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Explaining 1980’s Fashion
In today’s blog, I’ll be explaining 1980’s fashion so you can identify it when you’re out in the wild and find inspiration from it.
They are also available as Youtube videos over on my channel. If you prefer a watch and listen, check it out here.
Disclaimer! I’m not a historian, just a Personal Stylist with an interest in fashion history.
Power Dressing & Fashion icons
The 80’s were a time of optimism and aspiration in fashion I feel. Working hard and playing hard and showing that off. More is more! But there were also cold and cultural wars taking place also.
In 1984 the Apple Macintosh personal computer debuts which is a huge leaping tech! The walkman and the boombox were big too – technology was moving.
More women were joining the work force and making their own money. Buying clothes that said ‘take me seriously’. The film ‘Working girl’ really showcased this. Dressing to appear as powerful as men was called ‘power dressing’.
Margaret Thatcher, ‘the iron lady’ represented this as the first UK woman MP. She needed to power dress to be taken seriously. Margret was known for wearing a lot of bold coloured suits. Many female suits were in bright shades in this time and the suit certainly wasn’t left out.
The shoulder pad was a key element of not just suits but clothing in general. For women this said ‘I mean business and ‘I’m as broad as you men’. Menswear did have shoulder pads also though. So a woman would definitely need them too to elbow her way through the crowds of men.
We also need to talk about another UK fashion icon, Princess Diana. Her marriage to a now King Charles basically defined 1980s wedding fashion.
David and Elizabeth Emanuel made her look like a fairy cake princess. Basically every millennial’s mums wore a big skirt with plenty of frill, bows, embellishment and puff. Very larger than life and full of sweetness. The 80’s went hard on all occasions!
Diana’s day looks and even her hair were massively influential. Her fun and cheeky off-duty jumpers reflected the quirky knitwear that was big in 1980’s fashion. And the princess rocked many a bold colour and print, shoulder pad of course and preppy styles. A big fashion influence then and still today.
The Yuppie
The yuppie was a wealthy young professional person who worked in an office. Wearing a suit, typically wide and double breasted, many of them pinstriped with a brightly coloured tie too.
Yuppie style was quite preppy in and out of the office and screamed luxury without being covered in jewels. The term ‘preppy’ referencing the elite preparatory schools attended by wealthy teens. The style was influenced by traditional Ivy League itself.
Ralph Lauren was very popular in this time and many yuppies would be wearing the iconic polos. Paired with a knit, maybe knotted over their shoulders and a chino with boater shoes. The perfect outfit to wear on their boat closing a deal.
This brand tied well into the showing of wealth and status of the wearer, having that Ralph Lauren symbol on their chest. The polo was also the cheapest price point so quite entry level if you wanted to pretend you live a luxury lifestyle.
These shirts were tucked into those high waisted trousers and skirts and even paired with waistcoats both knitted and part of a suit. Suits, shirts and ties were popular for all but of course they were in fun fabrics and shapes.
Suits in the 80s were large, not just in the shoulders, but quite oversized in the jacket and the bottoms were usually regular fit and pleated at the waist. The silhouettes were big and dramatic like an arty fashion sketch drawn with long brushstrokes.
Jeans and a t-shirt
T-shirts tended to be regular fit and rolled at the sleeve. Speaking of sleeves, there were many puffy and large sized sleeves of varying kinds.
The batwing shape became quite a popular 80s fashion choice. You’d see this in tops, knitwear, dresses and jackets. When you put your arms up, it looks like bat’s wings or a T shape.
Adriano Goldschmied invented an effect by washing denim with bleach and stones known as stone washing. Giving the denim a mottled look to it inspired by 60’s surfers as it looks like water.
Then by accident they forget to add the water that dilutes the bleach at the factory, thus acid wash is born. This denim looks totally stripped of colour. And it was the effect of the era you’d see everywhere worn by everyone.
Hair & Makeup, Shoes & Accessories
Fashion and art felt very close in this era (as they do in most). There were a lot of sculptural shapes and fits, bold bright colours and patterns going on. Resulting in many loud makeup shades and artistic eyeshadow experiments.
Hair was big as well and many people sported a perm with plenty of hairspray, sometimes even crimping. Like the shoulder pads, this was another way for women to take up more space and be seen.
Accessories were just as vibrant as clothing, fun and chunky as you’d imagine. You’d see lots of bangles, layers of beads and many gloves. Short gloves, long gloves and fingerless too. Trouser braces were worn both casually and formally. The little black pork pie hat was also popular.
