Six Trends from the 80’s You Wish You Could Forget

The 80s are sometimes referred to as “the decade of decadence,” which we think is an understatement. Lately, fashion adopted a myriad of vintage looks such as crop tops, denim wears, dungarees, culottes, etc. As people are getting nostalgic of the golden days, here are a few eccentric trends from the 80s.

A family photo sits on a light purple background. On the left is a young man wearing a brown vest. To his left is is mother, with teased blonde hair and a hot pint chiffon dress on. In front of her is her youngest son, in a light blue collared shirt and matching vest. To mom's left is her daughter, wearing a patterned off the shoulder top. On the far end of the photo is Dad, also wearing a collared shirt and gray vest. He's staring right into the camera. Behind the top left corner of the photo sits a strip of film. Over the bottom right section of the image are 4 fanned out slides.

Fanny Packs

Have you noticed how smartphones are getting bigger and bigger lately? As our pockets become worthless, we have found the ultimate solution to store your phone and other belongings! Just wear a fanny pack! Nothing is more representative of the 80s that these fantastic bags. Moreover, wearing a good-old fanny pack has been scientifically proven to be the ultimate demonstration of virility. Nah, not really.

Neon Outfits

Another effective way to be seen and remembered in the 80s was to wear neon outfits. After all, in the 80s, everything that could be seen from far away was considered cool. Think about it for a moment. Do you remember the last time you saw someone wearing bright colors? Most of us wear neutral colors, usually neighboring the fifty shades of gray… Should we brighten our lives and revive this colorful trend from the 80s?

In the middle of the frame sits an old prom photo from the 80s. It's of three friends -- a male wearing a blue suit coat, a blonde woman with curly permed hair and a blue satin dress, and a brunette wearing a blue dress with large gathered shoulder pads. On tope of the photo sits a film reel, some of its film snakes around and sits under the images bottom corner. On the top right of the frame are three fanned out slides. Everything sits on a light purple background.

Leg Warmers

Initially reserved for dancers, in order to warm the muscles and prevent injuries, fashion wildly adopted leg warmers in the early 80s. They became popular with the 1980 musical film “Fame,” and “Flashdance” just a few years later. Leg warmers were a wardrobe must-have for all female members of the Generation X. Plus, they were the perfect accessory to complement your not-flashy-enough neon tights.

Shoulder Pads

It seems hard to believe, but British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was the one who reignited this trend in 1979. Who knew Margaret was a fashionista? Indeed, Thatcher was known to use her attire as a symbol of power, and shoulder pads were perfect for that manner. This accessory became an emblem for women seeking to thrive in the corporate world and to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with men.

On a light purple background, sits a silver film reel case. Stacked on top is a gold film reel case. On top of that are 2 photos. The top one is of a young man wearing a cream jacket with large shoulder pads. It looks like one of the posed photos from the 80s. On top of that photo are three fanned out slides.

Eccentric Haircuts

From mullets to side ponytails and big hair, the possibilities were endless. If your memory needs to be refreshed, or if you weren’t lucky enough to live in the 80s, the rocker mullet can best be described as “business up front, party in the back.” Also, in an effort to compensate with the massiveness of big shoulders, a new hairstyle was born. As it happened, big hair wasn’t just a trend, but a challenge. People would actually compete to see how had the biggest (and sexiest) hairstyle!

Acid-Wash Jeans

These custom-made jeans became mainstream in the early 1980s when skinheads and street punks deliberately poured bleach on their blue jeans and denim jackets. Guess was the very first fashion brand to seize this opportunity in 1981, selling pre-washed jeans at a premium because of their undeniable uniqueness. This fad was short-lived as it disappeared in the 90s. But for some unknown reason, stonewashed jeans made their big comeback in the late 2000s.

Keep in mind, these were the trends of the 80s, and they should probably never see the light again—for obvious reasons. But if you feel tempted to bring them back to life, please make sure to send us some pictures… We can’t wait to see what trends appeal to your nostalgic side!