The 1980s definitely had its own fashion sense and style. When it came to hair whether it was side ponies tails, big bold curly hair, or man ponies, it all needed some extra hold aerosol spray to complete the look. Along with these hairstyles comes the flashy, bright, and most of all tight clothes. Let’s be honest, there may be a few fashion trends from the ‘80s that we gladly left in that decade but there are also some fashion trends that are making a stylish comeback today such as washed denim jackets, fanny packs, and slogan tees. And in this article, we are going to list down the fashion trends and memorable style choices that helped define the ‘80s.
Fanny Packs
Before they became an indicator of tourists, fanny packs were stylish and practical. Back in the ‘80s, people use this bag to keep spare change to use the payphone and carry their belongings effortlessly. These bags were mostly made with synthetic fabrics such as ripstop and nylon.
Velour
Velour is that fluffy fabric that has the luxurious feel of velvet but it’s also made of stretchy materials like spandex. Back in the ‘80s, this fabric can be seen everywhere from tracksuits to sweatshirts. Even high-end designer such as Dior created a cozy v-neck sweater that is made from velour and athletic brands such as Fila manufactured tracksuits that are made from velour that became very popular with the kids back then.
Reeboks
Back in the ‘80s, you will be able to see someone wearing a pair of Reebok Classics or Soldiers, the Dance Reebok, and the Freestyle in every other block in the inner city.
Huge Earrings
From Madonna and Debbie Gibson to almost every girl next door, these huge earrings proved that it was the right accessory to wear during the time of excess. It was chunky, loud, and it caught everyone’s attention from within two feet away.
Shoulder Pads
The ‘80s were all about power, that’s why people back then needed to look threatening with broad shoulders that give the effect of a severe drop down to their waist. Shoulder pads helped them achieve the look perfectly. Women mostly adopted the trend but some male artists such as Prince created his own look with shoulder pads and rocked the look.
Spandex
During the ‘80s you can literally see Spandex in every type of clothing. From casual pants to rock stars who had a thing for animal printed leggings.
Ripped Jeans
These jeans were usually worn by band members and other artists. They usually pair it with a Schott Perfecto jacket to complete the look. Ripped jeans are the precursor of the grunge look and back in the ‘80s, almost every teenager and adult alike own a pair of these awesome jeans.
Ray-Bans
Ray-Ban, particularly the Wayfarers was the go-to sunglass choice of anyone and everyone who was cool back in the ‘80s. Tom Cruise popularized these sunglasses in his movie Risky Business.
Denim Jackets
Denim jackets were a must-have for kids back in the ‘80s. They used to wash these jackets frequently to achieve that perfect softness and acid wash them to make it look super cool. ‘80s kids wore them until it was ripped then modified it with buttons, pins, and patches.
Down Vest
This puffy vest that has multi-colored yokes at the shoulders or chevrons at the chest was popularly worn by Marty McFly in the iconic movie Back to the Future. Since then, the down vest became a popular fashion statement.
Big Hair
Remember the band Poison or Bon Jovi? Well, these hair bands and their huge hairdos were very popular during the ‘80s they managed to classified a music genre. Those teased and permed hair was not just popular with men and rock stars, women proved that they could sport the look, too.
Jheri Curls
Created by a white dude named Jheri Redding, the Jheri curls were famously sported by the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson during his prime. This hairstyle looked smooth and flashy but the downside of this is that it’s hard to maintain and it sort of killed your hair. But it was the ‘80s and people would do everything for fashion.
Neon colored clothes
Neon colored clothes are probably the best indicator of ‘80s fashion. It’s like almost every fashion trend from the ‘80s were awesome because you can spot it from a mile away. From spandex gym attire, leg warmers, and jackets, these bright fluorescent colored clothing was the trademark fashion of the ‘80s. In fact, teenagers back then also liked dyeing their hair with neon colors.
These are the top fashion trends of the ‘80s, which one do you like the most?