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80’s fashion – Leg Warmer Fashion
keeps changing with the era and like all other time 1980’s also has its
own Fashion style known as 80s fashion. A style that was distinct from
all previous decades. Unlike 1970s where fashion was outlined by loose
bottoms and close fitting tops, 80’s fashion trend boasted of just the
reverse. There was everything from miniskirts to parachute pants. There
was craze for everything. Nothing was made exception.
 One thing that always comes to mind whenever one talk about 80’s
Fashion is leg warmers. Anyone who had even a small bit of Fashion
interest at that time could be seen wearing a leg warmer now and then.
This fever of leg warmers mainly affected people in the beginning of 80s
fashion. They ruled the market at that time. Though they were meant to
be used by professional dancers, common people or rather say fashion
conscious people began using it every day.
Leg warmers as the name suggest were meant to keep lower portion
warm. It was not a case that these leg warmers came into existence in
the 80’s only. These leg warmers were present way before 80’s but were
then used by professional dancers. Ballet and other classic dancers used
to wear it as it covered the lower legs. Before 80’s leg warmer was more
like a function dress than something which can make a style statement.
It was initially made from wool, but when it hit the fashion charts it
began to be made from cotton and synthetic fiber blend also. Leg warmers
can be described as a pair of socks which is thick as well as comfy but
is footless. It is of varying length but thickness is same for every leg
warmer because it is stretchable in nature. Leg warmers were readily
accepted by teens and made a way into their wardrobes. They were coolly
accepted by them, who were affected by films Fame and Flash-dance on the
silver screen. Anyone who had even minimum knowledge of fashion had at
least half a dozen of leg warmers in their wardrobe. Leg warmers were
worn with every dress like jeans, knit pants, miniskirts, parachute
pants etc. They were also worn with an aerobic dress, leggings.
 The leg warmers were very eye catchy and told about the personality.
At that time wearing a leg warmer was an indication of being cool. It
did not bother the fashion conscious people whether they knew dancing or
not. Leg warmers were in such a craze at that time that even, when it
was a hot day outside, an 80’s fashion fanatic wore jeans or miniskirts
and then a pair of leg warmer over that. Though it sound weird, but this
was what was in the fashion at that time. Anybody at this time will not
consider this practical but there was no care for practicality at that
time. Everyone wanted to look cool and they did not care for the price
they had to pay in return. Nevertheless, as we say that nothing is
constant in this changing world, only one thing that is constant is
change. Same applies with fashion also but change occurs frequently
here. Leg warmers also climbed down the fashion charts and began to fade
away in the mid 80’s. Teens began to realize that wearing a pair of leg
warmers with miniskirt did not look cool anymore. It now looked
senseless to wear leg warmers because it did not make you look like a
dancer anymore and so the coolness associated with it died somewhere in
between. However, in the world of Fashion, nothing is constant and
everything follows a cyclic routine. The leg warmers which boomed and
then died in 80’s will surely return and again will become a style
statement. |
