My 80's wardrobe

"And I am a material girl"- 'Material Girl' Madonna

I love 80's clothes and if you look in my wardrobe I think you'll think so too. I don't mind getting funny looks when i walk down the street in my legwarmers because i like how i dress and don't care if some else doesn't.

So here's a list of my 10 favorite pieces of eighties clothing i own;

• My leg warmers 
• My denim jacket complete with Top Gun patches
• My neon green finger less laced gloves
• My acid wash jeans
• My denim Ra-Ra skirt
• My very Madonna-esque top
• My big pink earrings
• My Adidas red and gold high tops
• My red, pink or orange Raybans or my Aviators
• My bright pink leggings

My fashion God is Madonna. She is always so risque with what she wears and doesn't care at all what anyone else thinks, unless of course she is making a statement. She had the rubber braclets, the lace gloves, the headbands, the religious jewelry and more. I want to base my look on her but develop my own style as well.

The year that was 1980...

"Time may change me. But I can't trace time."-'Changes' David Bowie

In 1980 the world was changed forever. And here's why... 


John Lennon was assassinated on December 8th
"And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude refrain"- 'Hey Jude' The Beatles
At 10:50 pm, as John Lennon and Yoko Ono were returning to their New York apartment in The Dakota, Mark David Chapman shot Lennon in the back four times at the entrance to the building. At 11:07 pm Lennon was pronounced dead on arrival at the Roosevelt Hospital. Yoko Ono issued a statement the next day, saying "There is no funeral for John", finishing with the words, " John loved and prayed for the human race. Please pray the same for him." He was cremated and his ashes scattered over New York Central Park. Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life, he still remains in prison having being denied parole several times.  The Beatles- Hey Jude (with Lyrics) Youtube video


Mount St. Helen's erupted
Mt St Helen's located in Washington US erupted sideways on May 18. Fifty-seven people were killed in this eruption, but if this event was not on a Sunday the death toll would have surely been higher. Harry Truman, who had lived near the mountain for 54 years, became famous when he decided not to evacuate before the eruption, despite pleas from local authorities. His body was never found. President Jimmy Carter surveyed the damage and said, "Someone said this area looked like a moonscape. But the moon looks more like a golf course compared to whats up there." The second eruption occurred May 25. Mount St. Helen's Erupting


CNN was established
Launched June 1st CNN (Cable News Network) is a US cable news channel founded by Ted Turner. CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour news coverage and the first all-news channel in the United States. Husband and wife news anchors David Walker and Lois Hart started their first broadcast just after 5pm EST. CNN also carried the only live television coverage of the launch and explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle which killed the seven crew members in 1986.CNN Logo


The Pacman video game was released
Pacman was developed by Namco and released in the US in October. Pacman can be considered as an icon of 1980's popular culture. Pacman created a genre of video game and appealed to both girls and boys. Pacman caught on immediatly with the public and quickly became far more popular than anything seen in the film industry up to that point. Buy the end of 1980 it was grossing over $1 billion quarters in a year, surpassing the highest grossing film Star Wars. 

Pacman Game Screen


The Rubix Cube became popular
This was the year that the Rubix cube became internationally sold. Before people started to use the Rubix cube they thought it was a simple puzzle but after a couple of hours they realized they were no closer to solving it. Erno Rubik created the Rubix cube to help his students study three-dimensional geometry.Rubix's cubes appealed to everyone and everyone had to have one. By 1982, more than 100 million Rubix cubes have been solved and are yet to be solved. Rubix's Cube

So there you have it the year that was filled with new trends and terrible tragedies. The year that brought about two of the most well known items of pop culture. The year that snatched inspiring peoples lives from them. The year that was 1980!

The 'River' runs Deep- The life and death of River Phoenix

"Only the Good Die Young" - Billy Joel


River Phoenix Early 1993

River phoenix was one of my favorite 80's actors. The way he became the character inspired me when I started drama classes and still does to this day. River Phoenix was in movies such as Explorers in which he played a bookworm kid, Stand By Me in which he played a tough kid, Harrison Fords son in The Mosquito Coast, a young Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the last crusade, and more!

                                          Top left: Explorers (1985) Top Right: Stand By Me (1986)
                                          Bottom left: The Mosquito Coast (1986) Bottom right: Indiana Jones
                                          and The Last Crusade (1989).            
River phoenix won and/or was nominated awards for his roles in;

1989	Nominated	Oscar	Best Actor in a Supporting Role for: Running on Empty (1988).

1989	Nominated	Golden Globe	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for: Running on Empty (1988).

1992	Won	Independent Spirit Award	Best Male Lead for: My Own Private Idaho (1991).

1988	Won	NBR Award	Best Supporting Actor for: Running on Empty (1988).

1992	Won	NSFC Award	Best Actor for: My Own Private Idaho (1991).

1991	2nd place	NYFCC Award	Best Actor for: My Own Private Idaho (1991).

