How to Dress 80′s

In the 80’s, moderation was the key to nothing. The 80’s was known for its extremes in clothing styles. If it wasn’t bright and attention-getting, it wasn’t worth wearing. Some of the most well-known 80’s styles involve neon colors, strange clothing combinations and plenty of random splashes of color.

Tops

There were several interesting styles of 80’s tops that were popular. These included the asymmetrical top which had only one sleeve and the off-the-shoulder shirts which were pulled down off the shoulders but worn with long sleeves. Wearing either one of these shirts is a way to start an 80’s ensemble.

Crop tops were also big throughout the 80’s. Some crop tops had a solid color under them with a different color mesh over it. This would often be a contrasting color such as a pink crop top with white mesh laid over it.

Shirts were often neon colored and bright enough to burn the retinas. For a very authentic 80’s look, wear a neon yellow shirt with paint splattered all over it. Paint splatter was a very popular style that could be found on shirts, pants, handbags, shoes and everything else worn in the 80’s.

Another interesting 80’s fashion was the Hypercolor shirt. The shirt changed colors with the air temperature and with the wearer’s body temperature in different areas. This often led to embarrassing darker colors under the arms, but it’s an authentic 80’s look if you can find it.

Socks

The 80’s was all about socks. The more pairs of socks you can wear, the more authentic your look will be. You can pair two or three different pairs of slouch socks stacked so that the top of each is visible for a true 80’s fashion. Once you have on your pairs of socks, put on legwarmers so that they come down just above the socks. Make sure all of the socks are brightly colored, polka dotted or paint splattered.

Belts

Everyone loved to wear belts in the 80’s. It didn’t matter if you actually needed to wear a belt or not. It also didn’t matter if you were already wearing one. Wearing two or three belts at the same time was considered perfectly normal. If you wear the layered belt look, try to position them so that they crisscross each other across your middle. Make sure all the belts are visible just like all of your pairs of socks. The belts can be thick or thin, but thin belts together usually look best.

Shorts and Skirts

Miniskirts and surfing shorts were the hot items throughout most of the 80’s. Girls wore checkered, striped, polka dotted or neon miniskirts. In the summer, everyone wore Jams. The more pairs of Jams you have, the better the look will be. The Jams should be extremely brightly colored and should go down to your knees. These shorts can be worn with a Hawaiian-style shirt or with a brightly colored crew neck t-shirt. If you do choose to wear jeans instead of Jams, make sure they are tapered jeans that are as light blue as possible.