80s Fashion

80s fashion is hailed for being big, bold, and bright. Big hair, bold shoulder pads, and a collection of brightly colored accessories to tie it all together were essential during the 80s. Fashion closely followed music, segmenting into niches that were diverse and catered to various sub-cultures.

Black was back, prints were on everything including pants and shoes, and hair and makeup were thick and wild. The fashionable silhouette was top-heavy – big, baggy shirts with tapered jeans. Leather and lace came together and colors took on a strangely bright, luminescent hue when neon accessories became a raging fad.

80s fashion was wild and over the top but it was accessible. It could be trendy or alternative, subtle or outrageous, and it was a lot of fun for anyone with a penchant for style.

80s Fashion Subcultures

Dance Wear & Breakdancing - If the 80s had a single theme, it would probably be dance. Traditional dancewear made its way into popular 80s fashion when girls started wearing legwarmers, leotards, and thanks to the movie Flashdance, ripped sweatshirts that hung off one shoulder. This look, heavily accessorized, was popular among Valley Girls. When breakdancing became popular, it came with its own fashion items including windbreakers, parachute pants, bandana accessories and wrist- or head-bands and the ever-present hip-hop sneaker (preferably ADIDAS).

Preppy - The preppy look borrowed heavily from TV show Miami Vice for light-colored suits with bright tees underneath and ultra-skinny ties. Other prep 80s fashion items included Alligator (golf) shirts, Bermuda shorts, and upper crust loafers.

New Romantic - It was punk gone soft. The New Romantic style, which eventually gave rise to gothic fashion, featured lots of black and dark clothing with loose, flowing fabrics. Puffy sleeves and designs that echoed pirates eventually became New Romantic staples. For the ladies, cinched waists, corsets, and bustiers gave a romantic, old-fashioned flair. Think Marie Antoinette meets Sid Vicious.

Designers and Name Brands

Fashion designers got lucky in the 80s when name brand designers became a symbol of wealth and posterity. Guess, Calvin Klein, and Esprit were popular among the upper-middle class. Suddenly, the name on your sneaker said something about your identity as a member of society. ADIDAS or Rebok? Converse or Keds?

80s Fashion Accessories

During the 80s, accessories were a staple of any fashionable ensemble. Jewelry was bulky and chunky and the more the better. Both guys and girls sported pierced earrings. They were huge, they dangled, and lots were worn at once. Layers of necklaces, faux pearls and big cross pendants were made popular by pop star Madonna, who was a fashion icon in her own right. Hats and gloves also found themselves back in mainstream fashion. Fedora hats were wildly popular. Michael Jackson made wearing one glove seem like a cool idea and Madonna made fingerless lace gloves hip, sexy, and stylish. Belts were as big as everything else, and the ladies wore them hung loosely around their hips to cinch huge, baggy tees and blouses.

80s fashion will forever be remembered as the decade of decadence. More! Bigger! Brighter! It was bold and bodacious, loud and lacy. In the 80s, fashion became an integral part of each celebrity’s image and celebrities themselves became major trendsetters. It was a way to express one’s identity. And it still is.

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