Fads and Fashions of the 1980s

The 1980s was perchance the boldest decade in modern fashion history, a magical era of over-the-top silhouettes, teased perms and saturated colors. They were the years of puffed shoulders and power suits, flashy skirts and spandex leggings, velour, leg warmers and voluminous parachute pants.

Before the stock market crash of 1987, the world was getting richer and our wardrobes filled with overt displays of wealth: Christian Lacroix'southward bold, theatrical designs, Azzadine Alaia'southward figure-clinging dresses and Thierry Mugler'southward athwart shoulders.

Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Comme de Garcons' Rei Kawakubo embodied a new cool, calculation sculptural shapes into the mix. They became coveted names among tastemakers and played a major role in defining black as the ultimate "information technology" color. Equally Yamamoto once said, "Blackness can swallow light, or make things look sharp. But above all blackness says this: 'I don't bother you -- don't bother me!"'

A model poses in a xanthous jacket with exaggerated shoulders in 1980s New York.

Credit: Anthony Barboza/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Many '80s trends have resurfaced in contempo seasons -- both on and off the track: Marc Jacobs inflated shoulders, Gucci brought dorsum glitter and Tom Ford and JW Anderson added feathers to their ensembles. Celine, Louis Vuitton and Max Mara are a few of the many brands that take reimagined the power suit. And neon, information technology seems, is merely as pop every bit e'er.

Dear them or loathe them, these trends are a clear sign that we're still obsessed with the '80s.

Yuppies, punks and party queens

Eclecticism dominated much of the decade. The punk-rock aesthetic of the late '70s -- oversized leather sets, skin-tight trousers and lace -- continued to evolve and was honed on phase by Madonna, Annie Lennox and Male child George.

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The likes of colored mohawks, ripped skinny jeans, demin and leather jackets and Dr. Martens were worn by punks in the 1980s. Scroll through to see other large fashion trends of the decade. Credit: Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images

Vivienne Westwood also incorporated information technology into her early collections, including her 1981 debut catwalk show, "Pirate to the 1982 Buffalo Girls/Nostalgia of Mud," and "Punkature" in 1983, which featured distressed, recycled-looking "hillbilly" garments.

Political fashion was also part of the landscape. British designer Katharine Hamnett'due south T-shirts, which bore slogans like "Choose Life" and "58% Don't Desire Pershing," were cogitating of the era'southward social issues.

Then there were yuppies, an acronym for "young urban professionals," who championed showy materialism, in the form of designer labels, gold watches, swanky New York Urban center penthouses and BMWs.

The entertainment globe reflected these upwardly-mobile nouveaux riches in movies like Oliver Stone'due south "Wall Street" and "Bright Lights, Large City," a 1988 drama based on the eponymous novel by Jay McInerney.

Fashion gave them a wardrobe by way of oversized blazers with shiny buttons, pinstripe ii-pieces and sweaters draped over the shoulders, preferably from Ralph Lauren.

Women aiming to suspension workplace glass ceilings embraced ability suits and exaggerated silhouettes that gave the appearance of upside-downwardly triangles, demanding attending in whatever room.

In the 1988 comedy "Working Girl," Melanie Griffiths' character Tess McGill best personified the look -- and the boxing for women to get ahead -- with her big-shouldered, tailored jackets.

Actors Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford on the fix of "Working Girl."

Credit: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty Images

Bigger, brighter

Away from stock portfolios and expensive properties, '80s styling had an "anything goes" mental attitude.

Brightly-colored, mesomorphic accessories like plastic hoop earrings, rubber bracelets and shiny chain necklaces were a necessity, all the more than then once they were sported by Cyndi Lauper and Salt-Northward-Pepa.

Salt-N-Pepa and friends dancing during the video shoot for their unmarried, "Milkshake Your Thang" in New York City, 1988.

Credit: Michael Benabib/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

That same OTT palette defined makeup. In a radical departure from the natural style of the previous decade, deep ruddy or sleeky pink lips, overly filled-in brows, rainbow-colored eyeshadows and exaggerated blush were the biggest beauty trends, and were often paired with crimped or permed pilus.

Patchwork and acid-washed denim were very much a matter, every bit were ruffles and off-the-shoulder dresses. Loud prints, mom jeans and "Top Gun"-inspired bomber jackets were everywhere too.

The '80s was fitness-obsessed, and leggings, sweatbands and stirrups became regular wardrobe fixtures due to the popularity of Jazzercize and conditioning videos.

Model and actress Christie Brinkley works out in a pink spandex unitard and leg warmers.

Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Racquetball and aerobics legend Richard Simmons fabricated curt-shorts and skinny tank tops a await. And, movies like "Fancy-free," "Flashdance," "Staying Live" and "Muddy Dancing" fabricated it perfectly acceptable to burst into seemingly spontaneous dance routines. (We were already wearing legwarmers, so why non?)

Icons and logos

Labels, logos and idols helped propel the '80s into the argument-making era we now remember it as.

Everyone wanted a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, particularly after a young Tom Prowl wore them in 1983's "Risky Business organization." Clever production placement also did wonders for Calvin Klein, whose underwear made it into Marty McFly's closet in "Back to the Future."

Our feet likewise presented some other branding opportunity. Every child in the world seemed to want a pair of Nike'due south Air Jordans, after Michael Jordan debuted them on courtroom. (In May, a signed copy of Air Jordans from 1985 sold for more than half a 1000000 dollars, an auction record for a pair of sneakers). High-top Reebok sneakers were also the meridian of style -- as were Adidas Superstar kicks and matching tracksuits.

Guess, Benetton, Levi'south, Tommy Hilfiger and Lacoste were all must-have labels. Different brands denoted which tribe you were in, merely for the nearly office it was to each their ain.

Madonna in New York, 1984.

Credit: Michael Putland/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Information technology's the sheer diversity of status symbols, sartorial choices and mode icons that has made the '80s a time we still recall, mostly, with fondness. The playfulness and "more is more" glamour were simply besides fun to forget.

Top image explanation: Models Fabienne Terwinghe and Carre Otis pose for a Faddy shoot in February 1989 in Palm Embankment, Florida.

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