The fashions of the '80s were one-of-a-kind and trendsetting. Rewind time back to when people were considered SUPER COOL if they owned or followed these styles:

Members Only Jacket

Created in 1975 it wasn't until 1981 that Members Only jackets became one of the earliest modes in an era whose styles were constantly changing. The waist length zip-up jackets designed specifically for guys had thin material made from either polyester and cotton or leather and had various amenities such as front pockets, elastic waistband and cuffs, a snap-up button at the collar, shoulder straps and a front pocket located on the front left side with the label Members Only stitched in underneath it. There were also a wide range of colors to choose from. Unlike other fads which were geared toward the younger crowd guys of all ages wore Members Only jackets.

As with anything sought-after there were look-alike versions which cost less and had a similar style with a tag of their name on the front left side, yet if you got close enough you'd see that it wasn't a Members Only jacket but rather a cheaper imitation of the real thing which just wasn't the same. Their motto was simply, "When You Put It On... Something Happens." What happened was that by 1985 the look had all but disappeared as Members Only jackets were no longer in fashion.

Every now and then you'll see somebody wearing an original Members Only jacket which may bring feelings of nostalgia to you or possibly someone else.

Vans

The company Vans which began in 1966 introduced a line of shoes in 1979 and were considered to be a skateshoe due to the fact that they had no laces, consisted of a canvas and upper sole and included checkerboard as well as other color combinations for the design. The company even worked directly with skaters to develop the shoes (whose logo tag was embroidered in black and white on both the side, back and the tongue of each shoe). They were not only sturdy but also comfortable making it the ideal sneaker for skateboarders and surfers, especially in southern California. Another advantage was that the shoes came in unisex sizing meaning both genders could wear them.

It wasn't until 1982 when the move Fast Times at Ridgemont High was released and a certain surfer by the name of Jeff Spicoli wore a pair of checkerboard Vans resulting in shoe sales soaring both nationally and internationally. Vans became a style sensation and were worn by an infinite number of people from kids to adults. In 1984 the company was forced to file Chapter 11 but by then the Vans frenzy had ended. Vans emerged from bankruptcy at the end of 1986 and was under new ownership by 1988.

Since then they have crossed over and become a lucrative business ranging from a vast selection of footwear and clothing apparel to sponsoring numerous sporting events and so much more. Of course Vans still have their classic slip-ons which will always be identified with the '80s.

Polo Shirts

The eighties were known for many styles and polo shirts which became huge were one of them. Polos resembled tennis shirts by having a similar collar, short sleeves, usually two or three buttons on the front and came in an assortment of colors which were worn by both guys and girls. In the early '80s designer labels said a lot about somebody (as they still do today for many people) so when Izod Lacoste came out with polo shirts it began a complete trend. The shirts had an emblem of a little green alligator on the left side which became synonymous among the preppy crowd. If you owned an Izod Lacoste polo and wore the collar up as many people did you were considered totally chic and especially in the 1980's brand names personified who people were (or thought they were).

Often times people would go major preppy and "double pop" which meant that they wore two different colored polo shirts (sometimes pastel, other times neon or a combination of both) at the same time and had both collars up. Then there were those who opted to tie a sweater around their shoulders while wearing their Izod Lacoste. We're talking major fashion statement.

There were also replicas such as Le Tigre which was a type of polo shirt that had its own logo similar to Izod Lacoste (but cost considerably less) of a brightly colored tiger on the left side who appeared to be leaping. One noticeable difference between the two polos was that the alligator on the Izod Lacoste was facing left and the tiger on the Le Tigre was facing right. Another knockoff was Hunt Club which clearly couldn't compare to Izod Lacoste. So the people who wore Izod Lacoste were in vogue and those who wore imitations were not.

By the mid '80s Izod Lacoste had gone out of style when Ralph Lauren introduced his line of polos which went on to become the most successful of all. Just as the other polo shirts had symbols representing the designer's names on the left side of their shirts, Ralph Lauren's famous trademark of a polo player was embroidered on the left side of his. Preps everywhere could breathe a sigh of relief as they were once again able to pop their collars in their ever fashion-conscious world.

While wearing the collar up on polo, tennis and even golf shirts is no longer the craze it once was some people prefer to wear them this way. Que Sera, Sera.

Penny Loafers

Penny loafers which have been around since the mid '30s were all the rage in the early eighties. They were comfortable, easy to step into shoes that could be worn with formal or casual attire. While females wore them as well, they were generally footwear for males. Penny loafers could be worn either with or without socks. For a while wearing argyle socks or going sockless was associated with the preppy look.

Toward the mid to late '80s the penny loafers furor began to taper off. Though the shoes continued to be worn throughout the '90s and are currently a preferred item, especially by women the trend as many people remember is long gone.

Lastly is the significance of the name penny loafer which is due to the fact that there is a strap across the top part of the shoe which contains a little slot where people would place their penny. Yet not everyone would put a penny in their loafers since some people would insert other coins but for some reason seeing a dime or a quarter in the middle of a penny loafer kind of defeated the purpose.

Madonna-Wannabes

During the eighties lots of trends came and went, many of which were made famous by celebrities. One of the greatest by far was what is referred to as Madonna-wannabes which was a term used to describe people who dressed as and basically wanted to be Madonna circa 1983 to 1985. Around that time artists began getting noticed not only for their songs which were played on the radio but also for their music videos that aired.

When Madonna released her self-titled album in 1983 her videos "Lucky Star" and "Borderline" were played quite frequently and within no time innumerable girls all over the world were imitating her look. Such styles included teased hair, wearing lots of black, lace fingerless gloves, crop tops with mesh overlays, skirts over leggings, crucifixes, rosaries, bows in their hair made from rags, numerous bracelets especially black jelly, large earrings (different ones in each lobe) and other accessories which were different from other fashions yet attracted much attention.

