There is no end in sight for fashion's infatuation with the Reagan era. Fast-fashion chains are stocking Ray-Ban rip-offs, tapered jeans are seeping back into style and neon colors are all the rage, so naturally the cheapie plastic sports watch is once again a bona-fide accessory.

And is it ever a watch for our times. Most can be had for less than $100.

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.

Freestyle USA has reissued its Shark watch -- the zany, multicolored watches were big with Southern California 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 fluorescent 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 has worked with actress-singer Jennifer Lopez and the neon-loving singer-songwriter 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."

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