1991	Won	Volpi Cup	Best Actor for: My Own Private Idaho (1991).

1988	Won	Young Artist Award	Best Young Male Superstar in Motion Pictures for: The Mosquito Coast (1986).

1987	Won	Jackie Coogan Award	for: Stand by Me (1986). Shared with:Wil Wheaton Corey Feldman Jerry O'Connell

1986	Won	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Special or Mini-Series for: Surviving (1985) (TV).
			Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor - Motion Picture for: Explorers (1985).

1985	Nominated	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actor in a Family Film Made for Television for: "ABC Afterschool Specials" (1972). Shared with:Joaquin Phoenix For episode "Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (#12.6)".

1984	Won	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actor in a Drama Series for: "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1982).

1983	Nominated	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actor in a New Television Series for: "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1982).

River Phoenix was the older brother of Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Summer Phoenix and Liberty Phoenix. He was an actor, musician and environmental, animal rights and political activist. Phoenix was born as River Jude Bottom on August 23, 1970, in Madras, Oregon.

'The Viper Room'

On Halloween night in 1993 River Phoenix went with his friends to Johnny Depp's nightclub The Viper Room. At 1:00am he was offered hit of heroin, after snorting the heroin he began shaking violently and vomited. One of his friends gave him a Valium to calm him down. After taking the Valium River went to the bar to tell his sister Rain that he couldn't breathe when he passed out. When he awoke he asked his friend to take him outside where the seizures started again. River's brother Joaquin called 911 on a payphone. At 1:14 he went into full cardiac arrest when they reached the hospital he was still warm but his skin was blue. River was pronounced dead due to Heroin and Cocaine overdose at 1:51 am on October 31, 1993.

Screen shot of River Phoenix in 'Dark Blood'

But his work lives on just 3 days ago his last ever film 'Dark Blood' premiered at a film festival in America, 20 years after it was filmed.

Original Sounds

Possibly one of the best things in the eighties, were records. Just lying on the floor with a candle and listening to how authentic records sound, makes me feel as if I could fly.

LP records or 75" were full albums or compilations and 45" or singles played two songs, one on each side. Usually singles are bought because of the song on the 'A' side rather than the 'B' side. My favorite records to listen to are compilation LP's because they play usually about 8 songs per side while most albums (Rolling Stones "Steel Wheels" , Crowded House' self titled album to name a few) so it's easier to listen to.

Some my most influential records are Van Halen "Dreams"(45"), Pink Floyd " Another Brick in The Wall part II (45"), Dragon "Young Years" (45"), Rolling Stones "Steel Wheels" (75"), "1982: the Winners" (75"), "Hits Of The Flicks" (75") and Pearl Jam "Ten"(75").

In case you were wondering the two compilations "1982:the winners" and "Hits of the Flicks" track listing is:



1982: The Winners

• Come on Eileen-Dexys Midnight Runners
• If You Want My Love- Cheap Trick
• The Queen and Me-Mondo Rock
• I Didn't Mean To Be Mean-Mental As Anything    
• Solid Rock-Goanna
• Rosanna- Toto
• Jack & Diane- John Cougar
• Lady What's Your Name-Swanee
• Avalon-Roxy Music
• Glittering Prize-Simple Minds
• Great Southern Land-Icehouse
• The Rythm Of The Jungle-the Quick
• The Look Of Love-ABC
• Abracadabra-Steve Miller Band
• Better Keep U
• Your Hands Off My ( Potential New Girlfriend)- Douglas Parkinson
• Ever So Lonely-Monsoon
• Da Da Da I Don't Love You You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha- Trio
• Seven tears- Goombay Dance Band.                     

Hits Of The Flicks

• Who Made Who-AC/DC
• If You Leave- Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
• We Don't Need Another Hero- Tina Turner
• Working Class Man-Jimmy Barnes
• The Heat Is On-Glenn Frey
• In The Air Tonight-Phil Collins
• California Girls- David Lee Roth
• Axel F- Harold Faltermeyer
• Don't You (forget about me)- Simple Minds
• Against All Odds (take a look at me now)- Phil Collins
• Weird Science- Oingo Boingo
• Shell Shock- New Order
• Hot Night- Laura Branigan
• Together In Electric Dreams- Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
• Never Ending Story- Limahl
• To Be Or Not To Be- Mel Brooks

Before I finish this post I'll tell you the two records stores I've bought almost all of my records from and they are "The Record Store" in Fremantle and "The Flying Wardrobe" in Witchcliffe which is about 15 minutes from Margret River.