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Oh, Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Plaid Roams

October 16, 2010 by WendyB

I still love some of the fashions I wore in the early ’80s:

  • Day-Glo
  • Stephen Sprouse
  • Clogs
  • Skinny jeans
  • Pistol belts
  • Gladiator sandals
  • Anything from Trash & Vaudeville or Fiorucci
  • Lace-up boots
  • Motorcycle jackets

In this picture from last year, I’m wearing the motorcycle jacket I got in 1984.

But I have no desire for jazz shoes.

From 1983. I’m the one wearing white Capezio jazz shoes with pleated jeans and a LeSportsac bag.

I’m also over buffalo-plaid shirts, despite my 1983-1984 enthusiasm for one blue and black buffalo-plaid shirt that I wore with a black pistol belt from Canal Jean Co. (I hope I didn’t wear jazz shoes with that top; I feel sure I carried my gray plaid LeSportsac.) But, if I were given a choice of buffalo plaid or death, I would pick this sequined shirt by Ashish.

$1,450 at Net-a-Porter. Click to shop.

A lot of shiny would be some consolation for the lack of sex-ay. But not much consolation. I’d rather have the Keith Haring skirt and neon socks and heels that Madonna wore in her Borderline video.

Click screen cap to watch the whole video.

I would happily wear that whole outfit today. The hair, too!

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Filed Under: 80s style, madonna, pictures of me, vintage WendyB photos

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lenya Jones says

    October 16, 2010 at 3:01 am

    The 80’s rocked for Fashion. I loved lace for daytime wear too

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:56 pm

      Funny, I feel like I was never big on that look for myself…but maybe I just lost my memories of it!

  2. sharon rose says

    October 16, 2010 at 8:46 am

    Hi my dear-that is such a lovely photo of you, the jacket and dress look great together, glad the 80s is inspiring you too at the moment!!

  3. deja pseu says

    October 16, 2010 at 9:34 am

    I’ve heard of jazz hands, but missed out on the jazz shoes. I had the neon green Reebok hi-tops. Not sexxay, but they did turn heads. I’m so impressed that you still have a jacket from 1984.

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:57 pm

      I used to be worried that I was a hoarder, but then I watched Hoarders and decided that as long as I don’t have rotting pumpkins in the living room, I’m okay.

  4. Penny Dreadful Vintage says

    October 16, 2010 at 11:11 am

    Oh I am happy to do buffalo plaid. It can be sexaay if you wear the shirt open over a black bustier with amazing bosoms.

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:53 pm

      That’s how I used to do it! Little tank top for casual, bustier for fancy.

  5. pretty (face) says

    October 16, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    Nooooo blasphemy, jazz shoes and plaid are my FAVOURITE 80s trends!!! xx

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:54 pm

      That’s because you’re too young to have traumatic pictures from the first time around! I will turn over both those looks to you young’uns.

  6. Deidre says

    October 16, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    That motorcycle jacket is great and I like the jazz shoes too. In the 1980s I loved wearing oversized thrift store jackets (tweed, velvet smoking jackets etc.) with clusters of silly brooches and still do. Same for armfuls of bangles (although no more black rubber bracelets). I’d never perm my hair again though or bring back the sparkling emerald green eyeshadow that I wore all the way from lid to giant bushy eyebrows. ‘Twas a graceless age but a deliciously sparkly one.

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:54 pm

      I love that description of the period. So true.

  7. Lexie says

    October 16, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    Isnt it funny how fashion refines and repeats itself? Also, “Borderline” is my second fave Madonna song! 😀

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:55 pm

      What’s #1?

  8. jessie says

    October 16, 2010 at 9:17 pm

    Wow I love your style! I like jazz shoes too.

    jessie xx

  9. La Belette Rouge says

    October 16, 2010 at 9:45 pm

    Things bring up with one of my brushes with greatness: I met Keith Herring. I only wish I has met Basquiat.

    • WendyB says

      October 16, 2010 at 11:54 pm

      Keith Herring? Sounds fishy!

  10. Mary says

    October 17, 2010 at 2:30 am

    I had white jazz shoes too!Later I branched out and got pink ones. I wore them with cropped, paper-bag jeans and and off the shoulder pink top. So stylish!

  11. Susu Paris Chic says

    October 17, 2010 at 5:05 am

    I just love love love your hairdo. I’m all into lifted up bangs too at the moment. Just like I used to in junior high-high school.

  12. enc says

    October 17, 2010 at 11:26 am

    You’d be great in that Madonna outfit.

    If you had that buffalo plaid shirt, would you wear it with a wide, hipslung belt, leggings, and laceup boots? That WAS one of the uniforms of our era, after all.

  13. Sabine says

    October 17, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    Desperately seeking… my old 80s leather jacket now!

  14. Jillian says

    October 17, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    i love that leather jacket miss

    and there’s nothing wrong w/ those hot ass neon booties i love!!

  15. Brie says

    October 17, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    I have always loved Madonna’s outfit in the Borderline video…so dayglo in a not over the top way.

  16. jennine says

    October 17, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    is the mullet guy in the back doing a photo bomb?
    does the mullet automatically make it a bomb?
    😉
    you look adorable! in both photos!

    • WendyB says

      October 17, 2010 at 8:52 pm

      I have no memory of who was there, but I must say I thought the person was a girl! Now that I look at it again, I think you’re right. I think!

  17. Style Eyes says

    October 18, 2010 at 1:38 am

    I had the jazz shoes. I have been secretly been waiting for dayglo to come back into fashion. I love the Ashish shirt probably the only way I would wear a plaid shirt!

  18. Jemina says

    October 18, 2010 at 1:49 am

    Your post reminds me of how obsessed I was by day glo and LA Gears shoes. Honestly, I thought I wouldn’t have believed that the 80’s style will be back (at all), I guess the saying: “What goes around, comes around” is true :))

    Hugs,
    Jemina
    xoxo

  19. Susan says

    October 18, 2010 at 8:30 am

    oh the 80s rocked. I always feel like the 80s were somehow an era of peace- even in my country 🙂
    xoxo

  20. fashion herald says

    October 18, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    That could be my favorite Madonna outfit ever. I wonder if she owned that skirt and still has it?

  21. lisa says

    October 18, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    I don’t think I could ever be over buffalo plaid. It seems un-Canadian somehow to reject something so reminiscent of our national flag and lumberjacks.

  22. My Republic of Fashion says

    October 18, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    Love that leather jacket you are wearing in the 1st picture!! :)SarahD

  23. Couture Carrie says

    October 18, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    You look gorgeous, darling!
    Love that jacket!

    xoxox,
    CC

  24. TheShoeGirl says

    October 19, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    Ah the night I met Wendy B… I will never forget. <3

  25. Kim Yamaguchi says

    October 24, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    I lived the in jazz shoes my freshman year. I blame Duran Duran. I also wore them sans socks because *my* favorite Duran, Simon, didn’t wear socks with his. I had a permanent blister on the top of my foot thanks to that! (but I still wore the shoes!)

  26. Sue says

    October 26, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    You had me at (the mention of) Canal Jeans. Sniff…

    I think we are a similar age – I still mourn donating an espirit white tube skirt with black graffiti print (sorta haring-ish, sorta sprouse-y) from the 80s. I would so wear that right now.

    • WendyB says

      October 26, 2010 at 10:03 pm

      Now I’m mourning that skirt too!

  27. Kristin says

    November 29, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    Ok, maybe not buffalo checks…but how about tartan? HA!

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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.
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