Party Like It's 1989.

Around these parts, we know how to party.


It begins with a simple comment on a Monday morning:  "Um, by the way.  Don't make any plans for Friday night.  And, you and I will need some sort of 80's attire.  But I can't tell you why.  Do you think you could find my Ferris Bueller's sweater?"
I suppose if my party costume budget were 5000 dollars or something, then yes.  I could find Ferris Bueller's sweater, sure.  BUT, if the party costume budget is more in the area of hello-I-live-in-reality-why-don't-you-join-me, well, then you may need to settle for a simple lame 80's button down sweater vest.  That'll do, right?


So, I went to work.  Rather, I went to the thrift store.  I found the epitome of "delicious 80's little black cocktail dress" - complete with that awful cheap looking satin stuff - short in the front with a train in the back.  Awesome.  Unfortunately, it would not zip the entire way up.  So I cut it apart.  I just sliced right across, cutting off the bottom of the dress right above the waist.  I cut out that awesome plastic boning (since it was strapless as well), folded the top down and added a hook and eye.  BAM.  Classic high end 80's skirt.  With a TRAIN - did I mention that?  But I wasn't done, oh no.  I used an old crinoline - the type you wear under your wedding dress - to make a petticoat.  I cut off the top to shorten it, added an elastic waist and sewed hot pink tulle all around the bottom in pleats - a quadruple layer.  I added a (n extremely unflattering) skin tight leopard print top.  Can you guess who I am???  

To top it off, I found this awesome jacket with lace sleeves and A HEART CUT-OUT in the back.  Oh, yeah, baby.  Rock.  

By the way, that's a side mullet.  Party on the side, business on the... other side.  At least that's what I'm going with.  I made that out of a wig which I cut apart and hot glued on barrettes.  Let's accesorize, shall we?  I needed about three tons of jelly bracelets and plastic bangles for my arms, obviously, along with lace glovelets.  Which I was really excited to find, by the way.  I also added about 6 tons of beaded necklaces and some hot pink heels.  My hair and makeup?  Well, perhaps I should just show you my inspiration photos.

Jewelry and hair inspiration

leopard print; style inspiration... gosh I wish I still had a crimper.

Layered skirt/petticoat/tulle inspiration

Makeup inspiration - bright red lips and yellow and green eyes.

All photos found here.


That's right.  Girl's just wanna have fun.  And I sure did.


(As you can tell, I do my research when it comes to costumes.  It's the theatre side of me.)


As for mr's Ferris Bueller sweater, well, it was an impossibility.  He rejected the two I found - one was the right colors and not a decent pattern, the other was a fun squiggly pattern and not the right colors.  I even cut them apart and made one sweater out of both of them.  No go.  Finally, the day of necessity, I found a tan sweater vest and hand painted the pattern on with black fabric paint.  I used this picture to go off of:

source

Then I had no time to actually make it into a button down vest, so I hot glued black blanket binding up the front and around the neck.  And, yes, I hot glued the buttons on as well.  So it went from a plain, solid, tan, boring, pull over vest (totally normal, actually) to this:

And when I found the white dress shoes and sharpie'd their soles so they'd be black, then gave him some sunglasses (which, unfortunately aren't pictured) I think he pulled it off, at least a little - pretty good for doing it all in one day:

source

As for the kiddos, bug became a grunge rocker - I cut off the arms to an old plaid shirt he had, then ripped a few well placed holes.  I also threw bleach all over his old jeans and let it sit for about 15 minutes, then washed them on regular.  Now you know the secret to acid-wash jeans.  It's just bleach.  Oh, and did you know that it is pretty much impossible to turn curly hair into a mohawk?  Without using pod podge, that is.  I thought about it, but decided against it.  So it's just a wannabe mohawk.

mini was what I actually was in my childhood.  The die-hard NKOTB fan.  She wore the big baggy shirt - hand painted to read "I love Joey" - knotted on her hip.  I had to hot glue some strips of fabric to the shoulder area to keep the shirt on her, and it looks like she's wearing a tank top underneath.  We paired it with pink leggings and three (yep, count 'em) pairs of socks all scrunched down.  Her wristlets are authentic 80's knee highs in awesome colors. Along with the jellies and hot pink shoes (which were 3 sizes too big, thanks to the socks), I also gave her a high pony. 

 And now you know what I looked like through the majority of my fifth grade career.

We also had a lot of guest appearances at the party - like the metal head and his hot groupie girlfriend.  

Also, the wannabe cool kids, whom I will at this time use to illustrate exactly why I think the entire decade should be expunged from the fashion records.

Need I say more?  Though they do look great as far as dressing for this particular party goes.
I do have to point out that this looks completely normal:

Legwarmers, tunic, leggings, headband... wait a minute.  Is this 80's or NOW???  That was a scary realization to come to...
(Please excuse this side tangent.  Dear El, I know you're upset about the face you're making in this picture.  Right now you're saying, "What the heck am I doing?" and I have to admit, I don't know.  But this was the only one I had of just you, and really, funny expressions and everything, you always look great.  Don't worry, there are better ones below.  Love, Kim)


We played guitar hero.  

(Another side tangent.  That is my nephew with El's husband.  They were inseparable all night, which was awesome because it looked like Chad was being followed around by his former self... a little mini twin.)


We sang awesome 80's karaoke - B-52's, A-Ha, Journey, What I Like About You, The Heat is On... you know, the good stuff.

We ate normal food.  It wasn't from the 80's.  That would have just made everyone sick.


And although I lost the costume contest to this darn head banger with luscious locks, it was a fun night.

That's my brother, by the way.  Totally his real hair.  Just kidding.


But I still don't want the 80's to make a comeback.

*Be sure to check just below for all the fun parties I link to!