'80s ladies

Fashionistas are no doubt aware of the re-emergence of the '80s in today's clothes. We were discussing this very trend at work the other day -- specifically leggings. This is a controversial topic: Who should wear leggings, and with what layers?

Leggings are fine under knee-length dresses or skirts, we think, but not under a shirt. Some of us think a longer tunic top, belted at the hips if you are truly fashionable, is OK with leggings -- but only if you have really good legs. Miniskirts are fine, again if you have good legs. But some people with thick calves should stay away from leggings entirely. Horizontal striped leggings seem like a bad idea to me. Robin Givhan of the Washington Post is worried about the "democratization" of leggings. I'm disturbed by stirrup pants. Those of us who were around for the trend the first time remember how some folks paired crop tops with leggings. Gross, gross, gross.

I bought a pair of leggings the other day, but I plan to be conservative wearing them (after all, this is Richmond). I'll stick with knee-length skirts, or maybe even another '80s trend: bubble skirts. Yeah. Now where did I put my jelly shoes?