8-05-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians -- Starter Job #169 (Yuppie Culture in NYC, So let’s talk style). . .

Yes indeed, in Working Girl, yuppie style was explained and exhibited very well. . . from the running shoes that girls wore to work then changed into sexy heels at the office to the conservative jewelry, pearls and little tank watches and little gold hoops (hate to admit it but I am partial to that kind of subtle, ladylike jewelry. . . could it be the closet yuppie in me?).

Hairstyles were generally conservative, with excellent cuts, subtly coiffed unless you were one of the “working classes,” where a more extreme female or male hairstyle was tolerated. A true yuppie had short hair if a man, and very manageable hair, if female -- and frequently trimmed by expert, well paid, hairdressers.

Women wore shoulder padded suits and dresses, just like in the 1940’s, when fashion decreed that women could look more formidable, as they actually were given a little more power to achieve, just like in the 1980’s. Some of the suits looked downright mannish, in fact, kinda dowdy. The lines were boxy, not form fitting, and blouses resembled shirts, all buttoned down with little tie-like decorations.

Heels were kind of clunky and toes were squared or round-toed. . . but spikey high heels were also around, let’s not kid ourselves. I had a beautiful purple silk pants suit that I loved, and lots of black skirts. Sweaters weren’t so popular, but jackets and blazers were often worn.

For the men, conservative suits and starched shirts with semi-wide ties were worn, black or brown shiny lace-up wing tip shoes de rigeur. Unusual shirt colors like pink and lavender weren’t yet popular, with white being the uniform, mostly. Later on in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, dark blue shirts became the rage (and they look very nice, in general).

And even though this was all happening, I would wear my beret proudly on my head whenever the temperature dipped below 50. . . and a nice scarf around my neck. I have always had a thing for vintage silk scarves, like my mom.

Oh -- and red lipstick. Definitely red lipstick. So the eighties and yuppie fashion wasn’t ALL that bad. . . just looks dated, now.

8-04-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians -- Starter Job #168 (Yuppie Culture in NYC, Where will it all end for me, already?). . .

Let me repeat those coupla disclaimers, first:

** News flash to loyal readers: not feelin’ my usual healthy self since my CA trip. . . did Jet Blue poison me with their plentiful fun snacks and ”superhealthy” Snack Up box? Hope not! Anyhoo, pardon the (temporary) disappearance. I’ll get back up to speed so hang on & fasten your seatbelts: it’s gonna be a bumpy ride (kinda). . . pickin’ up old memories for me ain’t all roses and chocolates. . .

*** PS - I could use another real good survival job right now: any ideas?

Yuppies on the screen: All right, other than the aforementioned Afterhours by Martin Scorcese, various Yuppie portrayals on the screen helped form the image that we formed and projected of that sometimes scurrilous sociological species: Yuppie.

All right, so there was Michael in The Big Chill.  In the movie, he was called cold and manipulative, and wasn’t very sexy. Played by Jeff Goldblum in thick eyeglasses, he was also a funny Jewish yuppie. Of course, yuppies came in all sizes, ethnicities, and religions. But, on re-watching The Big Chill, it seemed insipid and unsatisfying. Other than seeing a really young and skinny William Hurt, Glenn Close, and the whole rest of the cast (wow -- well, it WAS almost 30 years ago), and having an all right soundtrack, I don’t like it.

Another funny -- and sweet -- yuppie on the screen: Alex in the television show Family Ties, as played by Michael J. Fox. His yuppieism seemed a reactionary move to his liberal hippie-ish parents, who despaired of him ever earning back the soul he sold to the devil of commerce. . . or tried/wanted to sell it.

But of course the greatest yuppie fairy tale of all came with two strong female characters -- played by Sigourney Weaver and Melanie Griffith -- with one dreamy (at the time) romantic lead, a good guy played by Harrison Ford.

If you said Working Girl -- bingo! I’ve got to mention supporting actress Joan Cusack, too, and Alec Baldwin as the philandering Staten Island boyfriend of Melanie Griffith’s character. . . the movie’s premise, plot, characters, and music was all so well done I still kinda love it. . . “I’ve got a mind for business and a body for sin” is just one of the great lines. And how about, “. . . it’s not even lea-thuh!?”

Working Girl is a classic good yuppie/bad yuppie saga. . . and yuppie style was explained and exhibited very well. . .