The 80’s Inspired Art Take 2

Ah, yes, time again for more art.

This time we’re taking a look at Storm (Ororo Munroe from X-Men for those of you who aren’t quite sure) alongside her beau from that time period, Forge.  Man, I miss these two as a couple.  Their breakup was so bittersweet and “wtf” inducing.

I always had a soft spot for the Storm Mohawk look.  It was trendy, daring, especially during a time when most of the women were wearing less clothes to look ’sexy’.  Quite frankly, I think the mohawk made Storm MORE sexy, because it was a hair-do that she pulled off with her trademark grace and goddess-like demeanor.

The next art post will probably be a whole slew of 80’s inspired fashion stuff… mainly because Halloween is slowly approaching and wouldn’t we all like some costume ideas!  Maybe Jem and the Holograms as the subject matter?  Who knows?  I suppose you’ll have to come back to see.

Popularity: 17% [?]

80’s Inspired Art

So sometimes I draw stuff.  Go figure!

Today I was trying to figure out some more stuff to add to this lovely site here, and it occured to me to put some new pictures.  Only problem with that is that I don’t exactly have too many things to scan up that are 80’s related.  But then I remembered I draw so there!  Problem solved.

For those of you who don’t know, the X-Men comic has been around since 1963 and their team members have gone through an array of costume changes throughout the decades.  The character shown here is Rogue, most noted for the white stripe in her hair and southern accent but also known for using costumes that cover her full body.  Though this one is a waist up shot, the full costume consisted of a full length black body suit, a short shirt that hung off one shoulder, thigh high boots, a pair of gloves, and two white belts that sort of hung sideways off either side of her hip.  Gotta love those 80’s aerobic inspired uniforms.

Possibly more art to come (anything to add content, right?) but for now, you get one.  I’m seriously debating Jem and the Holograms pictures because it is lacking on the net in general.

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Confessions of a Jheri Curl

It was 1986 and the Jheri curl was wet, sexy and cool.

For the glistening shiny look you had to spray it with activator every few hours, you had to endure the occasional chemical burn on your scalp and you had to live with Jheri curl juice stains. I know this because I am a Jheri Curl juice survivor. It is with great shame that I confess my Jheri curl survival.

My Chemical Romance?

Before you pass judgment on my chemical dependency please remember that the Jheri curl was actually considered attractive. I had girls approach me when my hair was dripping with activator. Also, keep in mind that it was the 80s so there were scores of hairstyle atrocities against humanity that were not only accepted but considered “totally awesome”, “fresh”, “killer” or whatever other stupid 80s superlative you want to nail to it. Here are a few awful hairstyles that were considered “gnarly”:

the mullet/mouse tail. Any combination of short or medium length hair followed by a long crop of uncut trashiness in the back. Large side burns and/or spiky top a plus.

new “flock of seagulls” wave. Basically a reverse mullet with highlights and make up. Really long bangs that can be combed over half of the face.

Big Rocker hairs. See Poison (80s).

Gumby. Hair cut short on the sides, combed high on top of the head and shaped at an angle like Gumby’s head.

Knowing that there were other terrible hairstyles running free in the wild does not make me feel any better about having a Jheri curl. Furthermore, I don’t want or need you filthy pity. I just want you to understand the context of my addiction to hair chemicals.

What Would Jesus Do?

Just then a rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered that Jesus said to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter began to cry very hard. – Mark 14:72

I knew at the time how blasphemous the Jherri curl was. Once my friends father asked me: “what happened to your hair? Is that a Jherri curl?” And I denied it. Yeah.. that’s right. I lied to his face even as imagines spraying activator in his face. I said it was just water in my hair of something equally ridiculous because water alone would never make my hair less nappy than it was.

If Jesus had come back in the 1988, as predicted by American Evangelist Hal Lindsey, I don’t think that the Son of Man would have sported a Jheri curl. Don’t get me wrong, it would be kind of cool to see Jesus sporting a curl or a perm like Reverend Sharpton, but honestly he’s a savior NOT a pimp.

So how did I overcome the sacrilege of World’s of Curl? Three words – Male Patterned Baldness. While being bald does not win me the side long glances of the ladies, it does grant something that activator never did: human dignity.

Popularity: 25% [?]

80s hair dos

I had a few 80s hair dos and even a 70s one. Looking back on the 80s and comparing it to some of the other decades, I must say the 80s is as flamboyant and crazy as 18th century “big wig” era styles. Just think of the big hair rock bands, chemicalized hair dos such as the jheri curl.

I shamelessly present to you, “My 80s hair do timeline:”

AFRO (a big one) - late 70s

I was in Kindergarden and 1st grade with an Afro. I looked like young black Jesus. I went to an all white school surrounded by a lot of neo-nazi types so I don’t know why mom had me stand out even more with a ‘fro.

Jheri Curl - ‘85

If you were born sometime in the 80s then you probably don’t realize that Micheal Jackson is a black man. Some people say that he is “weird” or he looks like a “white woman” or that he “molests young boys”. I can say one word to erase all these ridiculous allegations: THRILLER. BECAUSE THIS IS THRILLER, THRILLER NIGHT. GOT TO BE STARTIN’ SOMTHIN’ GOT. BILLY JEAN IS NOT MY LOVER, JOMONE!! Now bow down to MJ!

The jehri curl was incredibly popular because Micheal Jackson made it popular (this was before Pepsi lit his highly flamable jheri curl on on fire.) Ice cube used to also keep it real with the jehri curl back in when the jehri curl was the most “gangsta” 80s hair do you could get.

Shag - ‘87

The shag is something I don’t see a lot of information about online. It is as if people are trying to pretend that it didn’t exist. The shag was like a black man’s mullet. I was short hair all over except for longer hair or a “shag” in the back on the neck. Nearly, every young black male I knew went through a “shag” phase.

S-Curl - ‘89

The S-Curl is actually more of a 90’s style. It is the coolest hair style in my oppinion. It is just like the jehri curl as it uses chemicals to get the arabic wet curly look, but it was for shorter hair and used less chemicals.

Gumby - 8?

This is by far the dumbest 80s hair do that I attempted to have. The gumby hair style let a young male fro in the shape of Gumby’s head, hence the name. Some guys could pull it off. Big Daddy Cane made it look good.

 

Want more 80s hair dos? click here.

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