The Ultimate Guide to 80s Fashion

Even as we finish off the second decade of the 2000’s ‘80s fashion trends are still making a comeback. From the runway to fast fashion brands, everyone is hopping on the 80s fashion bandwagon. It’s such a vibrant and iconic era for fashion, so why not remix it over and over again?

Early 80s Fashion vs Late 80s Fashion

Early 80s fashion was coming out of the disco era in the decade before and was rather tame compared to the second half of the decade, which introduced the now iconic color scheme of the 80s. We were first introduced with aerobics-inspired streetwear like tights, track suits, and ripped sweaters. In a more professional setting, women rocked kitten heeled shoes and wide-legged trousers. In the mid 80s, looks became more colourful, bringing us power outfits such as oversized shoulders, thanks to shows like “Dynasty” and “Dallas”.

Late 80s fashion was slightly toned down, but not by much. Mini skirts reigned in popularity, shoulder pad sizes slightly decreased, and we were introduced to faux fur. Taffeta and pouf dresses, popularized by Dynasty, made it to the mainstream crowds, and bright opaque tights came into popularity. Soon after, we’d head into the punk fashion era.

80s New Wave fashion

80s New wave fashion was inspired by 80s new wave music – it was a mosaic of mod, post punk, goth and glam rock, and involved a lot of guys wearing eyeliner. Fashion-wise, the new-wave look was extremely avant-garde. For women, the mediums of fishnets, lace and chunky, loud jewelry were all combined, whereas for men it was more big hair and black leather jackets. Oh, and a lot of safety pins.