KnockBack, Episode 84: '80s Fashion (Patreon)

Yes, it's true: There's a lot to love about the 1970s. But the reality is, it was kind of a down decade. Unemployment was high, and inflation was, too. An oil embargo crippled western economies. The peace and love of the '60s rapidly gave way to stagnation, corruption, and agitation. By 1980, people were ready to break free, and they did just that. Buttressed by a technological boom and a rapidly recovering market, the '80s were a time of excess, a time to be loud and bold. The music, movies, games, and television shows each tell a portion of the overall tale -- and we've talked plenty about 'em here on KnockBack -- but it's perhaps that 10 year span's fashion that spoke (and still speaks) loudest. This was an era when sneakers and caps first became an obsession, when accessorizing reached an all-time high, when the colors you wore better be bright (and preferably neon), or else. So grab your Aquanet, tease that hair, and turn on your answering machine. Let's discuss a time when people wore 10 watches at once, when shoulder pads were considered hot for some reason, and when Air Jordans somehow cost more than they do today.