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What is your damage? Submit old photos of your ‘80s hair and clothes

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Despite years of mocking and cringing in horror over old school yearbooks and family albums capturing big hair, big clothes ... just big everything, we’ve returned to the ’80s! The fashions and styles of two decades past have returned in, well, a big way. Fall 2009 runway shows from designers such as Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors accentuate the bright colors while the resurgence of long, shoulder-padded jackets would make a costume designer’s job a breeze for that buzzed-about ‘Heathers’ TV show.

But why in the world, you ask? It was just the ’80s’ turn. ‘Ten years ago, the decade was the ’70s that you’d reference,’ says Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure magazine. ‘It’s always the 2 1/2-decade mark. The ’80s definitely is a big influence in fashion and also in makeup and hair. I think it’s partly because there’s always that nostalgia and that moment when you’re looking at the runway and photo shoot or fashion advertisement and the humor that goes with it. It’s kind of an ironic distance to that time and style. They seem both horrifying and familiar and funny.’

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Like totally funny? Alli Denning, the owner of LikeTotally80s.com asked her readers to submit photos of their rad ’80s looks and Jennifer Smith sent in this ’do, saying: ‘Thanks to the late great Toy Caldwell (founding member of the Marshall Tucker Band) this ’80’s babe is on her way to meet Kiss and she was only 15. My hair took about an hour and a half. Lots of teasing and a product called ICE. I usually could wait and do it about every two to three days. I slept on it. I call it the chicken with waterfall combo.’
Turns out Smith is longtime friends with Caldwell’s daughter, Cassady. And, once a dye hard always a die hard: Smith is taking her son to see Kiss in October.

Got some memories you’d like to share? Submit your photos to our Your Scene gallery and/or share your comments below.

-- Whitney Friedlander

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