Oversized clothing was a big part of the 80s look. Look for items like oversized blazers, sweaters, and jackets. You can also look for items with exaggerated details like shoulder pads and big collars. High-waisted pants, skirts, or shorts were a popular choice in the 80s.
Bold Colors
No 80s outfit is complete without a bold, daring color. Think about bright hues like neon green, pink, and yellow. Also, the popular color-blocking technique was used heavily in the '80s. You can incorporate this into your look by pairing two bright colors or one bright color with black or white.
It's back to school season and, for many, new wardrobes are just as important as fresh notebooks and pens.In the 1980s, fashion for boys and young men began to change. Out were checkered shirts, chinos and black shoes and in came colors, denim and a new emphasis on the importance of brands.
Popular Clothing: Women wore unisex and gender-specific clothing, including sweaters (turtlenecks, crewnecks), faux fur coats, trench coats, midriff-baring tops, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted baggy pants, and designer jeans. Accessories included skinny belts and knee-length boots.
Few decades captured that excitement like the 1980s, one of the trendiest and flashiest times in fashion. It was all about big and bright, from high-top sneakers to hot pink shades, striped polo shirts, flipped-up brims, and baggy jean jackets.
Kids in the 1990s wore bright colors, printed shirts, bucket hats, scrunchies, and striped shirts.
Velour, velvet, and polyester were popular fabrics used in clothes, especially button-up and v shirts. Looser pants remained popular during this time, being fairly wide but straight, and tighter shirts were especially popular, sometimes in a cropped athletic style.
Leggings were a huge part of '80s fashion, and can be used to create a wide variety of looks. It was used popularly as a fitness or dance st...
The 1980s was a decade of excess, and fashion was no exception. Women's 80s fashion was characterized by bold colors, oversized silhouettes, and a fearless attitude towards mixing patterns and textures. It was a time when bigger was better, and subtlety took a back seat to statement-making ensembles.
You may have noticed other students wearing customized denim jackets, ripped jeans or Keds, and those are all considered trends from the 80s. Here's a list of a few of those trends and whether or not they are being worn in the world today or on the U campus.
Bright neon pink, yellow, blue, and light green hues are used in this color scheme, reminiscent of the '80s and its "bigger is better" fashion trends.
Men's casual attire in the 1980s resembled the laid-back fashion showcased in Ferris Bueller's Day Off: rolled jeans or khakis, cozy cardigans, basic tees, denim or bomber jackets, and slip-on loafers.
In 80-degree weather, removable layers are your friend! A lightweight jacket or sweater is ideal for warm weather activities like cycling, rock climbing , or hiking. Make sure your base layer is made from a breathable, moisture-wicking fabric like Tencel or a polyblend.
The decade, characterized by eye-straining fabric colors and patterns, acid wash jeans, shoulder pads, massive, dramatic earrings, pearls, and big hair, had people confidently expressing themselves with their Style. Big, vibrant, and brilliant certainly capture the essence of 1980s fashion.
Headbands were a favorite among '80s preps, thanks in part to movies like Heathers and Pretty in Pink. Whether they were padded, braided, or covered in satin, headbands added a polished touch to any outfit. These weren't your basic stretchy bands—they were accessories in their own right.
Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars were a staple of 80's fashion, just as they are today, and this short piece by Roger House provides an interesting retrospective on an iconic shoe that has now been around for over 100 years.
Neon Headband & Wristband Set
Off-the-shoulder styles were super popular during the '80s, along with bows, sash-tied waistlines, and floor-length hems.
JEWELRY STYLES
As the decade opened, the focus in jewelry was on gold and diamonds. Thin gold chains were worn in multiples as bracelets and, in various lengths, as necklaces, often with gold charms and small gem-set pendants.
Ripped jeans were popular in the late 1980s during the hard rock/heavy metal era and in the 1990s and 2000s during the grunge era. The punk culture also has been known to be fans of fabrics with various blemishes.
Long overalls, overall shorts, and overall dresses were all the rage in the '90s! This was a common fashion for teenage women during the 1930s as well, especially for ones living in rural areas. For extra authenticity, leave one of the clasps undone. Layer a vest over a t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, or dress.
New Wave, Grunge, & More
Our 80's and 90's department boasts plenty of electric neon colors, floral prints, acid-washed denim, flannels, puffy shoulders, static patterns, animal print, babydoll dresses, rock tee shirts and so much more.
'90s fashion for teens
For girls, common styles were babydoll and denim dresses over t-shirts and leggings, fuzzy sweaters, oversized sweatshirts, and plaid shirts over acid washed or light high-waisted straight leg jeans, capri pants, or denim and patterned shorts.