• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

  • HOME
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • FAQ
  • CONTACT

’80s Hair Club for Musical Men

April 5, 2009 by WendyB

Limahl from Kajagoogoo was good.

Limahl

David Sylvian from Japan was better.

David Sylvian

John Taylor from Duran Duran was best.

John Taylor

Speaking of hair, gorgeous blogger Sister Wolf asked me how I get my hair so shiny. This is a frequently asked question. Honestly, I’m not sure my hair is as shiny in real life as it is in photographs, but here’s my magic formula:

  • Pert Plus shampoo from the supermarket (now with extra parabens!)
  • Use of extremely hot flatiron every day.

I once told this to an employee at J.F. Lazartigue and enjoyed watched him keel over, clutching his heart. I admit that I’m not sure this hair plan would work for everyone. It might be similar to the way I got in tip-top shape on a diet of Harry & David‘s chocolate-covered cherries and Pringles. Most people would have died of malnutrition. So if you throw out all your fancy hair-care products and wind up with bad hair, don’t say I didn’t warn you that results may vary.

UPDATED TO ADD: Speaking of ’80s hair, does anyone else remember Tenax hair gel?

You might also like
Music and Beauty
Words of Wisdom From Wayne Gretzky
Musical Interlude: Southern Rap With Yelawolf, Rittz, Big Henry

Filed Under: hair, music

Previous Post: « San Francisco Treat, Part II
Next Post: Peace Out »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wrennybird says

    April 5, 2009 at 9:09 pm

    Bless you, I’ve been on a little 80’s nostalgia kick for a bit.

  2. Sister Wolf says

    April 5, 2009 at 9:52 pm

    Hahahahaha! No wonder my hair is so crap, I spend all my money on swanky conditioners!

  3. ♥ Marta ♥ says

    April 5, 2009 at 10:09 pm

    that is some serious hair 😛

  4. The Little Fashion Treasury says

    April 5, 2009 at 10:48 pm

    OMG… that´s so funny… seeing Limahl in the very first picture of your post.
    Have to confess .. 🙂
    When I was a teen I was a Kajagoogoo fan and of course in love with Limahl and every single boy at home who had this blonde/ black hair…

    HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU, WENDY!!!

  5. The Little Fashion Treasury says

    April 5, 2009 at 10:49 pm

    I´ll take you on my blog list 😉

  6. Alicia/InstantVintage says

    April 5, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    Sounds like an effective hair care routine to me…my flat iron is my best friend. LOL.

  7. lisa says

    April 5, 2009 at 11:40 pm

    LOL now I know which brand your hair smells like, I’ll stop stalking you. 😉

  8. The Likkle Girl Who Wurves Pwetty Things says

    April 6, 2009 at 12:11 am

    Haha, Ms B, you weren’t kidding! But I thought you meant “thinking of getting an 80s haircut” for yourself.

    Will be be getting a “80s Haircut For Musical Women” post soon? x

  9. Rowena says

    April 6, 2009 at 12:28 am

    They just don’t make hair like they used to…

  10. Sharon Rose says

    April 6, 2009 at 12:51 am

    Hi there-thanks for the hair tips my dear! Men seemed to be more daring with their hair back in the 80s!!

  11. yulanda says

    April 6, 2009 at 3:09 am

    I’ve once had a hairdresser tell me I could use any old shampoo because my hair was that great. hehe, must be our similar diets 😉

  12. Jill says

    April 6, 2009 at 4:51 am

    Remember A Flock of Seagulls? My Mother used to call them A Covey of Doves…not intentionally

  13. Film Upstart says

    April 6, 2009 at 6:21 am

    I used to be so infatuated with john taylor!!

  14. StyleSpy says

    April 6, 2009 at 6:24 am

    John Taylor is still the best. Even hotter than when he was young & pretty.

    I get a similar response from people when I tell them that I only wash my hair once a week, twice at most. They look a little ill.

  15. Miss Peelpants says

    April 6, 2009 at 6:28 am

    I generally like to leave coherent comments on blogs, but now you’ve gone and posted two photos of the Bass God – including one with THE cherry red tint – I can only really gurgle at you…..

    You forgot Nick Rhodes! He had very impressive 80s hair….but Mr Sylvian looks a little Rhodesian there so I’ll forgive you! 😉

  16. Stylish Thought says

    April 6, 2009 at 7:21 am

    Lol… reminds me of Don’t Mess with Zohan

  17. Duchesse says

    April 6, 2009 at 8:31 am

    Always thought that $65 shampoo was a scam! I love your diet, only thing missing is martini, then you have all the food groups.

  18. Couture Carrie says

    April 6, 2009 at 8:32 am

    Ick I just had a scent flashback to Pert Plus! One thing I do NOT miss about the 80s!

    Such a fun post, per usual, WB!

    xoxox,
    CC

  19. captivateme says

    April 6, 2009 at 9:20 am

    wow…talk about a walk down memory lane…john taylor’s hair from duran dura DEFINITELY takes the cake 🙂 great post!

  20. Paul Pincus says

    April 6, 2009 at 9:21 am

    i loved this. oh, and nick rhodes!!!

    i’ll echo cc above … brilliant post, wb.

