Lately walking through the mall feels more like a time warp than a shopping spree. `80s fashion is back and better than ever.

Stores are overflowing with `80s inspired clothing and accessories.

Many people look back at the `80s and remember legwarmers and mullets.

Luckily those particular styles didn’t survive the comeback.

What has resurfaced, however, are old punk favorites like grafitti prints adorned with safety pins and the preppy look of stripes, pleats and polos.

Asymmetrical hemlines and necklines are hot, and jeans are once again going tapered.

What makes this comeback possible is the subtle ways designers are reworking old concepts, according to Liza Kindred, store manager of Express at North Grand Mall.

“Part of what makes the revival ironic is that the colors are more subdued and not the neon we saw in the past,” Kindred says.

The `80s trend has growing support all over the United States.

In the spring 2001 fashion shows, pace setting designers like Rebecca Taylor, Jill Stuart and Anand Jon premiered their `80s inspired collections.

One-shouldered tops, miniskirts, lingerie for daywear, aviator shades and lots of gold flooded the runways.

As for mainstream `80s fashion, “the most ubiquitous trend is the one-shouldered top. You can go anywhere and find one,” Kindred says.

Katie Allen, partner at Express, says that her favorite part of the `80s revival is the denim.

“I just love the worn-out look,” she says. “It’s like the black pant, it’s so in right now.”

How long can we expect to see this blast from the past last?

Fashion experts anticipate it to be strong in the fall, but come spring it is expected to die out again – a cycle typical of most fashion trends.

When deciding whether to support the comeback, it’s important to remember a few key things.

First and foremost, some styles are best left in the past.

Legwarmers and mullets are prime examples.

Second, don’t go all out. Remember, in this case, less is more.

And lastly, have fun with it.

Anything `80s, whether it be the music of Duran Duran and Ah-a, or the clothes, emits a fun-loving vibe.

Use it to your advantage.