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Drew’s Movie Reviews and Kim at Tranquil Dreams host the Ultimate 80s Blogathon. The event begins February 15th. And it is no secret that I LOVE THE 1980s, and in my opinion, the ultimate 80s movie is Pretty in Pink!

pretty-in-pink-movie-poster

Just start with the poster because it is quite clear we are getting some awesome 80s fashion.

The Plot

According to this film, prom is the most important moment in Andie Walsh’s (Molly Ringwald) high school career. Her mildly depressed-slacker father (Harry Dean Stanton) reinforces this pro-prom mentality. Upon waking he asks his daughter, “did you get asked to the prom, yet?” Her boss Iona describes it as a rite of passage, “it’s awful, it’s supposed to be”, she leads Andie to believe that if she doesn’t go, she’ll always feel something is missing.

For being an unpopular girl at her high school, Andie Walsh has decent prom date options:

  • Duckie, the super-hip and annoyingly adorable best friend (Jon Cryer)
  • Steff (James Spader) the popular guy with a fetish for girls in their grandmother’s clothes (more in a bit)
  • Bland Blaine (Andrew McCarthy) a spineless  weasel with a perpetually frightened expression

Most girls either are on Team Blaine or Team Duckie, I am on Team Steff! Yes, he’s a jerk, but come on is there a competition?

While Andie and Duckie come from working class families, Steff and Blaine are “Richies” who live in mansions. Their high school is in the midst of a massive culture clash, the poor kids vs. the rich kids, and Andie is the poor girl who can cross the social boundaries, at least with the boys, kind of like Cinderella!

The film’s plot features 80s technology, and Blaine woos Andie via computer!

See that? Flirting via an archaic IM!

As the romance between Blaine and Andie blossoms, they discover there is no world where they can be a “we”! All Andie’s friends assume Blaine is a snob, and all Blaine’s friends think she’s trash.

The Fashion

Andie exacerbates things with her stunning wardrobe choices. Her wardrobe sounds great in theory, a little DIY, a little vintage, creative upcycling and a lot of pink.

Honestly, I think we all had some questionable fashion choices in high school, I know I did (shudders while picturing a dragon tank top, thread dreads, a choker, baggy jeans, and flip flops).

Since this movie is all about fashion, let’s look at Andie’s clothes!

Duckie describes the outfit below as a “Volcanic Ensemble”! She is wearing this number when Steff hits on her, yes in this outfit! What you can’t see in this photo is the outfit also includes a floral vest and an ankle length white skirt.

An

Ankle

Length

White

Skirt?!

The horror! What guy under 90 would find this outfit attractive? Steff that is who! I imagine he also gets off on the smell of cough drops, mothballs, and cat. It looks like a grandmother would wear it, not my grandmother, my grandmother looks like Jane Fonda, but someone else’s grandmother.

I think Duckie wants Andie to look bad so no one will like her because there is NOTHING “volcanic” about this look. But she can still get hot guys dressed like this!

The gray short sleeved suit pictured below is what Andie wears for her first date with Blaine. When he picks her up, he asks her if she wants to go home and change. How embarrassing. I get major fremd­schä­men for Andie, but she rolls with that look. Such a brave girl.

I know it’s the 1980s, but why does no one discourage this look?

But occasionally she pulls together something I would totally wear if I were an 80s teen! Forget that, I am wearing the outfit with the blue cardigan tomorrow! I love that outfit, it is completely cute!

This film features the full spectrum of mid 80s fashion: shoulder pads, vests, bolo ties, suspenders, flipped collars, maxi skirts, pork pie hats, creepers, mismatched earrings, Hawaiian shirts, pastels, moussed hair, blow-dried feathers, loafers with no socks, post-punk and new wave. Pretty in Pink is the ultimate 80s fashion parade.

Andie’s boss Iona is the film’s best-dressed character. I love that Iona has no distinct style, she wears whatever she wants. While Iona appears non-80s, retro 40s and retro 60s looks were “in” during the 1980s.

One last fashion point, we cannot talk about this film, without covering the infamous homemade prom dress.

Oh my God! The dress on the right is sooooooooooooooooooo 80s!

Andie: A Feminist Icon

I had a lot of fun laughing at the 80s fashion, but honestly, Andie is my hero.

Don’t underestimate Andie, despite her pink wardrobe, she is a tough girl who can take care of herself.

I think this is why Pretty in Pink resonates so strongly with female audiences.

The Soundtrack

Rolling Stone ranked Pretty in Pink number 11 out of the 25 best soundtracks of all-time. It features “Pretty in Pink” by The Psychedelic Furs, “Bring on the Dancing Horses” by Echo and The Bunnymen, and “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths. The Pretty in Pink soundtrack is a perfect snapshot of cool music mid-1980s. However, the best song is the film’s last song “If You Leave” by OMD.

An Ultimate 80s Classic: The Legacy Lives On

Pretty in Pink was released almost 30 years ago. To celebrate this 80s classic, Paramount is re-releasing this film to theaters for a special two-night event on February 14th and February 17th! You can purchase tickets here.

Make sure you visit Drew’s Movie Reviews and Kim at Tranquil Dreams on February 15th and check out the Ultimate 80s Blogathon!

Ciao for Now, Dearies!

Resources

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/the-25-greatest-soundtracks-of-all-time-20130829/pretty-in-pink-1986-19691231

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