A while back I wrote a piece for College Magazine titled, Top Ten Most Iconic Speeches from Teen Movies. If you haven't checked it out, I will link it below! After re-watching all of my favorite throwback teen movies, I fell in love with the way girls dressed back in the day and the simplicity of the time. Then I got to thinking, what would it be like if I grew up in the 1980s? This week, I lived out my dream of living like an 80s girl.
The 80s Girl New Workout Plan
I wanted to be ambitious this week and take on another workout challenge to go along with my 80s girl theme so I swapped out my yoga for aerobics. While aerobics may seem like a joke because of the leotards and leg warmers, it’s one of the most intense workouts I’ve ever tried. I rotated three separate videos, the first being a classic home workout from the aerobics queen Jane Fonda. A handful of her videos are posted on YouTube, so all of you at home can access them as well! Jane Fonda focused mainly on mat work and dance-styled stretches. She introduced many workouts I’ve never seen before, moves that isolated very specific areas such as the outer thighs and lower back.
The second video I tried is a modern rendition of 80’s aerobics taught by Emkfit. Her channel is filled with HIIT training dance videos and she makes working out so enjoyable. Of the three instructional videos I tried, Emkfit was definitely my favorite. Her 30-minute workout consists of simple dances to some of my favorite 80s songs such as “Take on me” by A-ha! and “Manic” by Michael Sembello.
The most informative video of the bunch is another authentic 80s home workout done by Kathy Smith, published in 1988. She goes in-depth to describe the effectiveness of aerobics and explains each muscle group the workouts focus on. Her workout is similar to modern Zumba and includes many arm focused movements.
Day #1: Born In The USA
My first outfit is inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA album cover which was released in 1984. Nothing screams 1980s Americana more than high-waisted denim and a pair of classic converse sneakers. As for hair, everyone in the 80s had crazy, teased-up perms and I’m lucky enough to have naturally curly hair. I even used hair mousse and hairspray to give my hair more volume.
Day #2: Z Cava-what's?
A popular brand of pants during the 80s were Z Cavaricci’s. According to my mom, these were super stylish back in the day. They’re a cross between mom jeans and MC hammer pants, basically high-waisted jeans that bunch up around the waist. I found a pair of Z Cavaricci-inspired jeans on Fashion Nova, almost 50% off, and styled the rest of my outfit to resemble a look by Sarah Jessica Parker.
Day #3: Pretty in Pink
A common misconception about the 80s is that all people ever wore was loud neon pink windbreakers. After doing research, and referring back to classic 80s movies like Pretty in Pink, many guys and gals rocked pastel preppy clothes, giving off major country club vibes. I styled my hair using velcro rollers and drove to school with them still in my hair! I was running a little late for class and the 80s look is certainly high maintenance. I went to snug harbor on a class trip, took beautiful pictures of nature, and even packed my cassette player to listen to music.
Day #4: Leg warmers and scrunchies
One of my favorite hobbies, besides writing, is crocheting. Instead of going to the store like a normal person, I decided to make myself a pair of adorable white leg warmers to complete my outdoor workout look. I can't help it, I love a good craft. I went for a jog around the neighborhood, all while sporting a comfy 80s workout fit; making Jane Fonda proud with every step. Speaking of crafts, I also collect magazines and found some spare time in between aerobics and crocheting to make a fashion colleague.
Day #5: Record shopping
No 80s girl week is complete without record shopping. Lo and behold, I found a vintage Pretty in Pink soundtrack record, a find I will cherish forever. I put on my record player, and danced around my room, singing as the plastic record spun around and around. Please enjoy the aesthetic picture I took. Peep my sweet 16 photo and graduation picture. Back in my day, high school was virtual! I’ve been waiting so long to say this. Although I’m only 19, college has been such a rush, high school seeming like a far, distant memory that was blurred by a pandemic and masks.
Watching all of these 80s teen movies made my heart ache, just a little bit because I wish I could’ve had a normal high school experience undisturbed by global chaos. With all of the scary news occurring around the world, I realize that pretty lockers and school plays are silly things to ask for so instead of focusing on what experiences I missed out on, I am grateful for the present. I had so much fun living out my teenage dreams and hope everyone enjoyed the outfits and activities I came up with for this week. For all of my readers who grew up in the 80s, I hope this brought back a wave of nostalgia. For all of my Gen Z readers, we never fail to bring back trends from the past so grab your mom jeans and leg warmers!
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