I think the 1980's were appalling in regards of fashion so in that respect Robert was no better or worse than anyone else although he did have to defend the ballet pumps in the Radio Clyde interview stating that it helped with his movement onstage. Musically Robert seems to have (IMHO) really been listening the more Avant Guard edges of UK pop and New Wave rather than rock. I think it is most obvious with Shaken n Stirred with references to Art of Noise, China Crisis and Scritti Politti. Oddly enough I too like Shaken n Stirred because it is well bonkers even by the standards of the day. Remember though this era had many established artists flop in the charts. Kate Bush was just about to release her comeback LP Hounds of Love; Peter Gabriel was at least three years away from the global smash "So" and Scott Walker was really going to go to some strange places. Robert at this point really seems to have wanted to keep away from anything close to established rock sounds and to be fair having Robbie Blunt's guitar synthesised really dates the LP terribly above everything else but his vocals are wonderful especially on Sixes and Sevens and Too Loud would have been lorded by the critics if it had appeared on another artists LP. Also I would love to know how confessional his lyrics were. I can see rock fans hating the steps he took post Zep but you can see the intent and results that all the successes and failures later led to. I still think there is no excuse for those silk jumpsuits.