Each and every period of the history has its own significant features that may define even the whole era. For example, the Medieval Ages are significant in terms of their religious strictness of rules and norms of behavior. Also, it is well-known for the wars and murders, committed on the religious ground. The 20ies of the XX century are famous for their absolutely different from the previous time period fashion, for their freedom and of course, for the mafia. As we may notice, it does not matter whether it is the era, the century, the decade or even one year. Each of those time periods are significant in their own way, which makes them to be special, original and absolutely different from others periods. Sometimes, it makes them to be highly controversial, playing on the rapid contrast of styles, ways of behavior, cinematography etc.
In this paper such period of time as the 80ies of the XX century are going to be discussed. The 1980s may surely be called as different, contrasting and variegated. During the 1980’s, on the first sight, absolutely different aspects of the human activity existed together, and at some point they were adding each other. For example, the 1980’s was the time of the rising of the rock music and the rising of the glamour, the beginning of the rap music and the establishment of the disco style. People wanted to be different and to be the same. Probably, it was the most wild time period, not only within the XX century but the whole era.
Before getting deeper into the topic, it is important to start with the definition of what does the word “artifact” mean it.
Indeed, the artifact may be each and every thing, or even non-material one, which represents any particular culture: its traditions, worldview, ways of people’s behavior, etc. As we may all notice, the word “artifact” contains of two parts: “art” and “fact”, which proves the statement, mentioned above. It is an art of representing the culture.
Surely, each and every period of time have their own artifacts, whether it is the music, a person, a video game, a book, a saying, a hairstyle and many others. In this case, the 80ies are not excepted. When we speak about the 1980’s, the first things that are coming to our minds are the disco music, the rap music, the glamour and the Mario video game. But, probably the most significant artifact about the 1980’s is their special fashion, which includes hairstyles, clothing, makeup, jewelry, shoes, accessories and, of course, brands.
First of all, it is important to start with the hairstyles, as, probably, it is the first thing we think of, while mentioning the 1980’s. The image we all has got used to – is the big hair, or it’s better to say the huge hair. So, the essential parts of such hairstyle are: the huge bangs, crimping, big perm and the sun-kissed effect. In order to reach the huge bangs, women had to tease their bangs to the max, either straight up or into a feathered style. After that, they were a lot of the hair spray, in order to reach the maximum fixation. ("4 Great Ideas for Perfect 80s
Hair.") The crimping was another quite popular hairstyle in the 1980’s. In order to create it, women had to make many tight braids and sleep with them over night. In the morning, after taking the braids out, women had a perfect crimping effect, which only needed to be sprayed for the lasting fixation. ("4 Great Ideas for Perfect 80s Hair.")
The big perm was another significant hairstyle. Moreover, it had a cross-sexual nature, as even men were tending to make perms. After making perm in the salon, women and men were using special volume enhancing products, in order to give their hair a full, completed look. ("4 Great Ideas for Perfect 80s Hair.") However, probably the most interesting way of making the hair look specifically is the usage of products that create a sun-kissed effect. This way was probably the most harmful for the hair, as it makes them to be dried, frizzled, in other words – damaged, but still, many women were making sacrifices in order to get the desirable effect. ("Sun-In: Sun-Kissed 80s Hair.")
The next step is clothing. It is a huge part of the 80’s fashion as well as hairstyles. Probably, he most significant artifacts, which are making the clothing fashion of the 80’s so extraordinary, surely are the prom dresses, shoulder pads, bomber jackets and, of course, jeans. Each and every celebration, whether it is a disco, or a prom, or a national holiday, is the reason of the fashion style’s appearing and establishing. Starting with the prom dresses, it is important to mention that the variegate sense of the 80’s, that special freedom has been expressed through those dresses. They were bright, of different shapes, forms and sizes: long, short, mini, etc. In order to be extraordinary and special, usually girls were making their dresses by themselves. ("The 80s Prom Dress.") In this case they were absolutely sure that nobody else would be wearing the same dress as they do. It felt original; it felt so personal and classy. Generally speaking, the prom dresses were big and brassy. First of all, some
Tom had ruffles and the bigger they are – the better. ("The 80s Prom Dress.") Especially beautiful were dresses with shoulder/waist ruffle combo. In some way, it looked like a dress from the XIX century; however, it absolutely looked like a dress from the 80’s. It is also important to note that the dress had to be matched with the shoes and even the color of the tie of the girl’s date (a boy, who is going with a girl to a prom) should be matched with the color of her dress. Huge bows were also a significant and irreplaceable part of the prom dress. The length didn’t matter that much, the color did. ("The 80s Prom Dress.")
The next is the shoulder pads. Those small things meant a lot back in those days. For somebody, it was a chance to make their waist visually smaller. Pads were making girls and women feel themselves broader and classy. ("Shoulder Pads.") The bomber jackets are popular even nowadays. They had different colors – from the military green to the dark brown. Made whether of the natural or fake leather, nowadays we may surely consider them as another symbol of the 80’s. Talking about jeans, it is important to mention that the 1980ies probably were the age of jeans. Jeans were all over: jean’s jacket, shorts and there is no wonder: jeans are suitable and comfortable in use.