Tights and socks were worn together, apart and with most outfits. With your little rara (layered skirt) or bubble or tube skirt for example. Everything about an outfit had something to catch your eye, all thought out and matching.
For footwear we lost the height and platform of the 70’s and went back down to comfort. Flats or smaller heels like a kitten or chunky heel were preferred. Many were worn with a sock. Men and women alike would go for a loafer with or without a sock.
The Pixie Boot was a very on trend style which was a low/flat heeled boot with a slouchy ankle. You’d see this in a variety of colours.
Nike makes a signature shoe for Michael Jordan in 1984 called The Air Jordan’s. The NBA actually banned it but the streets loved it and still do today. Making Nike a million dollar brand.
Skateboarding made Vans a popular street wear choice also. There were many high top trainers with Velcro straps across the ankle like a Reebok.
Top gun made the Ray Ban sunglasses popular and Ray Bans were the choice of sunglasses for the era.
Music
As always music, film and TV are big influencers on fashion and reflect the culture and vibe of the era.
To name some of the big names in pop – Madonna, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince, Queen, Duran Duran, Wham, Aha, Bananarama, Cindy Lauper, Whitney Houston.
Madonna was a massive 80s fashion icon inspiring many to accessorise to the max. It was said she used her outfits to be controversial like the sexy bridal look she wore to the MTV awards. She also wore slogan t-shirts which was a big thing in this era too.
To promote the band Frankie goes to Hollywood, you could get a t-shirt saying ‘Frankie says relax don’t do it’. There was also the ‘choose life’ t-shirt you see Wham wearing. This was a comment on war, designed by Katharine Hamnett.
Prince showed us a sexiness that was in touch with femininity. He wore many ruffles, makeup and his style leant into the new romantic vibe which was a key 80s fashion trend.
New Romantics were inspired by pirates but more glam. They had the flowy shirts but with more pomf and circumstance. Wearing makeup, naval jackets boots.
Hair was big and long and there was plenty of soft makeup worn by women and men. Adam Ant in particular enjoyed this style and went hard on the pirate part of the aesthetic. He originally had punk roots which was becoming more commercial this era.
There were plenty of punks and rockers like Joan Jett, Blondie even The Cure that were pretty mainstream. Heavier bands like Metallica and Guns and Roses were also popular with edgier tastes. Punk was less scary than the 70s but still bold, dark and rebellious.
Goth style was emerging which was still edgy but a bit more victorian inspired and not far off from Club Kids. Designers like Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto were breaking out with all black styles that would become even more popular in the 90s.
Club Kid style was of course a reflection of the club culture of the time where people were dressing up with arty makeup and crafty fashion styles. Boy George with his gender fluid style took this into commercial pop music. Grace Jones also always looked like a beautiful piece of moving art, pushing fashion to the extreme.
We also saw hip hop hitting the mainstream which influenced fashion in a big way. Bands like Run DMC popularising the Kangol hats, in particular the bucket hat. The Beastie Boys influenced fashion too with a New York look that featured layering hoodies with jackets.
Run DMC came out with ‘My Adidas’ giving the brand popularity and really helping their sales. In the end they actually ended up singing a deal with Adidas which no other artist had done with a sports brand.
Performing in tracksuits and trainers, we saw more people getting into these as casual wear not just athletic. Though this era did see a lot of sportswear becoming everyday.
This wasn’t just for men, there were girl bands like Salt-N-Peppa popularising the hip hop style in women’s fashion too and we saw many people rocking a denim jacket like them too.
American rapper MC Hammer also popularised ‘Hammer pants’ which were modified harem-style trousers that were saggy at the crotch and came in at the ankle.
Film & TV
For film some of the big blockbusters were – E.T, Dirty Dancing, Breakfast club, Pretty in Pink, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Heathers, Flashdance, Footloose, When Harry met Sally
These were all big films that many of us not born in the 80s are very familiar with. If you’re not from this era, all worth a watch to give you an insight into the everyday styles of 80’s fashion from teens to adults.
In Back to the Future, we see Marty Mcfly travel to the 50’s however there’s a lot of 80’s in the way Marty Mcfly dresses that hits all the key trends of the era.
Heathers was a dark comedy cult classic where we see teens doing some preppy power dressing too. Showing us that the trend wasn’t just for the offices, plenty of teens were wearing suits and shoulder pads a plenty.
Harry Met Sally was amongst some of the big romcoms this era. It had lots of chunky knits and Autumnal dressing which still influences today.
