Fashion Scenes in Bold and Bright attire in the 1980s

Many individuals perceive fashion in the 1980s to be different from fashion in the present day; whereas fashion now is somewhat more muted and conservative, fashion in the 1980s was racy, brighter and people did not have to think twice before putting on something loud or something outrageous. 

The fashion trends initially in the decade were mainly defined by recession but as the economy progressed, the styles escalated and became even more vulgar. This idea of ‘the bigger the better’, which had dominated the eighties, could be observed in the excessively large silhouettes and the gaudy patterns peculiar to the epoch.

Big hair and heavy makeup

This decade was characterized by big and round hair. Perms were immensely enjoyed for massive curls whereby the hair had voluminous curls with some height on top. Hair spray and mousse were also heavily relied on to achieve even bigger hair volumes that looked as if they were not touching the head.

Besides perms and styling products, there emerged bright hair colors which were popularized especially the streaks and multicolor hair styles. The most popular hair colors were easily distinguishable as red, pink, purple, orange and blue. Other hair tools that were popular during this decade included crimping irons which gave hair a crinkly crimped look.

Not only that, the eyeshadow looks of the era were rather daring and unconventional. Blue eyeshadow with electric blue hue was a must-have, and girls applied it right up to the arch of the eyebrows. Another shadow color that was frequently chosen was a bright purple hue.

Blush was also applied thick on the apples of cheeks to give the skin a flushed look like a doll. The eyes were delineated with heavy, dark lines on the upper and lower eyelids. Even lipstick is now crossing the line – The new rage is black lips.

Power Dressing for Women

The so-called ‘power suit’ set the tone for the working woman’s fashion of the 80s. Prominent media icons such as Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher contributed to the perception of broad-shouldered blazers worn with wide-leg trousers or short knee-length skirts. 

Blouses that had elongated pointed collars or large puffed up sleeves and ties on the collar line completed the daring corporate looks. The final touch to businesslike attire was pantyhose and pumps with a slight heel. 

Apart from work wear, new forms that came into vogue include puffy sleeved tops, drop- waist and baby doll dresses, high cut leotards, off shoulder sweaters and strapless Looks. 

Lycra was more frequently used as outerwear with more and more people wearing it to fitness aerobics and an evening out. Jeans were also trimmer in size, famous for skinny jeans that hugged hips, thigh, and bottom in acid-wash and stonewash.

Menswear: Power Suits and Preppy Style 

The epitome of the 1980’s professional men’s wear was the big shoulder, broad lapel, power suit with slim ties and Oxford shoes. Single-breasted suit jackets were soon eclipsed by the increasingly popular double-breasted styles. 

For the trousers, suspenders and neckties got wider and bolder in their color and prints. Other popular hues of the suits were dark shades like mid shades of grey, navy blue and other bright colors such as burgundy and hunter green. 

In casual areas, menswear had become more preppy. Suits paired with sweaters, polos or oxford shirts and trousers or chinos had an Ivy league look.

The popped-collar polo under a sports jacket or a sweater vest also became part of popular culture memory due to personalities like Don Johnson in Miami Vice. Other standard preppy apparels included striped V neck sweaters, canvas sneakers, flight jackets and large blazers.

This is in line with the ‘Crazy Patterns’ and ‘Neon Accent Colors’.

As for the key trends, graphic prints in bright colors had become popular in the male and female collections. Patterns such as paisleys, animal prints, dots, plaids, abstract and geometrical prints offered an astonishment of contrast in the accessories and in the apparels. Stripes were more intense, broader and vibrant in all categories of clothing. Wearing electric shades of coral, hot pink, acid green, bright turquoise, sulphurous yellow, infrared red and Brett purple t-shirt dresses and bomber jackets were impossible to avoid in the 80s. Leather jackets, pants, gloves and boots were also available in scorching orange hues, as seen below.

In shoes, high top sneakers with thick heels and a distinct sole stood out – in terms of color patterns, it seemed that no two were alike. Jelly shoes and jelly bracelets in neon translucent PVC brightened up the feet and the wrist. There were leotards with tights and socks, gloves, hats and headgears, and hair accessories all in Day-glo spandex or knits. There were no limits on how much color could be incorporated in the styles of the 1980s which was characterized by an over-the-top maximalizm.

Tinged with Punk and New Wave elements

The punk, New Wave and new romantic scenes have introduced fringe, fishnets, leather, lace, combat boots, spike and chains into the mainstream fashion. The looks became even bolder – shaved haircuts that half of the head was shaved, asymmetrical and mohawk looks define the beauty of risk. This underground culture preferred black, blood red, metallic silver and fetish colors of latex and PVC. But many pop neon accentuated punk ensembles in the efforts to redefine the postmodern rebellious ethos.

Madonna and Cyndi Lauper are perfect examples of punk influencing mass markets via daring stage outfits, crazy hair dye combinations, and provocative corsets and bra tops. Michael Jackson also made red leather jackets, gloves and belted high waters fashionable in his music videos. Before long, common folk began wearing punk flares with their preppy staples on the streets of the country.

Signature 80s Shoes 

As for footwear, jelly shoes dominated casual outfits with emblematic transparent uppers on thick heels. First introduced as a beach shoe, jellies became popular as an anti-fashion shoe due to its cheap and timeless nature. It was not until their supposed ‘throwaway’ nature, and rebellious attitude which resonated with punk, that they found fame. Despite the absence of backs, women wore them to accompany business suits to make power dressing playfully fun. 

High top sneakers also soared to new heights of fashion trends in different wild color and pattern mixtures. Rubber soles, thick white contrast stripes and lace overlays made Chucks and Kanga ROOS more fashionable and leather trimmings updated the shoes. These statement kicks grounded outfits Whether worn with dresses, skirts, jeans or slouchy jumpsuits – high top sneakers injected youthful flair into ensembles. 

Though more flashy as compared to regular shoes, High tops were still more functional as compared to other casual wear. They combined softness and speed with an eighties attitude for the definitive statement shoe.

Excess and Expression

The 1980s were colorful and people enjoyed the freedom of showing aggression and flashiness in clothing. Power dressing eliminated the differences between the sexes as women could wear more sculpted shapes like menswear for a dominant look. Simultaneously, off-duty dressing was more vibrant and even playful with saturated hues and fun with prints and mixed media – as if to let loose after the buttoned-up business outfits of weekday life. 

More was provided for freedom of self-expression as regard make-up, hairstyles and accessories where more was more. Most daring trends which were set by the youth culture included punk where hints of defiance against the norms were epitomized by ripped clothes, rainbow colored hair, and black clothing. But for adult fashion, the playful rebellion emerged in the form of acid colors on men suits, baroque prints on ladies pencil skirts and jelly shoes with classic trenches.

From punk to glam – from the underground scene to mainstream shopping malls, 80s style encouraged people’s individuality and the freedom to be seen. Fashion thereby transformed looks into performance art and in doing so, it ditched conformity to empower people through dressing in their own very imaginative ways. the 80s’ quest for bigness, brightness, and boldness remains a key aspect of current design because it demonstrates the impact of being fearless. Instead of shyness with being invisible – blooming flowers and in the brightest colors now.

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