‘Stranger Things’ Has Sparked An ’80s Fashion Revival
Bomber jackets, flare pants, and leg warmers - the '80s are kind of back.
There’s no doubt that Stranger Things wouldn’t be Stranger Things without its glittering 1980s backdrop, and a new study reveals the show may be leading a resurgence of ’80s fashion.
According to pop culture specialists at Zavvi, one of the most popular resurgent ’80s trends is the mullet, so, you know, that’s sobering. Coming in second place is the leather jacket, a classic staple of the era, while the bomber jacket came in third.
In fourth place, leggings are back in the fray, while moustaches took fifth place for some reason. Are moustaches an 1980s thing? Who knew.
To assemble the list, google searches for ’80s fashion items were analysed and stacked against each other to gauge levels of sartorial interest.
The top ten ’80s trends, according to their research are below:
- Mullet
- Leather Jacket
- Bomber Jacket
- Leggings
- Moustache
- Ripped Jeans
- Spandex
- Flare Jeans
- Leg Warmers
- Animal Print
It makes sense that ’80s fashion would make a 2020s return. After all, it’s a decade that was all about bright colours, comfort, and playfulness — things we could all do with after two years of a pandemic.
“The bold silhouettes, bright colours, and zany prints of the decade are here to fulfill the post-lockdown desire for fashion that is fun, full of energy, and entirely optimistic,” writes Jamila Stewart in The Zoe Report.
The sharp silhouettes of 1980s women’s workwear may also speak to a desire to take control, which — given the uncertainty and restrictions that have characterised the pandemic — checks out.
“The exaggerated and body-conscious silhouettes suggest some idea of mastery and control over ourselves and our bodies, which I can sense is desirable given the general complete uncertainty and anxieties of the moment today,” Vejas Kruszewski told The Zoe Report.
As for the social conditions that have wrought the mullet resurgence? Who on earth is to say.