You can’t run, you can’t hide, the eighties is back, and its even more bold this time around. You can thank (or punch) Marc Jacobs for this, and his autumn 09 shows. Big hair, loud makeup, and bows bows bows! A sneak peak of the filming is Sex and the City 2 shows a very Madonnaesque Carrie with, surprise surprise bows, lace, and flashback makeup. And if the fashion power of Carrie is anything to go by, then you will need to know how to steal the look…

So how do you do it?

Eyes

Nude soft looks and neutral tones are so yesterday, look for in-your-face bold colours, the more theatrical the better. Eyes are the focal point of the 80’s face, so look for pressed shadows with a lot of pigment for good block colours. Try Shu Uemura’s Primitribe range which is inspired by amazonian tribes, flora and fauna.
Also try M.A.C for electric hues, such as cobalt blue, emerald green, bright purple, red and fuchsia. Blend from the lashes until they disappear into the brow, then try a contrasting colour eyeliner for a modern version of an 80’s classic eye. Finish off with lashings of volumous mascara. Line the inner rim of the eyes, but don’t have any Amy Winehouse flicks. Finally accentuate your eyebrows a la Brooke Shields. Voila!

Lips

Forget about kissing, these lips are made for pouting. Bright pink and reds are in this season, but try to focus on either the lips or the eyes, or you might look a little like Coco (the clown, not Chanel). Steer clear of glosses, lips should be matte and in a block colour. NARS’ fabulous Fast Ride lipstick rocks, Don’t forget to use a lipliner for the look.

Cheeks

Use Yves Saint Laurent’s blusher to contour above the cheekbones in a fuchsia or rusty red for razor sharp chops and a look straight off the catwalks.


Hair

The bigger the better, for the diehard 80’s fan, now is the time for your poodle perm you so miss. For the rest, wear barrel curlers overnight, poof up the roots, spray and accentuate with an enormous bow.

Last but not least, ladies please be realistic, with fine lines appearing and late nights of drinking, this look will need maintenance. Excess makeup tends to age everyone, so unless you are fetal, the colour will start to settle in the wrinkles, and you will soon have a face like a googlemap. Make sure you have a good foundation base, pack a compact mirror and go for it, after all Girls just wanna have fun!

All products available from Lane Crawford.