Hairstyles are one of the last things most would choose to remember about the 1980s, but they're hard to forget—especially for a line of styling products that came to prominence in the days of teased bangs, crimping irons, and rock-hard gel. So Aussie Hair Care chose to embrace the decade of its birth (as well as the '90s and today) with a retrospective 30th birthday party for several dozen beauty editors and bloggers at Bungalow 8 Tuesday night that culminated with an appearance by '80s pop star Tiffany.
The celebration, produced by Event Energizers, aimed to illustrate how Aussie products have evolved with styles and consumer hair care demands over the past three decades. Stylist Sarah Potempa and one of the Aussie scientists took the specially designed purple stage and walked the intimate audience through the years with models sporting some extreme hairstyles, like the teased bouffant worn by Married With Children’s Peg Bundy and Jennifer Aniston’s omnipresent “Rachel” hair from Friends. The heavy scientific jargon (made even more confusing by the free-flowing mojitos, bellinis, and cosmopolitans) was tempered by a slideshow of iconic 'dos from popular culture and tips from Potempa on how to achieve current looks.
References to the decades worked their way into every element of the party, from the eclectic soundtrack of New Kids on the Block, Paula Abdul, and No Doubt to the colorfully titled menu. Miniature grilled cheeses were “Gossip Girl grilled cheeses,” and figs with mascarpone paid homage to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Even the night’s signature cocktails took cues from TV characters of the decades, like "Blair’s Belini," named after the spoiled girl from The Facts of Life.
After Aussie’s presentation, Tiffany took the stage for a brief and bubbly performance. Most guests got to their feet and joined the singer on the dance floor as she closed the night with a few of her more current tunes.
