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Subject: 80's Fashion

Written By: Captain_Fisher on 12/07/06 at 1:39 pm

Well this is my first post, and to be honest I hate it when someone does this on the other forum I always go to but after much thought I've decided to ask.

I've always loved 80's fashion, although I wasn't born until 1988, I love the 80's. I finally have money now, and can finally carry out my dream and dress like I'm right out of the 1980's. Although the problem is I don't have anything, so what I was wondering is if anyone could tell me some popular 80's fashion, and maybe possibly where I could get some thing's.

I've tried looking online but with little success, I need to get clothes basically and some stuff to style my hair. My parents arnt much help, mostly because they don't want to re-live that, I don't see why since the 80's were so rad, but any help would be appreciated.

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Davester on 12/07/06 at 4:09 pm

  A. Get yourself a pair of Chuck Taylor's, preferably something solid and not too loud, or,

      a pair of tan or black Clark's Wallabee's...

  B. Get a pair of black or blue 501s...

  C. Get a t-shirt, preferably a solid color and not too loud (black, gray, dark blue...), or

      any rock concert concert t-shirt, or,

      a Ben Davis short sleeve work shirt (the one with the stripes...)

  D. Anything more would look like a Halloween costume...

  That's, more-or-less, how this guy dressed.  Not everybody wanted to look like Adam Ant groove ;) on...

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Captain_Fisher on 12/07/06 at 11:27 pm

Rad, alright I'll look that stuff up and see if I can find some. Thanks for the help!

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: mc on 12/08/06 at 6:25 am

Ummm ... a very open ended question.  It's like asking for popular 90s fashion.  There's no one answer.  I'll do what Davester did and tell you what I wore:

1) T-shirts.  In the 80s I wore mostly short-sleeve cotton T-shirts (good riddance to the polyester T-shirts of the 70s).  Surfer type designs, mostly.  White, blue, green, tan colors mostly.  Occasionally I'd wear tie-dye T-shirts.

2) Flannel shirts in cold weather.  Blue, green, brown colors.

3) Shorts.  Generally speaking, the length of guys' shorts started out really short in the early 80s, then became longer (knee length) in the late 80s.  During college I'd often wear cutoff jeans, cut just below the crotch.  Sometimes walking shorts (Stubbies, an Australian brand) or surf shorts.  The surfer shorts became popular in the late 80s, I seem to recall.

4) Blue jeans.  Like Davester, I seemed to like Levi's 501s.

5) Tennis shoes.  New Balance was my usual choice.  Socks started out relatively long in the early part of the decade, then became shorter towards the end.  Rubber flip-flops during hot weather.

6) Hair.  Didn't, or rather, couldn't do anything with it in high school; it was conservative Christian high school with a strict dress code and we had to keep our hair short and neatly trimmed.  When I got to college, I grew my hair out and basically just tied it back into a ponytail.

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: mc on 12/08/06 at 6:29 am

Almost forgot: denim jacket for cool weather.  80s were big on denim

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Mushroom on 12/08/06 at 10:54 am

Pastel colours were also very big.  And white was also popular (jackets, sport coats, jeans).

Also "Rock Concert" t-shirts.  Especially from popular groups like The Police, U2, or the Us festival.

Hair was normally collar long in guys, and feathered.  Unless you were going for the curly white man afro, or the long and straight "surfer" look.  The normal look was either clean shaven, a thick bushy mustache (Magnum PI), or with a permanent "3 day growth" (Don Johnson in Miami Vice).

Popular jackers were sport coats (white or pastel in colour, like in Miami Vice), red leather with zippers everywhere (Michael Jackson's "Bad" video), and denium jackets with spray painted logos and designes, with punk rock bands all over it (Dead Kennedy's, B-52's, Beat Farmers, etc).

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Captain_Fisher on 12/08/06 at 2:18 pm

Thank you guys! This is a great start, I'm gonna go see if I can't buy some of that stuff today!

