Postbag - Jon Moss Of Culture Club, The '80s Look For Men, The Skinniest Skinny Fit Jeans EVER, And ALF...

More communications received. And we're thrilled to answer your queries, old mateyboots!

Even our carphone's got its own filofax, so we're well qualified to answer!

Tez asks:

Please, please, PURLEASE (as we used to say in the big hair decade) can you include a pic of Jon Moss from Culture Club?

We can and we have, Tez. Hope you like it! 

Carol says:

I recently bought a "1990s" compilation album with several late 1980s songs on it. Seem bloody strange to me!

Don't fret, Carol, we've bought a "1970s" compilation with music from 1968/1969 and 1980 on it, and a "1980s" compilation with music from 1978/1979 on it. It's quite common for these decade CD compilations to flip back and forward slightly from the stated ten years. It's not just CD compilations, either - the BBC loaded I Love The 1970s with 1960s and 1980s goodies, a 1990s TV ad that was supposedly about the 1970s featured the 1969 hit Sugar Sugar by the Archies, and we once saw a write-up about Technotronic's Pump Up The Jam (1989) which stated that it was the best dance tune of the 1990s. The write-up then went on to rave about how great the 1990s were. We're extremely pedantic here, of course, after all, we are '80s ACTUAL, but many other people are quite "loose" about decades. Don't lose sleep over it.

Vince asks:

I want a look that cries out "1980s"! for the spring and summer, but not a shell suit because I think they're too bright and ugly. I want something that's a modern 1980s look, without looking stupid. No New Romantic lippy and eye-liner, please!

As if we'd advise those! Even we don't do New Romantic. Well, not often. In fact, only a couple of times a month ;)! Mind you, we love a lot of the shell suit designs - highly original and distinctive.

For a genuine, modern (of the time) mid-to-late 1980s look, go for a Miami Vice style jacket (these sometimes crop up on internet auction sites), DO push up or turn back (if there's a smart inner lining) the jacket sleeves, and wear a nice pink pastel t-shirt (blue if you're scared of pink), and skinny fit stone-washed jeans (we think jeans legs were at their very tightest in the 1980s - we could hardly get our feet in!), plus some brightly coloured canvas shoes or jazzy colourful trainers. Consider designer stubble - it's back big time - and some dark "mirror" glasses. Gel or mousse your hair, add some blonde highlights or streaks (these have re-emerged as a fashion trend in recent years anyway) and away you go.

It's a great look - very, very evocative of the 1980s, and comfortable to wear. We think it's one of the best fashion looks ever. If you can't find a genuine 1980s jacket or are nervous about venturing out in one (and we notice with ours that the shoulders, even for blokes, tend to be pretty darned big!), buy a cheap but smart jacket from a chain store. Shiny flecked grey is great, or a nice black one with multi-coloured flecks. The jacket, with sleeves up,  worn as part of the ensemble will instantly date you! As the Pet Shop Boys said: "It's not a crime when you look the way you do, the way I like to picture you..."

Jenny writes:

You leave no '80s stone unturned, it seems. You've got Gilbert the alien, so when does ALF get his moment in the sun?

This is quite a coincidence because I'm currently working on an ALF article with help from a very good friend of mine who loved the show. Please keep popping in!