Erin Burns, a sophomore anthropology major at Carnegie Mellon University, decided to throw together an ensemble of purple jumper, white shirt, wide brown belt and scuffed, brown leather boots.

She said it wasn't quite what she was going for -- it probably was more of a 1970s look, really -- but Miss Burns was hoping it was good enough.

"Luckily, I have naturally 'large' hair."

Large hair goes a long way when you're shooting for that 1987 look. Miss Burns and about 30 others showed up at the entrance to Kennywood Park Sunday morning to register as unpaid extras for a feature film that was to begin shooting there yesterday.

"Adventureland," written and directed by Greg Mottola of "Superbad" fame, is a comedy set in 1987, about a recent college graduate who takes a seemingly nowhere job at an amusement park.

The film's production schedule calls for work at the park through Nov. 16.

"We're skewing toward younger people," said Anthony Mahramus, whose work for Sidney Kimmel Entertainment includes finding background extras.

"If you sign up and we give you a call, it's not like 'Oh yeah, it's 12 hours every day. There are 16 shooting days and if you can do a random Tuesday or just one day a week, we want you," Mr. Mahramus said.

Background extras are promised a glimpse of the movie's stars --Jesse Eisenberg and Ryan Reynolds -- and will receive snacks and a T-shirt.

Wardrobe is not provided, which is one of the reasons Mr. Mahramus wanted the potential extras to dress in vintage 1980s apparel.

The Adventureland casting website (www.Adventureland VolunteerExtras.blogspot. com) has photos and suggestions. Mr. Mahramus said he is still accepting applications this week; contact information is on the Web site.

Two more casting calls are this weekend at Kennywood, which opens at 7 p.m. for Fright Nights. Saturday's hours are 1-4 p.m. and Sunday's from 6 to 9 p.m.

For the '80s look, think Jon Cryer's Duckie in "Pretty In Pink" (1986) or Mia Sara in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986). Some of the extras went more for Madonna's "Desperately Seeking Susan" look from 1985: the lace, fingerless gloves, capri tights under short skirt, ripped denim.

Madonna seemed to be Sara Presogna's muse. Miss Presogna, a University of Pittsburgh student from Erie, strolled around wearing a black Mickey Mouse T-shirt layered over a pink tee, with the rest of the Madonna-inspired gloves, skirt and leggings.

"I'm disappointed; nobody else is hard-core!" she said.

Her friend, Cleveland native Chris Maverick, was also well-dressed.

"I've had these jeans since 1987," said Mr. Maverick, a web designer/photographer/part-time professional wrestler who's lived in Carrick for the past 15 years.

"With what I have in my closet, I probably could have done 1970's, too."

Mr. Maverick was one of the few candidates old enough to have actually worn such clothing the first time around; he had on a maroon sport coat over a black mesh shirt, acid-wash jeans with cargo pockets on the shins, and his dark hair styled asymmetrically.

"With enough mousse, I can do this," he said, pointing to the lopsided 'do.

Last autumn, when filming of "Smart People" -- a romantic comedy starring Dennis Quaid and Sarah Jessica Parker -- came to Carnegie Mellon University, Miss Presogna worked as a production assistant.

"I stood next to the street and told people not to park there. I got yelled at a lot [by drivers]," she said. "And I got to play with Dennis Quaid's dog."

This time she'll be on the other side of the cameras.

"I thought, 'Why not?' "

Hannah Brizzi, a Pitt sophomore from Murrysville, agreed. She had been a background extra on the Smart People set.

"We were at the shoot for 12 hours at CMU and I had a test the next day!" Miss Brizzi said. "I still got an 'A'."

You can laugh all you want at Reagan-era fashions, but it was obvious Sunday that everything old is new again.

Certain long-forgotten items are finding their way back into stores like Urban Outfitters and Forever 21.

Miss Brizzi had dressed in an oversized black-and-white striped top, black leggings (to which she added leg warmers once she got to the park) and silver, dangling earrings.

She'd done up her hair in a side-ponytail.

"I was walking down Forbes Avenue in this, without the side pony, and it felt kind of... normal."