    -pp

  21. Eli says

    April 6, 2009 at 9:23 am

    I saw someone wearing a haircut like this in real life the other day, I cringed. I guess for payback, with my bangs, this morning I had a similar hairstyle poofed up too.

  22. WendyB says

    April 6, 2009 at 11:31 am

    Oh, no, Miss Peelpants, I didn’t forget Nick. He had great eyeliner and he sure tried in the hair department but John Taylor was the king!

    Lisa, if you stop stalking me, I’ll have to find a new stalker. Craigslist, here I come.

  23. Pert Plus says

    April 6, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    Pert Plus & chocolate-covered cherries. What could be better?

    Thrilled to hear Pert Plus is part of your beauty routine that results in such shiny & healthy locks!
    ~ Pert Plus

  24. KT says

    April 6, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    Oh, I had John Taylor hair in the 80’s. No joke. But here is the funny thing. I have ZERO photos of myself prior to 1992. I was moving once and thought it seemed like a lot to keep all of that stuff so I pitched it. But my class reuinion is this year and sure enough pics are surfacing. My husband is going to get to see my in all of my 80’s glory for the first time. And let me tell you, I was hot in the 80’s.

  25. La Belette Rouge says

    April 6, 2009 at 1:18 pm

    We used to use Pert Plus to wash our cats and they did have hair that the Flock of Seagulls would have envieed.

  26. Nina (femme rationale) says

    April 6, 2009 at 2:53 pm

    ah, john taylor…*sigh*. haha and is tenax the stuff that basically cemented your hair? people would use it for their mohawks and such?

  27. WendyB says

    April 6, 2009 at 2:58 pm

    Yep, Nina, that was the mohawk stuff. Or one of the mohawk ingredients, anyway.

  28. SnapandPrint says

    April 6, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    Thansk for getting “My Own Way” by Durna Duran stuck in my head! those photos caused it!

    I have never seen that gel before…it must be extra special stuff.

    I used Studio Line by L’Oreal back in the day.

  29. La Couturier says

    April 6, 2009 at 4:50 pm

    Thank you for your birthday wishes! And haha; when I get to forty-one, I’ll be sure to =) I guess it’s just from my teenage perspective!

    And you’re in your early forties? WendyB, you look goooooood!

    Bisous,
    La C.

  30. thepreppyprincess says

    April 6, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    Oh my… that really was some hair, wasn't it?! Yikes! Our very best product was Paul Mitchell "Freeze & Shine" hairspray, which we used to call "Spray & Paralyze". It was great for live shots outside in the elements because the wind might be blowing 45 miles an hour, but the hair did. not. move. at. all.

    You know what we mean….some reporters still use it!
    tp

  31. Thumbelina Fashionista says

    April 6, 2009 at 5:27 pm

    I have to say…your hair is ABNORMALLY SHINY. Those products are working magic, or maybe you were born with it?

  32. The Clothes Horse says

    April 6, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    I don’t know Kajagoogoo gets points for lip pursing–is that a Zoolander face before there was Zoolander?

  33. saturdayjane says

    April 6, 2009 at 9:46 pm

    Aw, no David Bowie hair? Jareth weeps! 🙂

    Also, I’m very pleased that your Pert system works well! Gives me more confidence in my ‘Suave and Air-Dry’ routine.

  34. enc says

    April 7, 2009 at 6:58 am

    I love your haircare routine.

    I used Pert back in the day when it first came out, and the shampoo and conditioner came in separate bottles. I’ve never tried the combo Pert, but I might just do it!

  35. LENORENEVERMORE says

    April 7, 2009 at 7:34 am

    Lol wendy! Where’s Boy George…ever wonder how he smells like???

  36. Jordana says

    April 7, 2009 at 7:51 am

    Ahhh! I love these posts! That firstpic reminds me of Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie…can’t wait!

  37. Lavender says

    April 8, 2009 at 3:06 am

    Oh I love it. 80s man-hair was just so good.

  38. Iheartfashion says

    April 8, 2009 at 10:23 am

    Glad I’m not the only one who uses cheap shampoo! I prefer Finesse, personally.

  39. Nina (femme rationale) says

    April 8, 2009 at 11:17 pm

    i was so excited by john taylor i forgot to ask which flat iron u use?

  40. ambika says

    April 9, 2009 at 10:46 am

    Oh, 800s hair! How I wished my hair was capable of the crazy contortions that were so popular then.

  41. [Tara] says

    April 10, 2009 at 9:16 am

    People just don’t have as much fun with hair and makeup as they did in the 80’s…though the idea of my man spending more time on his hair than me freaks me out a bit.

  42. B.lush says

    April 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm

    Why do these pictures make me think of the movie Twilight? I think it’s a combination of the hair, pale skin in picture #2 (wow he’s scary and I’m not talking about the lip gloss), and the intense stares.

Primary Sidebar

MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

ARCHIVES

Facebook Pagelike Widget

POPULAR TOPICS

NEWSLETTER

Subscribe for Email updates.
* indicates required

Original jewelry designs, photos and text are © Wendy Brandes 2007-2016. All rights reserved.

© 2016 · FOODIE PRO THEME COPYRIGHT BY · SHAY BOCKS GENESIS FRAMEWORK · BUILT ON THE WORDPRESS