Get ready to cringe, laugh, and maybe even feel a weird urge to dust off the boxes in your attic, because we're diving deep into the most radical (and questionable) fashion choices of the 1980s! Back when bigger meant better and more meant MORE, we somehow convinced ourselves that acid-wash everything, shoulder pads that could double as flotation devices, and hair that defied both gravity and reason were totally tubular fashion choices.
From fluorescent windbreakers that could be seen from space to perms that survived nuclear-levels of hairspray, these trends defined an era when fashion said "hold my New Coke" and went absolutely bananas. Whether you lived through these sartorial adventures or just enjoy pointing and laughing at old family photos, join us for a bodacious trip down memory lane. Warning: This much neon and spandex in one place may cause an unprompted performance of "Flashdance."
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Early-Mid '90s Windbreaker/Tracksuit: Just A Reminder That We All Wore These And We Thought They Looked Good. I Can Still Hear The Swoosh/Swish
Big Earrings And Big Hair! The Classic 80s Combo
Shoulder Pads
Spandex And Paint Splash Pattern
Dance Style Of The 80s
My Friends And I Grew Up Hundreds Of Miles Away From A Beach, But We Sure Did Have A Ton Of Ocean Pacific Gear In The 80s!
Crop & Mesh Tops Were Popular Mens Fashion Options Back In The 1980s
The Perm
The 80's Secretary: Big Hair, Stockings And Heels, Smoking Cigarettes In The Office
1988 Side Ponytail And Rolled Up Mc Hammer Pants. The Coolest I've Ever Been
Going To The Chapel - Vintage Images Of Wedding Fashions, 1980
Can we have a two minute silence for all the ozone layers that died for the hair in these pictures. Many thanks.
Acid-Washed Jeans
The Scrunchie
I LOVE my scrunchies!! I still wear them every day for my long hair which I guess is still me living in the 1980's!!
Stirrup Pants
Don't You Just Miss The Fashion
Wanted To Appreciate Some Colorful 80s Footwear From Jcpenney
I will take D in a 7 and E in a yellow, white and a blue. I am loving those prices also. Not anymore if these are made in China!!
Punk Fashion Circa 1986
This was from the 1970s though. It had been overtaken by modern romantics long before this.
At The Prom, 1981
There is absolutely NO WAY all these women are in high school. This looks WAY more like a group shot from a USO ball. 1981 seems accurate
The Side Ponytail
The Mullet
Suits With Pastel Shirts And Ties Were A Big Hit Thanks To Miami Vice
Being raised just north of there, Fort Lauderdale, I can say that was more a TV/ Hollywood fashion then local.
Hypercolor
My Parents Had 80s Ski Fashion Down
Punk Fashion
Again punk seems to be here as a dated look.... I had friends who looked like this in '80s,'90s, aughts and on. maybe look up what a crust punk looks like vs a horror punk. Zoo music girl.
Leggings: The Huge Fashion Trend Of Women In The 1980s
It Was The 80s, And My Fanny Pack And I Were Down With The Ladies. LOL
Hard Rock T-Shirt With A Denim Skirt Is A Great 80s Look!
The Essential Early 80s Fashion Accessory: The Colorful Webbed Belt
Mom Jeans
Neon
Kids didn't have phones back then - we needed to be able to find them.
Teens In The 80s
Aerobic Leotards And Head Bands Are Some Of My Favorite 80s Workout Fashions
Acid Wash Denim Skirt And Crop Top, 1986
Boys Of 1980
Ray-Ban Wayfarer Advertisement From 1987
I can seeee you! Your brown skin shinin' in the sun! You got your top pulled down...Wayfarer's on!
My Mom's Fashion From Late 80s To Early 90s
Couple In Shiny Jackets
Futuristic Sunglasses
80s Hairstyles
Neon Laces
Young Iranian Men Wearing Casual Preppy Outfits In 1981
The woman looks like she's in charge of the bunch of them. Love a good matriarch!
Halston For Bausch & Lomb Sunglasses, Circa Early 1980s
Members Only Jackets- All The Cool 80s Kids Had ‘Em
My Mother In The 80s. Fashion Has Sure Changed
Reebok Freestyle Sneakers Advertisement, 1985
Hey shut up! I still have 10 pair of those, all different colours, and I wear them every day!
What People Wore To A Wedding In The 1980s
My Sis With Her 80s Hair
80s Christmas Party
It looks more like a pool party or a costume party, to me, than a Christmas party.
Stylish Couple Of The 80s
Styles Of Young Women In The 1980s
Ripped Jeans
Some Fashionable 1983 Apple T-Shirts For The Whole Family!
Young Woman In 1980 Wearing A Low-Cut Spaghetti Strap Dress
Remember When Duck Shoes/Duck Boots Were A Preppy Trend?
Accept no substitute. If it's called a "Duck Boot" - it's not LL Bean!