Hey, kids! Back-to-school season is officially here! What’s an attractive ’80s gal (or guy) to do? Stock up on school supplies! Mirror80 has been a fan of Etsy shop Il Giardino Luxor for quite some time now, and today we feature an assortment of their ’80s-fabulous school supplies in honor of the fall semester. The shop offers a range of vintage finds, from pencils and erasers to binders and postcards. The best part: the ’80s graphic design motifs!
Search Results for: '80s art
The Return of Tassels and Chains
In her book 1980s Fashion Print, Marnie Fogg writes of ‘80s “Glamazon” fashion, which among other things included print designs featuring ribbons, bows, ropes, flags, swags, animal prints, and yes—tassels and chains! Guess what, folks? Glamazon fashion is back!
That’s right—the luxury and excess of ‘80s print design can be found on clothing from the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Forever 21. Get ready for some swanky trompe l’oeil greatness!
Friday Video Pick: “Cloudbusting” by Kate Bush
OK, so what are we looking at here? It’s a cloudbuster! Yes, this rain-making machine was the topic of Kate Bush’s 1985 single “Cloudbusting,” based on the close relationship between psychiatrist/psychoanalyst/inventor Wilhelm Reich and his son Peter. But even if you knew this, you may not know that the machine in the video was designed by the folks who brought us the Alien creature. Or that the video was brainstormed by Kate Bush and none other than Terry Gilliam. And that Julian Doyle, the man who created the special effects for Gilliam’s Brazil and Time Bandits, directed the piece, which also starred Donald Sutherland!
Neon Noir Fashion à la Risky Business
A weekend viewing of Risky Business starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay inspired today’s post. In case you haven’t seen this 1983 film directed by Paul Brickman, it focuses on high school student Joel (Cruise), specifically his shady pursuits after his parents leave town on vacation. Trouble begins with the arrival of a prostitute named Lana, played by De Mornay. A Neon Noir gem of a film, Risky Business earned praise from critics like Roger Ebert, who compared the movie to The Graduate, calling it “one of the smartest, funniest, most perceptive satires in a long time.” We couldn’t help but be drawn to Rebecca De Mornay’s wardrobe and the hypnotic soundtrack from Tangerine Dream…
Friday Video Pick: “Everybody Everybody” by Black Box
When did you first realize the ’80s were on their way out? Did you notice an abundance of music video mavens with thick eyebrows, red lipstick and a fitted black wardrobe? Or perhaps you experienced a retro revival as clothing and jewelry began featuring patterns and motifs from the ’60s and ’70s. And while house music was brewing well before the ’90s, maybe you turned on the radio and heard the first mainstream evidence of this “new” genre that featured soulful singing and prominent piano chords. Guess what? For today, Mirror80 becomes Mirror90 with a music video that features all of the elements mentioned above!
Friday Video Pick: “The Other Side of Life” by The Moody Blues
While die-hard Moody Blues fans may prefer the band’s earlier work to their mid-’80s tracks, songs like “Your Wildest Dreams,” “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” and “The Other Side of Life” definitely have a special place in our hearts here at Mirror80. And it’s “The Other Side of Life” that we profile today. This video may as well be a performance art piece. Where else can you see a character lose his way in the back alleys of the city, only to see visions of himself in various helpless positions, including being fed head-first into the path of a rotating table saw? All the while, he’s pursued by a blue-haired beauty that may as well be from a Philip K. Dick novel. This is ’80s video magic, people…
Friday Video Pick: “Automatic” by The Pointer Sisters
Interested in watching today’s Friday Video Pick? Would a camera-loving breakdancer, a humanoid robot with glowing eyes, and a couple of interpretive dancers clutching fans change your mind? We hope so–you don’t want to miss this! The Pointer Sisters’ 1984 hit “Automatic” is the music of choice for these ambitious performers. Don’t worry–there’s footage of the Sisters singing too!
KINZO’s Microchip Light Installation
When you think of 1980s interior design, images of cylinder coffee tables and black lacquer headboards may come to mind. And while we hesitate to interrupt that wonderfully glossy vision, we love how today’s light installation created by Berlin-based design trio KINZO mixes modern decor with ’80s inspiration.
Friday Video Pick: “Midas Touch” by Midnight Star
There’s no denying that Mirror80 has been a wee bit obsessed with R&B videos these last couple of weeks. Especially the ones that involve large ensembles of fashionable musicians with a penchant for shoulder pads. And we’re just talking about the men… This week we are delighted to showcase Midnight Star, a group whose electro-funk rhythms brightened many a dance floor in the ’80s. If you’re familiar with “Freak-A-Zoid” and “No Parking (On the Dance floor),” you’re no stranger to Midnight Star. Today we discover why they have the “Midas Touch!”
“Meeting in the Ladies Room” by Klymaxx
Asymmetrical hair–check. Angular metal and glass furniture–check. Neon lighting–check. Breakdancer chained to an electric chair–check? Why worry about the details…. When it comes to music video posses, Klymaxx may very well have set some kind of record. And even though the title of the piece is “Meeting in the Ladies Room,” there sure are a lot of men dressed in ’80s-tastic club wear. One more important factoid: the video was directed by Devo’s Gerald Casale! Don’t miss today’s Friday Video Pick!