Cleveland.com The Plain Dealer Aug 6, 2003
Wearing an attitude

Like, totally wow!

Valley girl and punk rock fashions from the 1980s - silhouettes recently revived by pop stars Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez - have arrived in stores just in time for the back-to- school shopping season.

And students are snapping them up. Just ask Jessica Urban of Maple Heights. The 18-year-old's fashion sense is right on track. It helps that she's a freshman at Lakewood's Virginia Marti College of Art and Design. She loves the retro look and plans to couple the punk look of mesh T-shirts and spiky jewelry with some '80s-style belts and off-the-shoulder sweaters.

"I think I'll wear the mesh layered with a tank underneath and a jacket over it," she says. Layering, of course, was a quintessential hallmark of '80s fashion - and there's a lot to layer with.

Among the many elements filling stores from Parma to Beachwood are plaid minis, off-the- shoulder sweaters, low-slung belts and athletic jersey dresses.

In addition to the mesh T-shirts that Urban prizes, there also are push-down socks, reminiscent of the '80s leg-warmer look; ripped- up sweatshirts a la "Flashdance"; and satin bomber jackets.

Rounding out the selection are monogrammed T-shirts, form-fitting track suits, cargo pants and corduroy flared jeans.

Why so much interest in the '80s? Maybe it's the connection to the rebellious attitude of the era. That's what Nicki Gondell thinks. She's an analyst with Trend House Inc., a fashion forecasting firm in New York City.

She notes that the last time punk was around, "we had a very conservative administration in office," referring to former President Reagan.

"A rebellious attitude is a natural reaction to that," she says.

"The other side of the coin is that the '80s were also a time of hedonism and wild partying - and we could all use a hint of madness right about now."

For most students, of course, that madness may only express itself in the creativity of what to mix and match. "Layering is the key," adds Gondell. "Tube tops can be worn over T-shirts, or little halter neck tops can be worn over wider- necked tees for an exciting mix of color and pattern."

But the looks for fall are as individual as the teens who choose them. For Jasmine Barrow, 19, of Berea, interesting fabrics and bright colors are priorities.

She won't be going back to Marietta College this fall without one of the season's must-have fashions - a pink suede jacket with matching bucket hat and gloves.

"Everyone on campus needs a little pea coat or corduroy jacket for fall days, too," she says.

"It's definitely all about the jeans as well," Barrow adds. She is referring to the myriad fabrics, styles, colors and washes that every teen - fashion conscious or not - wears almost every day.

Then again, jeans have been a style staple for a long time. Brie Heath, spokeswoman for Target stores, says she can't remember a back-to-school shopping season without them.

"The jean styles this season feature stretch denim, boot cut and low-riders," she says.

Denim takes on many forms. Like Barrow, Marissa Barron won't head off to her first year of college at Eastern Michigan University without a body-hugging, denim pantsuit that zips up the front and has an attached denim belt. Such body-conscious dressing is popularized by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.

"That's about as dressed up as I'll get," Barron says. Her daily wardrobe features the standard fare of jeans and T-shirts.

But dressing up is something that Heidi Gates, 15, of Brooklyn Heights, looks forward to. She started her back-to-school shopping at J.C. Penney at Parmatown Mall with her dad, Bob Gates, in tow. (He called himself "the money part of the operation.") The two plan to spend about $200 on Heidi's clothes.

Dressing up for the sophomore-to-be at Cuyahoga Heights High School means the addition of either a denim or plaid, pleated skirt to her wardrobe of hip-hugging jeans, capri pants and T-shirts. The skirts - and there are lots of them out there for teens, in short, A-line versions - evoke the dressier, Valley Girl component of the '80s look.

For teens who must wear uniforms, the occasional dress-down days offer the chance to show off their personal styles.

Erica Tripp, 16, of Cleveland, will be a junior at Collinwood High School. Although she has to wear a uniform of black pants or skirt paired with a white shirt with a collar, she likes to add a little cutting-edge style when she can.

"I like Enyce and anything with a designer name," Erica says.

Chantel Victorine, 13, doesn't have to deal with a dress code at Brush High School. The South Euclid teen says she'll be dressed in low-rider, flared jeans and a sports-inspired tank top. "I love anything by baby phat designs or with a designer logo," she says.

Chantel already has two sports team jersey dresses and wants more of them. "I have the blue and white New York dress and the Nuggets dress, but I don't know what sports they play," she says. "I just like the styles."

When it comes to team styles, today's teens say the jersey should match the hat, which should match the shoes, which should match the jewelry. The fashion rule is, if you're going to wear a team's colors, you'll want to accessorize and wear them head to toe.

Accessories, as always, play a big part in the fashion milieu.

"Hoop earrings are the No. 1 seller," says Altrease Taylor, store manager at Claire's Boutique at Richmond Town Center. "It's amazing that they are coming back."

The seemingly larger-than-life earrings come in triangle, square and round shapes and in shades like metallic purple and red, in addition to the standbys of silver and gold.

"Attitude glasses are also a big seller," Taylor says. The specs she refers to aren't prescription; they add a studious look even to teens wearing the most punked-out styles. Jelly Belly lip gloss, Tootsie-Roll flavored lip balm, Blow- Pop nail polish and other retro candy-inspired cosmetics get teens' attention.

"It's so cool - I have to have some," says one teen girl, shopping at Claire's Boutique. That's the mantra of teens and back-to- school shopping.