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 12/08/06 at 2:20 pm


Thank you guys! This is a great start, I'm gonna go see if I can't buy some of that stuff today!



check your local thrift stores, or Ebay...you will find tons of stuff there! ;) Good luck! :)

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Banks on 12/09/06 at 3:59 am

I was 16 in 1988. Ill tell you what I wore:

1. Fluro-Tshirts, usually Hot pink or blue or green. Hot Tuna T-shirts were big around here. Condert T-shirts or album cover design Ts were cool, even ones from the 1970's so long as they were of 'cool' bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, KISS etc. Surfing T-shirts were also big, but T-shirts featuring Harley Davidsons and other motor bikes motor cross was pretty big) were popular.

2. Track suits with pin stripes (one or two) running down the arms and legs of the track suit. The pin stripes were usually of the same colour, but of a lighter shade tan the material which made the suit. Track pants with zippers running up the outside of the leg to the top of the ankle.

3. Jeans with rips in them were all the rage too (especially with the bottom of the bum section ripped so a small bit of bum cheel showed through thanks to Samantha Fox). The jeans were usually stone wash. You can make these yourself.

4. Reebok or L.A. Gear were also in as well, though Im sure the styles have changed a lot since the 1980's.

5. Baseball caps became more of a fashion statement, with the names of your favorite bands or sports teams on them.

6. Vinyl jackets were huge in the early to mid 1980's. These were huge here in Australia due to the explosion of break dancing. These jackets were made out of the same material as cheap tents. They made it easier to spin on your back while break dancing. Pants made of the same material were also popular.

7. I wore my hair long at the back and short at the front (yes, a mullet) with a fringe that was feahered.

8. Here in Australia BMX racing and riding became very popular. Kids wore their riding gear as fashion statements with padding included, often without the helmet, butsometimes with it.





Thats all I can think of for now.






AN

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: MewMewkara on 12/10/06 at 9:56 am

You could look in a thrift store like Quirk said or you could try to make your own clothes. It's fun. I love the 80's too (even though I was born in 1991) I love the clothes too. Hope you have good luck looking for the clothes!  :)

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Criz on 12/15/06 at 12:38 pm

You need some dranpipes or skinny jeans - but not overly skinny! Maybe a waistcoat over a slogan t-shirt - that's quite 80s. Converse trainers are cool, as are polo shirts and cardigans for guys at the moment. The trick is to not over-do it, you gotta team these items up with other stuff as to not go overboard.

I'm the same when it comes to the 80s - I love to wear certain items, but I'd never wear them all in one go! If I'm going for the leggings look I'd always team it up with either a denim or ra-ra skirt and wear something plain on the top and flat shoes. Be yourself - don't try and just wear everything in one go that resembles the 80s! :)

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: STAR70 on 12/15/06 at 4:45 pm


Well this is my first post, and to be honest I hate it when someone does this on the other forum I always go to but after much thought I've decided to ask.

I've always loved 80's fashion, although I wasn't born until 1988, I love the 80's. I finally have money now, and can finally carry out my dream and dress like I'm right out of the 1980's. Although the problem is I don't have anything, so what I was wondering is if anyone could tell me some popular 80's fashion, and maybe possibly where I could get some thing's.

I've tried looking online but with little success, I need to get clothes basically and some stuff to style my hair. My parents arnt much help, mostly because they don't want to re-live that, I don't see why since the 80's were so rad, but any help would be appreciated.


ACID WASHED JEANS are mandatory
pastel shirts and mini-pompadour with duck tails a must

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: 80smuzikhead on 12/17/06 at 10:27 am

I would recomend scouring your charity clothing shops for "80s originals". It is amazing what you can sometimes pick up, for very little money. I remember guys wearing board shorts in the 80s. Wild patterns and colours were all the rage. Skin tight jeans were also in -and I loved the look of the guys who wore them.
As far as hair is concerned, mullets have made a small comeback (at least where I live) though not quite as big or "boofy" as they were in the 80s.

Subject: Re: 80's Fashion

Written By: Criz on 12/20/06 at 1:26 pm


As far as hair is concerned, mullets have made a small comeback (at least where I live) though not quite as big or "boofy" as they were in the 80s.


Yes - definitly acid washed jeans!

And unfortunatly, mullets are back - but I would advise you NOT to go for this look, it aint a good one - it wasn't back then and it's still not the nicest of hairdos! :)

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