwalk.

A Star Rises

The next thing we knew, Michael Jackson had taken over anything and everything that had to do with 80s music. He was everywhere – on MTV, on the radio, on tour, on a poster taped to the back of my bedroom door, and blaring on my boom box.

Every single song on that Thriller cassette was a hit. I watched Michael at the Grammys, his arms overflowing with awards. After the Pepsi commercial debacle, in which Michael’s hair caught on fire, I was concerned for his well being. I even remember his duet with Paul McCartney – “Say, Say, Say” – an 80s music video that I adored.

I tried and tried, but I just couldn’t get that moonwalk down.

80s Music Memories of Michael

The “Thriller” music video was, in my memory, Michael Jackson’s greatest achievement in the 80s. Everybody was talking about it and that was before it aired. The buzz got even louder once the video went into MTV’s rotation. It was unlike anything audiences had ever seen before. The theme (zombies) was wild, the choreography was incredible, and the song was packed with energy. The dancing was phenomenal.

Whenever “We Are the World” played, I remember feeling like someone had roped my heart and was tugging on it. My eyes would tear up and I’d sing along. I loved that video too – all those awesome 80s music stars in one video!

And “Billie Jean” was an 80s music staple. The song, the video, they were the thread with which the 80s were woven. Hearing that song today is like flying through time, back to the days of lunchboxes and leg warmers. Times were simpler then. It was the 80s. And it was my childhood.

I adored Michael Jackson. Everything from his smile to that sparkly glove enchanted me, and I especially admired his dancing. After all, my dream back then was to grow up and become a dancer myself. Michael Jackson was the best dancer I had ever seen.

Saying Goodbye

As much as I adored Michael, I wasn’t a rabid fan. I had Thriller and a poster, and I always watched his videos when they came on MTV or listened to his songs when they played on the radio. I followed the stories about him, too, but I don’t think I realized back then, while it was happening, just how monumental this artist was.

Last week, I first heard about Michael Jackson’s death on Facebook. It’s gotta be a joke, I thought. It was just one comment somewhere on my news feed. I hit refresh and couldn’t believe what I saw. Post after post from my Facebook friends were talking about how Michael had died from cardiac arrest but it was not confirmed and he had been taken to a Los Angeles hospital.

I stared at the computer, my jaw hanging open. I was dumbfounded.

80s Music Legend

Since that day, I’ve followed much of the news about Michael’s life and his death. I’ve listened to his music, watched his videos. I’ve sang along and I’ve cried, mourned. Here was a man-child who never had a childhood and never grew up. Has there ever been a human being more fascinating or enchanting than this modern day Peter Pan?

Michael Jackson wasn’t just a star. He was a supernova. His life and his career were riddled with soaring highs and devastating lows. He was unusual and eccentric. Scandals haunted him. And he was clearly troubled.

But one thing is undeniable. When Michael took the stage, everything changed. His shyness faded and a magical confidence took its place. It’s like when the music started and the lights went on, Michael went into metamorphosis. He changed and changed us.

We will always be able to dance and sing along with the musical legacy that Michael left us. His performances changed people’s lives and through music and through love, he will live on forever.

80s Movies: Flashdance

What a feeling we got watching Flashdance for the very first time back in 1983. This film had a totally profound impact on 80s style and altered the public’s perception of dancers and women, and specifically of women dancers. Oh, and it’s one of the best 80s movies ever.

Like many 80s movies, the film came with a theme song (“Flashdance… What a Feeling” by Irene Cara) that rocked up the charts and became one of the iconic hits of the decade.

Flashdance also changed the face of the musical, ushering in a filmmaking style in which music and dance is heavily featured but the performers don’t break out into singing at random points throughout the film. Instead, Flashdance gave us a more realistic twist on what a musical could be. And unlike most musicals, the film opted for gritty dance performances over traditional corny musical numbers.

80s Movies, Music, and Dance

Music and dance were essential components of many 80s movies. You had to have the big theme song, which got plenty of radio play and made soundtrack sales.

Some films were lucky enough to slip a few additional hits onto the soundtrack. Flashdance was one such film as the Flashdance Original Soundtrack also boasted hit song “Maniac” by Michael Sembello. Both the title track and “Maniac” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, the year the film was released.

The dance numbers in the film were modeled after music videos, which were a relatively new phenomenon back in the early 80s.

80s Movies and Total Success

Flashdance marked the first collaboration for producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, who would go on to to make other 80s movies that were blockbusters like Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop.

When Flashdance first came out, the critical reviews were poor, but audiences loved it, and it became a box office smash, earning over $100 million.

Soon, girls were mimicking the fashion of the film, ripping their sweatshirt collars off and wearing them hanging off one shoulder, as depicted in the movie’s poster. One particular performance in the movie, to the song “Maniac,” became iconic and has since been parodied, spoofed, and even attributed in a 2003 Jennifer Lopez music video.

In time, Flashdance came to symbolize 80s movies, packed with hot hits, cool fashion, and plenty of dance, plus a great storyline and highly sympathetic characters.

80s Shoes: Converse Hi-Tops

We already know that 80s fashion was over the top. In the 80s, shoes could be pretty wild, but we totally embraced one classic piece of rad footwear that had been around since 1908 and continues its popularity today: Converse hi-tops.