A year later when she released her follow-up album titled Like a Virgin, Madonna mania was practically everywhere from girls who dressed like her at school, to people in nightclubs and anyplace else where it was accepted to dress like the Material Girl. Her emulated look was evident in the video for "Dress You Up" while the singer was performing at one of her concerts and numerous fans in the audience were dressed just like her from clothing such as bustiers to black sunglasses and much more.

While her image continued to be beyond popular, Madonna did something not many people can do in that she started and ended her own fad. Fans were still copying her when she shocked crowds alike in 1985 by appearing in the music video "Live to Tell" for the At Close Range soundtrack looking entirely different than she had before. The teased hair and black clothing along with all the other extras people were used to seeing Madonna in were now gone and replaced with a more mature look consisting of refined platinum blonde hair, subtle make-up and a floral print dress. All the people who once dressed as the pop star were now forced to retire many of their articles of clothing and other items as one of the most memorable styles of the decade had come to a close.

Yet several months ago I did see someone in the grocery store with a rag tied into her rather large hair while wearing black leggings (without the skirt). So I guess there really are people who still dress like Madonna.

Parachute Pants

One of the biggest fashions to derive from the eighties were parachute pants. Around 1984 when breakdancing was at its peak breakdancers began wearing a type of pants that were durable enough to withstand moves the dancers did yet lightweight enough to dance in. Parachute pants (which were mostly worn by boys and guys) came in a variety of colors, were somewhat tight, made from a shiny material that had several zippered patch pockets on both the front and back along with the ankles which were tapered and also had zippers at the bottom. Before long parachute pants were the in-thing and a must-have for some but not for everyone.

Yet as fast as modes come in they go out just as quickly and by the late '80s parachute pants were a thing of the past. While several types of trousers have tried to duplicate the style of parachute pants they can't ever match-up to the originals which were unusual yet eye-catching.

I doubt that parachute pants will ever stage a comeback but if they were to it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Would it?

T-Shirts Under Sports Coats

Between 1985 and 1986 yet another mania took over the entire country. Due to the enormous popularity of Don Johnson's character James "Sonny" Crockett on the hit show Miami Vice guys throughout the country began copying his famed look. From the pastel-colored designer suits (sleeves rolled up) over brightly-colored t-shirts to the expensive shoes which were usually espadrilles or loafers worn without socks followed by the three-day stubble otherwise known as a five o'clock shadow. While the style was not new and had been worn years before, due to the success of the program it became the hottest look around and was featured in men's magazines such as GQ and Esquire and was displayed in department stores nationwide.

As the '80s neared the end the sports coat and t-shirt craze had begun to fade away and guys once again resumed shaving and wearing socks on a daily basis. For many guys who enjoyed dressing like Sonny Crockett and who maybe even pretended they were him at one time or another it must have been truly saddening when they had to come to terms with ditching their pastel-colored designer duds once the menswear was no longer in fashion.

Of course there are some people who refused to let go of the '80s and still own their cream and florescent-colored men's apparel just waiting for the day should the fad return.

Swatch Watch

In the '60s and '70s Swiss companies began losing business to Japanese companies who sold their watches for less money. Swiss watch companies wanted to be able to compete with Japanese companies such as Seiko by selling watches that the public could afford. The company estimated that by reducing the number of components from 91 (which was customary for watches) down to 51 they could charge less money for their watches. In 1983 Swatch watch launched their first collection in Switzerland. By 1984 Swatches had become the latest thing in the U.S. and within months of their release they were the coolest thing on the market. The difference in Swatches and in other watches was that Swatches had exciting colors and designs which actually made people want to wear watches. Not only were they water-resistant and shockproof but each one had its own name making every Swatch unique. Another advantage was that they were made for both male and female so anybody could wear one and since the average cost at the time was between $25 and $35 Swatches were quite inexpensive.

To remain successful the company kept reinventing itself by creating newly colorized patterns and faces every few months. Such designs included the Jelly Fish which was clear allowing the internal parts to be seen, the Pop Swatch which could be attached to specific types of clothing in addition to many others. Artists and even certain celebrities have contributed their talent to designing various Swatches. In addition to the enormous range of colored and multi-colored Swatches sold were the accessories that were also popular for a while such as the Swatch guard which was a rubber band thingy (available in assorted colors) that stretched over the crystal of the watch to protect it. Another extra was the vinyl wristband that came in bright, day-glow and pastel colors and the fact that both pieces were interchangeable enabled people to completely change the look of their watch (which they often did). At the time it was also a big fad to wear multiple Swatches on one wrist.

The name Swatch is derived from the combination of the words "Second" and "Watch" because the company wanted the watches to be secondary and casual while being fun to wear. Swatch became so in demand that there was even a Swatch Club which, for an annual fee offered members special privileges such as information regarding new merchandise, special events and other updates associated with Swatch watch along with particular items that were sent to people just for being in the club.

By the late '80s people continued to wear Swatches but as with any rage it slowly toned down. Many people (myself included) today wear Swatches whose innovative styles remain unequalled and contemporary. While at one time collecting Swatches was a hobby for people it has since become a profitable business. There are also numerous Swatch Clubs throughout the world for fans, collectors or for people who just want to chat by way of the internet. Despite the financial difficulties the company once faced the Swatch Group is now the largest watch manufacturer in the world owning diverse brands ranging from "high end" to those which are affordable.

I have fond memories of the Swatches I've owned in the past including one that smelled like strawberries and another which, by pushing a button illuminated the moon-shaped face in neon green allowing me to find my way out of the woods one night therefore becoming my survival Swatch.