Now looking to TV – Dynasty, Dallas, Miami Vice, Baywatch, Full House, A-team
Dynasty saw wealthy characters like Joan Collins wearing all the best most opulent over the top clothing. Embracing high fashion trends which the masses could copy, like the shoulder pad. This show in particular really accelerates its popularity.
Dallas was another big show whose wardrobe was also a key watching point and also another lover of the shoulder pad.
Miami Vice was a beautifully shot police drama that was massively influential on men’s fashion. The two male leads would wear suits, t-shirts and loafers without socks (not unlike today’s fashion).
The suits were loose and airy linen and the colours were light and bright pastel coloured. Many people would push up the sleeves of their jacket too. These looks were actually inspired by Columbian drug lords they were trying to catch!
Jane Fonda released her first exercise video in 1982 which became the highest selling video tape of its time. This popularised exercising at home in a big way and the fitness fashion trend.
Everyone was wearing spandex of all kinds from catwalk to rockstar, working out or just wearing them casually. Many of the leotards had a high cut leg and people loved a vivid shade.
Worn with matching arm, head and leg warmers. Layered over or under other spandex. And just wearing them out (with or without a bottom over it) and adding accessories like belts to them.
Little biker shorts or leggings were also available if you didn’t want to go out full leotard. Or the leotard was worn under a bottom like a track pant, little shorts or jeans. Biker shorts gained more popularity in the 90s I feel.
High fashion was also using comfortable and stretchy fabrics like jersey and lycra more. Designers like Norma Kamali, Donna Karan and Azzedine Alicia tapped into this for optimum stretch and great drape.
Olivia Newton-John, of Grease fame, came out with the hit ‘let’s get physical’ which furthered this workout movement and we saw films like Footloose and Flashdance bang on this trend too.
Baywatch watched beautiful lifeguards basically run in slow motion on a beach and the show was really showing off their hot bodies. This is how Pamela Anderson became big.
As always we see the popular body type of the era changing. This era had more people moving their bodies at home and together in fitness classes. Resulting in an athletic looking body type which was sought after.
The Supermodel
Catwalks were becoming more of a spectacle than before. Previously they were just for the fashion industry. Key models were becoming celebrities in their own rights and just as much a household name as a movie star – which was a first.
Cindy Crawford was doing Pepsi commercials when she wasn’t on a Vogue cover. Her girl next door look was very popular and felt more attainable as a model. Nowadays you see her daughter, Kaia Gerber modelling and acting too.
Christy Turlington signed with Calvin Klein as their muse. We saw models like this appearing in campaigns and being tied to a brand like we see today.
Linda Evangelista had a sexy Italian vibe. She changed her hairstyle many times but still had a very recognisable look. This made her flexible with many designers visions and a catwalk chameleon.
Naomi Campbell, a British model, had a sweet smile and a fun and friendly girl you want to know vibe. Her previous dancing roots show in her dynamic poses.
These girls became very expensive and sought over to book, you wanted them on your runways. Everyone knew who they were and together they made a powerful team. Called the supers as in super models. They even appeared in George Michael’s music video for the song ‘Freedom’ together.
This is a quick run-through of how the supermodel term was formed. If anyone has Apple TV, there’s a documentary called ‘The Super Models’ on this which I found super (pun intended) interesting and would definitely recommend.
How to do the 1980’s now
Hopefully this blog gave you a good overview of the era but to summarise, these are some of the key things to help you achieve a nod to this era:
Shoulder pads. We don’t see them as often on the high street as we used to but you can find them in a few in t-shirts, suits and of course vintage shops.
Those big suits are becoming more common today and you could Miami vice style them to get that 80s effect.
It’s getting easier and easier to be interested in a specific genre of fashion so even if you can’t find the exact big and bold 80s pieces you want shopping on the high street, the internet is full of specialist places.
And like I say vintage shopping tends to have plenty of pieces from the 80’s whether it’s that slightly cringy print oversized jumper you want or a floral shirt with a shoulder pad in it.
As always if you like to sew, vintage patterns are always available and aren’t expensive. Sewing a shoulder pad isn’t easy but there are plenty of tutorials or you could get something tailor made for an occasion.
Hopefully this makes the era a little clearer and easier to find nods to it in the modern day.
Some brands to check out (not sponsored):
I hope this has started to paint a picture of this era in fashion for you. I’m always here to chat and help you find ways of making 1980’s fashion work for you 🙂
If you’d like to discover what your style personality might be (could be 1980s) check out my online service where I help you find your identity through clothing – it’s a great place to start your style journey!