Converse Rubber Shoe Company was launched in 1908 by a dude named Marquis Mill Converse. The originals were rubber, but in 1915, they started manufacturing athletic shoes. Then, in 1917, a basketball player named Chuck Taylor went to the company complaining about sore feet. His original job with Converse was to market and promote their shoes. It wasn’t until 1923 that his signature was added to the shoe.

There have been many imitations over the years, and a similar shoe by Keds has been popular on and off. But no shoe has had the longstanding, massively popular success of Converse All Stars.

80s Fashion

80s fashion made a statement. The brighter and bolder, the better. Wild prints and vivid colors were totally trendy. We mixed and matched and we layered. Nothing was off limits, and our footwear had to take us places, literally and figuratively. The right shoe has always made the outfit, but 80s fashion required extra special shoes. Because the outfits were so wild, 80s shoes had a lot to live up to. A boring white sneaker or basic black pump just didn’t cut it.

80s Shoes

80s shoes came in all sizes, shapes, and colors. They were made out of leather and lace, plastic and rubber, canvas and vinyl. They came in every color of the rainbow as well as any print imaginable. Some were even layered. I was particularly fond of a pair of floral print canvas hi-tops with lace overlay. I wore those shoes ragged.

The 80s fashion scene was demanding. All those colors and prints required a pretty big shoe collection so you could choose the right kicks for every outfit. Red shoes, yellow shoes, green shoes, and blue shoes. They came in plaid, paisley, and polka dots. Casual, formal, and athletic.

Converse Hi-Tops

Converse hi-tops were the answer to many 80s fashion prayers. Made of canvas and rubber, they came in a huge array of colors. And canvas was friendly to permanent markers, so you could customize your own shoes with names of your favorite band or whoever you had a crush on.

Of all the 80s shoes, Converse were the most flexible. If you had two pairs, say a pink pair and an aqua pair, you could mix and match. Wear a pink one on your left foot and an aqua one on your right foot. If you had a best friend with a similar shoe size, you might even double match and swap.

You could roll your pants up and show off the hi-tops or get a tight pair of socks and tuck the pants in. Lots of us laced the Converse hi-tops halfway and then folded the top down, which wasn’t technically layering, but sure looked like it.

The totally awesome selection of colors and prints alone made Converse hi-tops iconic 80s shoes. But they were also affordable, which meant you could get a few pairs for mixing, matching, trading, and swapping. Everyone likes flexible footwear and Converse hi-tops delivered.

Best of all, they still do.

80s Hair: Big Bangs

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: everything in the 80s was BIG. Including hair. Especially bangs.

It was the decade of decadence. Too much was not enough and everybody wanted more. 80s fashion rules stated that one accessory didn’t cut it. One shirt didn’t pass muster. One pair of socks was not enough. We were overclothed and buried in layers of big, bright fabrics and plastics.

Stylish 80s hair was just like everything else. The bigger, the better.  Throughout the decade, different hairstyles came and went, and sure, there were brief interludes when your hair didn’t have to be bigger than your head. But the running theme was to puff it up and make it occupy as much airspace as possible.

80s Hair

80s hair was ridiculous. You teased it, crimped it, curled it, and then stuck a bunch of accessories in it — maybe even topped it off with a hat. We were barely recognizable under all that enormous 80 hair! But without the big hair, you were just 80s fashion roadkill.

Tools of the trade included blowdryers, curling irons, crimping irons, mousse, gel, and plenty of hairspray. And not just any hairspray. To make your 80s hair stand up and stand out, you needed Aqua-Net, which was more like glue than a hair styling product.

In any given week, we’d spend countless hours sitting in front of a bathroom mirror with all our hair products, tools, and accessories scattered all over the counter. Once the ‘do was done, we’d make it even more ridiculous by applying clips, rubber bands, and other random items, either to help it stay in place or just to show that our heads could hold all that weight!

Big Bangs

Big bangs were especially popular. You could get away with small, tame, or slicked hair if your bangs were gigantic. It wasn’t unusual for a girl to slick her hair back into a side ponytail or banana clip but then tease her bangs to the heights of the greatest skyscraper.

Even if hair was worn down, full and curly, the bangs were totally the main attraction. Using all those 80s hair styling tools, we tried to get our bangs into unnaturally bodacious positions. They reached up and out. I’m sure some of them were so big and hardened with hairspray and gel that they poked a few eyes out.

Some 80s fashion mavens were more extreme than others. You had regular, everyday people who did the minimum — they enlarged their bangs but not to the point that they would knock birds out of the sky. Then, there were those who couldn’t get their bangs big or high enough. Many of them had bangs that were longer than the rest of their hair!

80s Fashion

In the 80s, fashion was extreme. The more extreme you were, the more fashionable you were. 80s hair followed suit and throughout the decade, big bangs grew to great heights, then slowly deflated back to a more normal and natural size. Some 80s styles are worth bringing back, but big bangs are not one of them (not for me, anyway). It was just way too much work. All those styling tools and products racked up a big bill, and let’s face it, big hair wasn’t doing any favors for the environment. So I say let’s reflect on 80s hair and big bangs with due nostalgia, but let them totally rest in peace.

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