11. Eye wear:
Glasses have been an important fashion accessory providing shade and relief against the harsh sun. Ray-ban Wayfarers were the most sought-after eyewear in the 80s. Large, plastic frames complimented the bold look, but small metal frames returned in the latter part of the 80s.
12. Professional Fashion:
With more women joining the workforce in the 1980s fashion, they had to make a powerful statement. Knee-length skirts, wide-legged slacks, blazers with padded shoulders,s and pointed shoes with spiked heels gave an intense look and made a fashionable yet powerful statement. Primetime shows like Dallas and Dynasty emphasized the strong and chic women of the 80s.
13. Fashionable Men of the 80s:
Men were not untouched by the boldness in the fashion arena. Polo shirts, popped collars, khaki slacks, suspenders, cable knit sweaters mostly worn around the shoulders made men match with their fashionable female partners. How can the men be left behind? So, the most fashionable men were found in 1980s fashion.
14. Pleated Pants:
High-waist and pleated pants were in vogue in the 80s. Both men and women could be seen in pleated pants with matching blazers. Men wore their pleated pants with suspenders and were considered cool. Richard Gere and Tom Cruise have all been seen in these 1980s fashion and they influenced the common me and how!
15. Shoes:
From sneakers to stilettos, pumps to boots all were a rage in the 1980s fashion. Matching shoes were fashionable, and women would go to great lengths to find shoes matching their attire. Whether it was a prom night or a red- carpet party, women wore matching shoes, sequined shoes, and glittery shoes. Higher the better!
16. Sequins and Ruffles:
Glitter was the trend, so sequins were seen on jackets, blouses, skirts, and jumpsuits. The powerful woman in the morning turned into a glamorous gal with the sequined dress at night. Ruffles were extremely popular in the 1980s fashion, seen in shirts, dresses, purses, bags, and even shoes. A glamorous evening dress would have structured ruffles while floaty ruffles were more for a prom night.
17. Off-Shoulder Dresses and Blouses:
The 80s was a trendsetter in the fashion industry. Women were seen wearing off-shoulder dresses, single-shoulder dresses, and tops. This fashion returned in 2017, as you see models walking the ramp in single-shoulder jumpsuits, dresses, and tops. (Brewer, 2018).
18. Spandex and Ripped Knee:
Everyone from children to adults wore spandex, which was the material of the 1980s fashion. Cycling shots, leggings, tights all came in spandex. Leg warmer on top of spandex leggings and sneakers were trendy look for an evening stroll to the park or workout fashion. Ripped knee was so much in the fashion trend that people cut their jeans to get this look. Today, you buy this 80s look as destructed jeans.
19. Jewelry:
Since the 80s was about glitter, what glitters more than gold! Gold was the precious fashion metal of the 80s. Madonna, one of the biggest fashion icons adorned large crucifix on long chain necklaces and large, heavy earrings. Longs strands of beads in different colors were other fashion trends. Chokers mixed with long chains gave a glamorous look. From gold to rubber, that was the fashion in the 80s. Madonna and other pop icons wore rubber bracelets making these a rage. They were worn on the entire arm, as many as you could fit.
So, the fashion in the 80s was all about glitter and gold, bold colors and frills, and those who could carry this ‘in your face’ kind of fashion were considered to be the fashion icons.