NEW YORK -- Dust off that satin bomber jacket and pull on those tube socks -- right to the knee, please -- then delve into the attic on a mission to find your roller skates: "Xanadu" is opening on Broadway soon. Back to the '80s: Roller disco merchandise for "Xanadu" is on display at the Helen Hayes Theatre. After a postponement because of an actor's injury, the show is set to open July 10 at the Helen Hayes Theatre.
Could this be the start of a roller disco redux? Before you shake your head in disbelief, consider that Macy's giant Herald Square store plans a "Roller Boogie"-themed in-store boutique, leggings already have become ubiquitous, and gold lame had a presence on the red carpet at the Oscars this year (a Carolina Herrera gown worn by Jada Pinkett Smith). Sure, the 1980s might very well be the most maligned fashion decade, but many of its key looks are being worn today -- maybe those wearing sorbet-colored tube tops and white-trimmed jogging shorts simply don't know that those pieces had their first heyday as accessories to old-school, four-wheel skates.
At a recent preview of "Xanadu," a musical based on the 1980 movie starring Olivia Newton-John about a muse who encourages a starving artist to pursue his dreams of building a roller rink, the cast wore the metallic leggings, graphic T-shirts and barrettes made of woven satin ribbon. That was all to be expected. But what was particularly noticeable was the mint green dance dress, yellow track jacket and hot pink metallic shoes on a woman in the audience -- she could've jumped onstage and blended in seamlessly.
The roller disco clothes of the early 1980s are just like the candy their bright hues and shiny exteriors imitate -- they're tempting but should be kept to small doses. How to get it right: Focus on finding the shape. "The inspiration I've taken from the '80s is the general silhouette," says Stacy Bendet, founder of Alice + Olivia.
"A high-waisted pant -- you can be completely elongated by it. Skinny jeans can be sexy." Use of color to get the right shape can help, too.
Try black legwarmers tucked into black or brown boots and worn with a black sweaterdress and black leggings, she says. A pair of Dolphin shorts can go a long way. The thing about the roller disco look is that while it is flashy and even sometimes skimpy, it always looks neat and not too revealing.
There is an athletic practicality to it, too. If you have short shorts, consider a top that is either looser, perhaps a blousoned halter, or a bodysuit, which, although it's tight, provides a lot of coverage. If you want to be more subtle, a T-shirt and flouncy miniskirt can give off the '80s vibe, especially if it's in an upbeat color.
If you remember the 1980s look from the first time around, act your age. Macy's fashion director Russell Orlando describes the modern version of the '80s look -- camisole-strap bodysuits with a front cinch detail, tie-back halter tops -- that his store is mimicking as "East Coast preppy meets Venice Beach." The preppy details are the pink-and-green color combinations and slim polo shirts, styled with the collar up, of course.
Somehow roller skates bridged the style between the boardwalk and the tennis courts at the club. Women who don't want to wear tube tops and short shorts can still go for pieces like a zip-front track jacket, yet another take on the hoodie, and a great pair of low-profile, contrast-color sneakers, like the recently relaunched Vintage Nike Running collection. Create the right face.
Debbi Hartley-Triesch, national beauty and fragrance director for Nordstrom, says it was important for the face to glimmer and glisten, but not have the overdone eye or the sticky lips of the mid-'70s. She suggests MAC Cosmetics' Tendertones colored lip balms and Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, a lightly pearlized powder. Customer Service Site Index Terms of Service Send feedback about IndyStar.
com Subscribe Now Jobs with us Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights, updated August, 2006. NEW YORK -- Dust off that satin bomber jacket and pull on those tube socks -- right to the knee, please -- then delve into the attic on a mission to find your roller skates: "Xanadu" is opening on Broadway soon.
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