I’ve never been much for black and white. Even tuxedoes tend to induce a fit of yawning. I tend to live in every color of the rainbow, but the Saint Laurent fall 2015 show almost won me over. As a lover of color, I’ve often thought I should have been born in the ‘80s. In this mindset, I’d like to think Hedi Slimane and I are kindred spirits. The ‘80s weren’t just about color and clashing; there was a larger-than-life sense of joie de vivre, this need to express yourself, no matter how crazy and wild you looked. It often appears that the crazier and wilder you dressed, the cooler you seemed. Prints took on electric waves of color and proportions became extreme, always either large enough to swallow the wearer or so small that skirts could just as easily be confused for belts.
At first, I was desperate to try and find the perfect black leather trench coat that would be ‘80s enough to make Andy Warhol smile with nostalgia. Then I took a second glance at my wardrobe. Everything I needed was right there. If you ever truly want to embrace the cool of hairspray and rave culture, all you have to do is start looking at your closet like a toy box and start playing.
The WASPs of the Reagan administration would have been proud. Either that, or they would have gotten flashbacks to Starsky and Hutch car chases. Regardless, with a fun set of prints and a green leather jacket that falls just below the hips, this look has a youthful energy perfect for a day in class while still considering contemporary prep.
If you’re out shopping for clothes your parents wore growing up, you might have better luck at antique stores than in the mall. It might sound like hunting for a needle in a stack of rusted needles, but when you find that perfectly authentic coat or pair of pants, you will want to keep it forever.
Get My Look: 1. A leather trench. 2. A plaid woven shirt. 3. Polka dot socks. 4. Round sunglasses. 5. A denim cap.
