Reaganomics, New Conservatism, Wall Street, Yuppies, Preppies, Cable TV, MTV, Rap,
Punk Rock, New Wave, New Age, Iran-Contra, Logomania, Princess Diana and anything big all defined the 1980s.
A Decade of Big
The 1980s (1980-1989) was a time of contrasts and individuality. It was a decade of big hair, big shoulders, big money. Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1981 and stayed in office through the whole decade. His “new conservatism” and trickle-down theory of economics shaped the 1980s. It was a decade that saw an unprecedented uptick in wealth brought on by the rise of Wall Street and a stock market that was climbing to new heights along with swelling CEO paychecks. There was a lot of money floating around during the decade nicknamed the “go-go 80s”. Young urban professionals known as “Yuppies”, who were educated with upwardly mobile jobs had money to spend and they did so with wild abandon. Designer labels took on new importance during this decade and logomania was born as a result of this desire to flaunt new wealth.
Cable TV was introduced and MTV brought music and fashion into our living rooms. The influence of music on fashion was game changing as pop stars Cyndi Lauper and Madonna flounced around in corsets and petticoats making underwear as outwear subversively chic. Princess Diana, Brooke Shields, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper were fashion icons of the decade, each one bringing her own personal style to the party that was the 1980s, where big and bold ruled.
Jewelry for Working Women
During the 1970s more women had been entering the workforce and this movement exploded in the 1980s as women were not only working more outside of the home, but they were in management and executive positions. To go with this new found prominence, women adopted the power suit: Jackets with big padded shoulders often embellished with gold-tone buttons, sometimes worn with a belt. Suits were completed with a skirt. Dramatic and bold, the look was finished off with pointy-toed stilettos and big hair, sending the message that women meant business. Women used jewelry to add another layer of power to their outfits and with better jobs and better pay, women had their own money to purchase jewelry that reflected their personal style and complemented their wardrobes.
There was nothing shy about the 1980s and “look at me jewelry” was no exception. Big, bold gold was important and choker length gold chains, sometimes embellished with colored gemstones, were part of the uniform along with oversized earrings, often doorknocker or button styles. A big bracelet, or several bracelets worn together, or with a watch, were stylish. Pearls were a major player in the power dressing game and pearl chokers, often multistrand, were popular.
Designer Marina B. catered to these working women with colorful jewelry that was easy to wear and made a big statement that complemented the clothing styles of the era. Barry Keiselstein-Cord’s statement jewelry was also very in demand. And designer Henry Dunay was making his mark with his textured bold gold jewelry that showcased oversized colored gemstones. Colored gemstones got another big boost, when England’s Prince Charles (now King Charles) proposed to Lady Diana Spencer (later Princess Diana), with a sapphire and diamond ring, starting a trend to colored gemstone engagement rings.
The Preppy Look
Preppy fashion, an understated style inspired by Ivy League colleges, came to the forefront of fashion with the simple white shirt, khaki pants or skirt paired with a sweater. For preppies, simple gold jewelry — small hoop earrings, a gold chain necklace or pearl strand kept the look very basic. The ultimate status symbol for both preppies and yuppies was a gold Rolex watch.
During the 1980s physical fitness became almost an obsession. Movie stars and musicians, sporting neon spandex leotards and leg warmers released workout and exercise videos. Velour track suits and spandex bodysuits in acid bright colors were favored for workout clothes that became so mainstream they were worn for a quick run to the grocery store or other errands. Oversized jewelry in gold or silver with bright colored gemstones was paired with these more casual looks.
1980s Punk Rockers
Although it started at the end of the 1970s, punk rock is closely associated with the 1980s. British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood led the pack with her clothes that drew upon the dress codes of Victoriana with a modern interpretation. Punk rock fashion was all about rebellion — dark ripped jeans, dark make-up and black leather with pops of neon color, animal prints and lots of safety pins holding it all together. It was the backlash to the crass consumerism and designer mania that gripped America and Europe. Punk rockers favored large silver chains, oversized crosses, skulls, crowns, spikes, multiple strands of pearls, dog collars and mismatched earrings – often all worn together. These fashion rebels also tended to have numerous ear piercings leading to a trend of wearing many different earrings in several holes going up the earlobe. It was a style that mainstreamed during the decade. While much of the jewelry worn by punk rockers was costume or bridge, its influence was felt in fine jewelry and designer apparel, as both drew inspiration from the DNA of punk rock fashion, which continues to be seen on runways today.
1980s Brooches
Brooches were the power jewel of the 1980s. While one large statement brooch was worn on power suits, brooches were also worn in more inventive ways. It was not unusual to see people wearing jean jackets covered with small brooches all over the front. While those were often costume jewelry, the look was also found in fine jewelry, when a few small brooches were worn grouped together or scattered across a neckline, shoulder, or lapel.
Diamonds were very popular In the early 1980s, but prices hit the stratosphere and then crashed before recovering by the end of the decade. These price gyrations impacted the way diamonds were used. Designers began using small diamonds to make pavé pieces or to add sparkle and light to colored gemstone jewels. But there was one diamond jewelry style that really resonated in the 1980s. The “Tennis Bracelet” was ubiquitous after tennis champion Chris Evert dropped her diamond line bracelet during a match. The game stopped until she found her jewel, which led to the diamond line bracelet being renamed the tennis bracelet. While this event actually happened in 1978, by the 1980s diamond tennis bracelets adorned wrists everywhere, often paired with a watch.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 signaled the official end to the Cold War and brought the decade to a close as the economy nose-dived into a recession and 1980s maximalism gave way to 1990s minimalism.
Top of Page: Princess Diana is greeted by Tom Selleck in The Residence during a private dinner, November 9, 1985, White House Photographic Collection, public domain, courtesy WikiCommons.
Diamond, ruby, onyx and 18-karat gold bracelet, circa 1980s; Steel and 18-karat gold earclips, signed Marina B., circa 1980s; Emerald, ruby, sapphire and 18-karat hammered gold ring, signed David Webb, circa 1980s; Diamond, ruby and 18-karat gold necklace, circa 1980s; Diamond, platinum and 18-karat gold brooch, signed Tiffany & Co., circa 1980s.
Authored by Amber Michelle