Paula Yates

If you weren’t old enough in the 1980s to recall pops then golden couple, then you might be wondering exactly why Sir Bob Geldof’s daughters, Pixie and Peaches Geldof in particular, are such catnip to the UK press. The reason is their mum, Paula Yates. The flirty, witty and ever-so-saucy blonde was a music journalist turned TV presenter on British TV’s first ever live music show The Tube alongside Jools Holland. Later she was one of the original presenters on the Big Breakfast, the landmark youth culture breakfast show where she fatefully met her last love, INXS's Michael Hutchence. Paula was married to Sir Bob and had their daughters in the 1980s – ‘the decade’ many declare ‘that fashion forgot’. But if that’s so, then go figure why so many style aficionados are currently copying her look?

Paula’s 1980s key look was a mix of 1950s kittenish glamour mixed with punky sophistication. The early 1980s saw her in prom dresses, and either short bunches at the back of her head with a fringe or high 50s hair always finished with bows and hairbands. Later she embraced shorter crops and even quiffs – always peroxide – and cocktail dresses and pearls but always with a punky edge. The copycat look is a mix of the two – denim shorts with black tights (see Alice Dellal) and pumps, bows in the hair (see Lily Allen), cropped leather jackets (see Alexa Chung at Glastonbury). Pixie Geldof’s latest peroxide crop is straight out of the family album. It's a look that's come from the street, and shows no sign of abating. For more inspiration check out pictures of the decades top popbands, Bananarama, Swing Out Sister and Fairground Attraction.