Don't Let the Clothes Wear You!!

So let's talk about one of my favorite topics, fashion!!!! I am inspired by the Emmy Awards to discuss some iconic trends and looks in fashion. I am so enjoying the return of 80's fashion as some of us have lived through it the first time!!! Those were the days of acid washed jeans that were tight rolled up with scrunchy socks to boot!! The tighter the rolls the better!! Then we had those big, bulky sweaters and the girls ones were placed over a pairs of leggings or stirrup pants. Shoes were either plain flats, or high top tennies. But the best part was the hair!!! The boys were enjoying the mullet complete with curls in the back!! My younger brother rocked this look for quite sometime until with the help of the Buckle girls, we were able to talk him into cutting them!! The girls hair was BIG, BIG, BIG!!! BIG bangs in the front that were hairsprayed up like a large brick wall!! BIG side wings that were blown out by the hairdryer and then hairsprayed out for even more width!! Then the rest of the hair was ratted out with a fashion comb and hairsprayed out every which way. BIG I say!! Those were the days..

In the 90's I went through a serious International Male phase that really wasn't all that flattering. This looks included lots of synthetic fabrics and polyblends, vests, and pleated pants. GROSS, GROSS, and GROSS!! The best detail about the vests is they usually had a tapestry like design on them like a world map or a musical tableau. Classy I know! The shirts were that pirate style with puffy sleeves, pleats, and sometimes ruffles!! I know, I know!! Then there were the matching shoes, complete with details like buckles or a coin on the top! Silk and rayon really were my best friends!! I will say, I still love a good vest no matter what anyone says!

My next phase started when I began working at the Buckle at the age of 6. The Buckle does have the best fitting jeans (we can fit 85% of all body types!). I got rid of the International Male look and morphed into my Buckle look. I have to tell you though that the Buckle has had it's share of interesting looks through the years. In my early Buckle years Tommy Hilfiger was very big including the jeans with the Tommy Tommy Tommy sidetaping down the side of the leg. Then there were the JNCO jeans which ranged from a 30 inch bottom opening to a King Kong 60 inch bottom opening. Those were so big they were too heavy to hang on a hanger!! Those trends passed as they all should and now the trend seems to be glitz, glam, and bling!! All the jeans have very glitzy pocket detail and are definitely fashion pieces.

I would like to end by saluting some classic looks throughout the years (some that were even worn by lots of my favorite people!!) My friend Liza has been known to rock the bolero wrap jacket and sometimes his famous deep V t shirt that is quite a conversation starter. My Buckle manager friend Angela was known to wear a very trendy barrette in her hair!! That is until our crazy Buckle friend Heather Wolf told her they weren't in style anymore!! Rude I know!! My Buckle friend Rex usually rocks a pair of black socks pulled up to his mid-calf with carpenter shorts. In the words of Tim Gunn, "that's a lot of look!" Our dear friend Heather Wolf also rocked an outfit consisting of a black top, black capri pants, a pink bolero wrap, and black chunky shoes! The sad part is she had to ride the bus to work and then wear that outfit to boot!! Her comment was "sometimes you gotta go places where you shouldn't be seen, wearing things you shouldn't be wearing!" Heather!! The Buckle has seen it's share of fashion disasters walk thrtough our doors that we try to rescue. Everything from jeans that are too tight (and I mean tight!), to the jeans that are too loose and sag (boxer shorts included!). We see plenty of 80's hair still alive and well in the Midwest, too much make up, people who need make up, Bosnian girls who look like a Eurotrash version of Madonna, too much cologne!, jeans that are too high on the ankle, jeans that are dragging on the ground, t shirts that are way too tight!, ghetto sweat suits, bad piercings, goth, t shirts with vulgar messages, ponchos, and finally fanny packs. We decided a long time ago at the Buckle that we are not only selling clothes, but we are changing people's lives by selling them a complete new look to replace the tired one they walked in with!!

I love fashion both do's and don'ts. Be true to yourself and be careful out there!!