Talking about the makeup of the 1980ies, it is unacceptable to omit that fact that the colors were bright and their combination often was more than unusual. No doubt that the 80’s makeup has its own, absolutely unique and original makeup style. Women were using a lot of eye shadows of red, blue, green and other bright colors. Eyes had to be highlighted by the dark and heavy eyeliner. Of course, everyone had to have bushy eyebrows, which actually looked really natural and luxuriantly full. There was also a heavy use of bright pink blush on their cheeks. There also weren’t any strict rules, concerning the color of lips. In the 1980’s lipsticks were of different colors: from the golden one – to the dark red, almost brown one.
And even mascara could have been not only black, but also blue and other colors. For those girls, who were not supposed to wear such heavy makeup, a lip-gloss was the rescuing chance. ("80s Makeup to the Max.") The 1980’s makeup style a remarkable feature of the decade. Women were trying to look more original, more individual, bright and extraordinary. In other words, as we may notice, the makeup was a great and irreplaceable part of the image and a great addition to the clothing style.
Talking about accessories, it is important to mention that they had to be big, noticeable, huge and of different colors. The bright – the better, and, of course, they had to be of various shapes and forms. Gold chains, friendship bracelets, best friends and boyfriends gold charms – everything is representing that special freedom of the 1980’s. ("80s Earrings: Lacquer Lightning.") However, probably the most popular and remarkable were the earrings of every shape and sizes. These earrings varied wildly, but they commonly included bright colors, a glossy finish, and were often hammered or folded enamel in geometric shapes. ("80s Earrings: Lacquer Lightning.") Their cost was relatively low, so that every girl and woman could afford them.
Shoes were also a huge part of the fashion back in the 1980’s. There was a big variety of them, but, probably the most interesting ones and the most practical in terms of the usage and further transformation were the Dyeable Formal Shoes. A girl or woman was buying her plain cream or white shoes with heels and then was going to a special company, such as the Dyeables to paint her shoes in the color she wanted. ("I Would Dye for You – Dyeable Formal Shoes.") It was an amazing thing to do and so practical and, what is more important, budget saving. Talking about brands, probably the most famous one is the Converse. It is a
The brand, which exists till nowadays and is considered to be one of the best of the best brands of sneakers. Today, the Converse is a sign of a high quality.
So, why exactly the fashion of the 1980’s has been chosen as the most important artifact of those times? Considering it as a one whole unit, it is important to mention that it was the basis of all the movements of the 1980’s and almost all movements of the following few decades. The fashion itself is quite a broad term, which may contain the music, the way of behavior, etc. However, the fashion of the 1980’s the most contrasting one and so the most remarkable. Even, basing on the statement that the artifact itself is considered to be such if and only if it has an author, still the fashion of the 1980’s may be considered as artifact as it does have its author, or it’s better to say the authors: the people of the 1980’s created it. It is absolutely human’s made: starting from the clothing, ending up with accessories. The 1980’s fashion may also be named as an event, a phenomena with a long lasting effect, which we all still may notice even nowadays in our modern life. It is absolutely different. There is a presence of the wild freedom, a freedom of choice and a freedom of the way people wanted to behave themselves. Undoubtedly the fashion of the 1980ies may surely be considered as the artifact of the whole XX century, with its huge varieties of styles, fashions and movements, both: cultural and political. Consequently, their arguments, proving the statement that the 1980’s fashion are the artifact of that time: first of all, it's human made. Second of all, it had instantaneously burst into the culture, taking the control over the social and artistic spheres of the human activity. Thirdly, it does have its author or it is better to say – authors: they are people from the late 1970’s the beginning of the 1980’s. This fashion is a collective artwork, which was developing during a few decades after its emerging. That is why, according to the all the information, mentioned above, the statement “The fashion of the 1980ies is an artifact of those times” is proved.
Works cited
"4 Great Ideas for Perfect 80s Hair." Like Totally 80s. Pia Sooney, 19 Jan. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.liketotally80s.com/2011/01/80s-hair-ideas/>.
"Sun-In: Sun-Kissed 80s Hair." Like Totally 80s. Julie Anderson, 5 Apr. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.liketotally80s.com/2011/04/sun-in/>.
"The 80s Prom Dress." Like Totally 80s. Lori Ferraro, 14 Apr. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.liketotally80s.com/2015/04/80s-prom-dress/>.
"Shoulder Pads." Like Totally 80s. Lori Ferraro, 29 Apr. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.liketotally80s.com/2014/04/shoulder-pads/>.
"80s Makeup to the Max." Like Totally 80s. Pia Sooney, 26 Oct. 2006. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.liketotally80s.com/2006/10/80s-makeup/>.
"80s Earrings: Lacquer Lightning." Like Totally 80s. Lori Ferraro. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
"I Would Dye for You – Dyeable Formal Shoes." Like Totally 80s. Lori Ferraro, 22 July 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.liketotally80s.com/2014/07/dyable-formal-shoes/>.
Hilpinen, Risto. "Artifact." Stanford University. Stanford University, 05 Jan. 1999. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
