What Did People Wear in the 80s?

The 1980s were all about over-the-top fashion – bright colors, creative hairstyles, big jewelry and lots of make-up for both men AND women. And for the women, the 80s also meant having giant football player shoulder pads and really tight pants. It was a time when traditional gender roles were being challenged both in the workplace and on the runways, and self-expression was the name of the game.

Whether you lived through the 80s or have just watched a lot of Molly Ringwald movies, you know that people wore a lot of crazy things back then. And perhaps the most unique thing about 80s fashion was that it was the first time the same major trends were popular for both men and women. In decades past, men had their fashions and women had their own, but in the 80s, anyone could wear an Izod shirt with the collar popped, everyone wore tight jeans, and big hair was not only for the Dallas elite or the Tennessee trailer park. Fashion was accessible to everyone equally, and everyone embraced it for better or worse (mostly worse).

Of course, there were some things exclusive to men’s fashion and other things exclusive to women’s, but here are some trends that both sexes could wear:

• high-waisted pants
• acid-washed jeans
• tight, tapered jeans
• Guess jeans
• tight-rolled (or pegged) jeans (achieved by gathering the excess material around the ankles, folding it over, and then rolling the bottoms of the jeans up to hold it in place)
• parachute pants
• Hammer pants
• spandex shorts/pants
• track suits
• paint-splatter jeans, shirts, jackets and shoes
• t-shirts
• mesh shirts
• baggy sweaters
• sweaters with bold, geometric patterns
• denim jackets
• blazers (with or without the sleeves rolled up)
• leather jackets
• Members Only jackets
• boat shoes
• high-top shoes
• designer tennis shoes/sneakers (Air Jordans, Converse All-Stars, Adidas)
• large, metallic jewelry (remember Mr. T?)
• sweat bands (for head and wrist)
• fingerless gloves
• Swatch watches (with interchangeable face guards)
• enormous glasses
• brightly colored, oddly shaped sunglasses
• neon colors

Women's Fashion in the Eighties

For women, the dominant shape in fashion was the triangle. In addition to the popularity of geometric shapes on clothing and jewelry, most outfits created a triangular shape by widening the shoulders and slimming the legs. Oversized jackets, blazers, sweatshirts, sweaters and shirts were paired with tight jeans, leggings, mini-skirts, pencil skirts, pleated skirts or stirrup pants. Or conversely, dresses that were fitted on top often featured bubble skirts to widen the hips and slip the top, also creating a triangle look.

In the workplace, big shoulder pads created the “power suit” women wanted to assert their presence and prowess in a man’s world. Outside the office, around the house or out on the town, fashion was inspired by the latest craze – aerobics. Large shirts or sweatshirts worn over spandex pants and/or leotards with slouch socks or leg-warmers created a sporty triangle look.

Other popular trends for young women in the 80s were:

• anything Madonna was wearing
• off-the-shoulder tops and dresses
• jelly shoes
• banana clips
• large hair bows and clips
• scrunchies
• tights (with or without feet) in bright colors and/or lace
• body suits
• Keds
• pumps (in all colors)
• Mary Janes

Men's Fashion in the Eighties

Men’s business fashion in the 80s saw a return to 1950s conservatism with the narrowing of ties and lapels and the return of the pinstripe. In contrast to the look of leisure popular in the 70s, the businessman of the 80s was all business.

When he was at play, however, the 80s man’s fashion was generally inspired by one of four people:

• Don Johnson - This Miami Vice star wore light-colored (usually white) suit pants and jackets over pastel or brightly colored t-shirts. The jacket was open, and the sleeves were often rolled up. The Miami Vice look was completed by loafers worn without socks and of course, sunglasses.
• Michael Jackson - Red and black leather pants and jackets, a fingerless glove (just one), and once again, sunglasses.
• Alex P. Keaton - Even though he was fictional, Alex P. Keaton from the TV show Family Ties embodied a conservative, Ivy League look that was popular among many men in the 80s. The look was made of khaki trousers, Izod or Polo shirts, argyle sweaters worn over a collared shirt or tied around the shoulders, and loafers. Sunglasses optional, but definitely cool.
• Billy Idol - Studded collars, bracelets, gloves, jackets, pants or belts; ripped t-shirts, jeans or jackets; facial piercings; safety pins of all sizes holding together everything from your ripped t-shirt to your ear lobe; black eyeliner; wildly-colored, heavily gelled and sprayed hair; and large, dangling earrings in only one ear characterized the punk look for men in the 80s.

With the creation and popularization of MTV in the 1980s everyone wanted to look like a rock star, and whether art imitated life or vice versa, the movies and TV shows of the 1980s show quite accurately what real people were wearing.