' 8 0 s c h i c ; Current fashion and musical tastes are recalling the
decade that gave us Care Bears and hair metal. It's true. Really.

by Portland Press Herald (Jan 27, 03:14 PM)

There's a Bush in the White House. Alf is on a TV commercial,
advertising for collect phone calls. The WB network recently launched
a reality TV series featuring '80s has-beens, including rapper MC
Hammer, Emmanuel Lewis of "Webster," actor Corey Feldman and Vince
Neil of Mtley Cre.


What's going on? Is this the "Me" decade all over again?

"The '80s are definitely back," Alex Steed, a Portland resident who
was born in 1983, said while working at Brae's Meditation Shop in the
Maine Mall. "I kind of hoped it wouldn't happen. You like to think
that your generation is sacred, but it's not. It's up for resale."

Some of the teens' favorite retailers - Hot Topic, Newbury Comics,
Delia's and Urban Outfitters - are hawking '80s kitsch on T- shirts,
lunch boxes, stickers and pins. Steed said his mall job has given him
full view of what young people are sporting these days, and many, he
said, seem to be inspired by the '80s.

Tapered pants, denim jackets with pins, jelly bracelets and T- shirts
promoting '80s movies such as "The Goonies" and "Ghostbusters" seem to
be all the rage, he said.

"Now I even feel out of style with my baggy jeans," said Steed, who
said the only '80s fashion trend that suits him are jelly bracelets.

While some aspects of '80s pop culture seem to be a hit among teens
and young adults, there are some things that do not appear to be
coming back in fashion, such as big hair, spandex and neon.

"I don't want to see shoulder pads or '80s politics," said Steed. "And
acid wash jeans were such a bad idea."

One aspect of the '80s revival that is catching on with the teen set
is nostalgic products featuring '80s kids cartoons and toys, such as
Strawberry Shortcake, the Care Bears, the Transformers, He- Man and My
Little Pony.

Newbury Comics on Maine Mall Road sells a range of '80s kiddie stuff.
Some highlights are giant stuffed Care Bears, talking Pee Wee Herman
dolls, and Transformers action figures. The store also carries a
variety of T-shirts and lunch boxes with '80s themes.

At Bull Moose Music on Middle Street, merchandise sporting '80s icons
such as Madonna circa "Suddenly Susan" and the cast of "Growing Pains"
are displayed amidst racks of CDs.

"A couple of years back, suddenly the '60s and '70s were back in
style," said Brett Wickard, owner of Bull Moose Music. "People are
always looking for a way to see something differently."

Wickard, who admits that he played in an '80s cover band years ago,
said music fans are finding new inspiration from '80s music,
especially emo and post-punk rock. "Bands like Echo and the Bunnymen
and bands that are hyper-emotive are catching on again," he said. "I
think people are kind of trying to fill a void in the music that's out
there, and kids are getting into it."

Wickard said the '80s remind him that people want to have fun and be
absurd "but there are limits."

"A couple of years ago the music industry really thought the hair band
style of the '80s was going to come back," he said. "But it didn't
happen."

Maegan Hansen, a student at the Maine College of Art who was born in
1983, said she still listens to '80s hair metal and she would love to
see it return to the mainstream.

"I remember I had this baby sitter in '87 and '88, and she teased her
hair and she was really into Poison," Hansen recalled. "She was like,
my idol ... I've always liked '80s music. To me, it never died."

Wickard said sales of the '80s-inspired merchandise in his store are
doing better than sales of actual '80s music.

"I think a lot more people are listening to '80s music again, but it's
hard to go out there and really buy that Wang Chung CD," he said.
"Maybe you might want to buy a used copy."

Steed, the 20-year-old who works in the mall, said he is worried that
the '80s revival will be full-blown by next year.

"I'm definitely seeing it everywhere," he said. "But I'll still wear
my jelly bracelets."

Staff Writer Selena Ricks can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

sricks@pressherald.com