Fashion Synopsis

“Bright light! Bright light!”

Gizmo, the adorable little creature from the movie Gremlins, couldn’t survive exposure to bright lights. He never would have made it through the pageant of blinding fluorescent colors that attacked the eyes in the 80’s. The groundbreaking color of neon infected a preppy, pastel-happy land, and color has never been the same.

First seen in the neon rubber bracelets made famous by the likes of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, these outrageous colors soon glowed and gleamed in everyday wear. Flourscent color found itself in jewelry, clothing and even makeup.

As bright and shocking as neon signs, these colors were rarely found in nature (and when they are, it’s usually in the depths of the earth and with the assistance of a blacklight). Fluorescent colored dyes were the brightest things to come to clothes in ages. A sweatshirt of fluorescent orange, hot pink lipstick, neon green socks, two-tone fluorescent Chuck Taylor All-Stars with fat neon laces…not since the 60’s had psychedelics done such a number on the eyes.

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