Suggestive phrases was another problem to deal with as far as dress code went. That was more appalling IMO than the jeans with the shredded knees. There was a shirt that had 2 large handprints on the chest area; like that was on open invitation for a young teen with too many hormones to have a try fitting their hands there. Sometimes parents didn't even know their kids had these clothes; they'd buy them on their own, keep them in lockers and change into them when they got to school. It was difficult to get the girls to understand what a danger it was to wear the clothes with the suggestive phrases. Edey 

Yeah, I sort of remember those kinds of shirts, just wasn't into that myself. The punk era was coming in to play just as I was graduating high school. Fortunately for me my dd isn't into that kind of thing. She might write on some old jeans or something, but usually something like song lyrics. I told her nothing that is suggestive or violent though. The school she will be attending this year is a bit leanient with regard to clothing as long as no violent phrases or too suggestive or too revealing. The school she is going to is a magnet school. They have a fine arts program, which is right up her alley. I think for once she is going to fit right in. LOL

 Maybe she can check out some CD's from your local library from some of the bands that were popular in the 80's who's style she is trying to emulate.  That would give her some creative ideas I would think.  Also, maybe she can try renting some of the popular movies from that time frame and use them to get ideas too (Something Kind of Wonderful is popping in my head).  As far as doing it on the cheap, have her try looking at Dollar stores or even eBay for notions before hitting up the fabric store.  Those can get really pricey, especially with items that have a "vintage" feel to them.

The movie title is "Some Kind of Wonderful", oopsies!  I'm thinking about the part played by Mary Stuart Masterson when you are describing what "look" your daughter is going for.

It sounds as if your daughter is actually into the Emo/Punk look (less chains, cleaner, more stylized, with more colour).

-Try cutting off the sleeves of an old thread bare T- shirt to use as legwarmers (make sure there are no finished edges)

-The arm warmer look was origanly acheived by cutting a thumb hole in long shirts, cutting up a pair of tights, or using wide grained ribbon wrapped around the hand and arm and tied.

-T-shirts can be modified in many ways- start by cutting out the neckband and replacing it with bias tape this allows for the proper look while still meeting many school dress codes.  The shirt can now be laced up the back for a Corset effect, providing some of the modern fit requirements.  The shirt may also be slit up the side, cut down and laced together. 

-Simplicity has a lovely corset-style design that has directions for making it out of fusible webbing and magazines- would be extremely cool in the scene, and helps your daughter learn some valuable skills (ironing, sewing, scounging, following directiond)

-For jewelry, wire  or ribbon wrap objects found in the garage or in old computer graveyards

Fashions are reborn by changing the lines on things.  This wave of 80's retro has a dropped waistline (even the pants), solid blocks of colour, small flat shoes, the shirts that are worn full have a peasent tunic neckline and a dropped gathered waist, really more Chanel circa 1927 than Madonna 1986. The hair and make-up are very Mod/ Audry Hepburn in the 60's.  Have your daughter look at these era's in fashion, and why the fashions came about, and she should be able to predict what the next subtle change will be- being ahead of the curve can make things cheaper, and allow for making a profit when you are sick of your old clothes and want to sell them.

I wore the punk look in the 80s. Denim jackets or men's blazers with tons of buttons on them. Those Boy of London overalls. Button down shirts with sleeves ripped off. Converse high-tops. Neon colors or black. Denim miniskirts with ripped tights. Doc Martens. 50s petticoats worn as skirts. Big studded belts.

 (I still think all that stuff looks great.)

 If your daughter looks up www.craftster.com there is a section on refashioning clothing. There are a lot of different categories for craft. quite a few people on there like the punk/goth style too. I'm sure she will get some ideas after looking though some of the posts there. They have categories on shoes and jewelery too. Often there are tutorials on how to do something too.

There are a few books around "generation T" I think is one. Search on Amazon there are a few for altering t-shirts in many ways. 

You could also look on Flickr. There are photo groups for every style imaginable on there! Just do a search of groups maybe. and Punk rock or 80s fashion. 

Hope this helps. 

All the best with the refashioning!!

Ruth 

My sister is into punk & she recommends the following:

wrist bands, jelly bracelets leg warmers, you can cut sweat shirts into t-shirts and wear them over tank tops, use what you cut off the sleeves of the sweat shirt to cut into rings for scrunchies for hair, hmm......gloves with the fingers cut out, anything bright colored and doesnt match. patches of any sort sewn with white waxed dental floss, t-shirts or long sleeved ones with the sleeves cut out of both, and the sides cut, then sewn up with dental floss to be more form fitting, and anything with colorful layers, if it doesnt fit and is too small, put a t-shirt that is too big over it to get a colorful layered look.

mommatothree:

"Some Kind of Wonderful",

That's absolutely one of my favorite 80's movies. LOL

 Sorry I haven't responded sooner, just have been very busy and not on line much.

Thanks for all of your ideas ladies! Some very good ones. My dd has been doing some of these things all ready, but the t-shirt thing is more of the direction she has been going. Then, yesterday (I am so happy about this) she decided to try knitting again. Now that she has figured out that she can make some very cool stuff by knitting, she is all into that. She made a cute scarf and now making some wristlets. LOL She is going to town. After all, school starts in less than a week.