I’m no sociologist so I can’t really verify the merit of this but I have to say it does sound a little bit familiar. I only have to look in my wardrobe and the evidence is there to see; I think I could be stuck in the 80s.
Thank God all that power dressing and rah rah nonsense passed me by or I could seriously be in trouble but I am still wearing the same kind of clothes I wore back in the day. I love vintage fashion and was beside myself with joy when the little tea dresses came back in vogue. My shoes are mostly flat and clumpy courtesy of Doc Martin or glorious 80s style wedges, which much to my delight made a comeback with the dresses.
So I find myself accidentally on trend for once although for a long time it felt as though I was in a fashion wilderness with all that ghastly leisure wear. The worry I have now is am I in danger of becoming mutton dressed as lamb? Should I, as the media seem to be suggesting, cast aside all frivolous thoughts of style and focus on more worthy pursuits. I don’t think so. For one thing, autumn is only a skip and a jump away and I have it on good authority that it’s going to be 80s style chunky knits all the way. I could be quite literally in heaven.
It’s not just clothes that tie me to the 80s, it’s my love of 80s pop culture as well. My deep seated adoration of Morrissey has waned not one jot and I find myself seeing his influence in lots of modern bands. A sure sign of being an old fogey but worth doing if for no other reason than it is guaranteed to rile up the young folk. All of this girl power twaddle passed me by. Name me one meaningful lyric by The Spice Girls and I will recant my assertion that they are nothing more than loud, brash empty headedness. If you want to connect with someone who is honest, intelligent and funny then Morrissey’s your man.
I told you I’m a 80s girl and my film choices are just as bad. I could watch that brat pack drivel all day, Scarface still gives me a spring in my step and don’t even get me started on all those Merchant Ivory films. Everything just seemed so much more epic and shiny back then.
Even though I confess to being guilty as charged in my love of all things 80s, I have to say I have no time for all of this commercialised nostalgia. You can not recapture what’s already gone. The sight of all those middle aged has-beens squeezing into their old costumes trying to cash in on the past is completely repugnant. Leave the past firmly where it belongs and just enjoy it for what it was.
For that reason then, I am pleading not guilty to being part of the trend that is allegedly responsible for everything that ails modern society. Young people need to find their own way in these hard times. After all, in the 80s we had our own recession to deal with and we managed just fine; donning our Doc Martins and taking to the streets in a seemingly endless stream of marches and demonstrations.
As for the rest of society, it’s not my generation who has destabilised things. We are going to be working until we drop to pay for the generations who have gone before. Those baby boomers that revelled in never having had it so good and are now enjoying their generous pensions and early retirement whilst living to be 106. My generation are lambasted for being single and childless but we should be thanked. Most of the world is bankrupt and we are merely keeping the numbers down.