‘80s fashion ditched the bulky layers in winter, but zippers still fought back
A reporter shed layers, tried Octax long johns and quipped about his “own brand of insulation” while testing winter gear in 1987.
Keeping warm on these cold winter days takes some doing. I went out and I bought the most expensive down coat I could find, maybe *** t-shirt, blouse, sweatshirt. I wear long johns. I’ve got insulated vests and shoes and all kinds of clothing. Yeah, me too. I like to, I like to bundle up here, keep warm, oops, uh, can somebody pick this up for me please? But for those who don’t like the layered look, good news, Finn is in. Is that right? Well, I guess I better take some of this stuff off then. I gotta be in style out here on the job, you know. You want something that’s going to be able to be moved freely. You use thinner materials and everything from *** ski pant to *** jacket to *** glove. Thin fiber and new jacket technology have made winter jackets thinner and running gear lighter. Let’s see, unzip some of these windbreakers here. And underneath it all, long johns also following the trend with such new materials as arctas. 30%. Lighter than the heavier, uh, long john. And it’s warmer. All right. I got my longing on too. Let, let me show you. Light yet warm, *** lot different from what grandpa used to wear. You may not believe it, but underneath this suit, long johns. You may not believe it, but underneath all this, I have my own brand of insulation. That’s right, folks. I hear *** cry for help. Please excuse me. To make *** long story short, this hot new trend will go *** long way toward keeping you warm this winter. Oh, wouldn’t you know my zipper is stuck. Must be made of kryptonite. I’m beginning to feel weak. I’m coming.
‘80s fashion ditched the bulky layers in winter, but zippers still fought back
A reporter shed layers, tried Octax long johns and quipped about his “own brand of insulation” while testing winter gear in 1987.
The 1980s produced plenty of loud looks, but winter gear was getting lighter. In a 1987 story, reporter Wendall Woodbury said bulky layering was falling out of favor because “thin is in,” and he showed off newer jackets and running gear designed to reduce weight. He also pointed to Octax long johns, which he said were “30% lighter” than heavier long underwear while also warmer. The demonstration ended with a familiar cold-weather problem: his zipper stuck as he tried to peel off layers. Watch the full story in the video above.If you liked this story, check out our archival playlist:
The 1980s produced plenty of loud looks, but winter gear was getting lighter.
In a 1987 story, reporter Wendall Woodbury said bulky layering was falling out of favor because “thin is in,” and he showed off newer jackets and running gear designed to reduce weight. He also pointed to Octax long johns, which he said were “30% lighter” than heavier long underwear while also warmer.
The demonstration ended with a familiar cold-weather problem: his zipper stuck as he tried to peel off layers. Watch the full story in the video above.
If you liked this story, check out our archival playlist: