Going back to the future: plastic watches

Swatch, the Swiss brand that sparked a worldwide craze for bold, cartoony watches 25 years ago, is still kicking out timepieces fit for a “Square Pegs” episode. Lately, we’ve spotted Eastside L.A. girls and guys sporting several Swatches on one arm, just like back in ’84.

Freestyle USA has reissued its Shark watch -- the zany, multicolored watches were big with SoCal surfers in the early ‘80s. And Paul Frank is doing the nerdy-chic thing with a red, rubbery calculator watch.

Vans has a bubble-gum pink watch that scrolls the time across its screen in red digital numbers, ticker-tape style.

For a more subtle take on the trend, Casio G-Shock, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in May, has an oversized gray model flecked with neon green, or the slightly smaller Casio Baby-G in solid white.

This time around, it’s not about pairing neon watches with florescent Body Glove T-shirts. Subtlety is key. Think of these timepieces as colorful plumage, best revealed in unexpected ways -- say, a black sheath dress with a chunky, red sports watch, or a neon Shark with a white silk blouse.

“It’s great when men wear them with suits or girls wear them with contrasting colors like black or gray,” says Jodi Leesley, a stylist who’s worked with Jennifer Lopez and the neon-loving Beck. “The watches are naturally very casual, so wearing them at night with a dressy outfit -- when it doesn’t make much sense -- is really interesting.”