10 Most Popular 80s Fashion Trends To Dress In 2023

The eighties were also a decade of?fashion trends ?that people?‘loved to hate,’ as?you’ll see later in our gallery of iconic ’80s outfits. Hair was teased and permed to the limits, voluminously styled, and sometimes crimped; make-up was bold with clashing colors, almost like face paint.

Without further ado, these are the?21 most representative and inspiring 80s fashion?pics, images, and moments ever.

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Power Suits

Power suits and power dressing was all the rage in the 80s, as a trend created by celebrities and movie stars playing influential, power-hungry career women. Grace Jones’ sharply-tailored suits with broad padded shoulders inspired the ‘girl power’ and cross-dressing movement of the 1980s – an inspiration for artists such as Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Solange, and Lorde.

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Padded Shoulder Dresses

The shoulder pads were such an influential trend in the 80s fashion that they even started to be adopted by dress designers. Notable shoulder pads matched vaporous dresses with puffed sleeves to create unique geometric shapes and cuts.

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Leg Warmers

The 80s fashion styles were influenced by those times stars and celebrities, promoting fitness and aerobic exercises on TV. Olivia Newton-John and Jane Fonda’s appearances (Flashdance in particular) turned legwarmers into every woman’s fashion statement.

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Leather Jackets with Rolled Up Sleeves

80s leather jackets with rolled-up sleeves were made popular by music stars such as Micheal Jackson, Jon Bon Jovi, and Morten Harket.

Worn by music and movie stars such as Bon Jovi, Madonna, Cher, Tom Cruise (Top Gun), and Morten Harket, leather jackets were a must-have in the 80s. However, the most popular leather jacket styles had large, padded shoulders and were worn with the sleeves rolled up, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller look is the perfect example.

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80s Preppy Fashion

The 80s was also the decade of designers focusing on comfortable and stylish preppy styles. Brands like Polo, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein launched college-styled jackets, trousers, and shirts in pastel colors with stripes.

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Statement Tees & Slogan T-shirts

Statement tees, also called slogan t-shirts, are another 80s fashion-defining moment, beautifully exemplified by Katharine Hamnett’s pieces. The designer’s anti-nuclear-missiles T-shirt, worn while meeting then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1984, is now part of 80s fashion history.

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1980s Mini Skirts

The 80s is also the decade of mini skirts, skater skirts, and Rah-rah’s. Mini skirts were first seen in the?1960s fashion , often matched with go-go boots. But the mini-skirt trends peaked in the 80s, worn with legwarmers and/or leggings.

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Polka Dots Patterns

Inspired by 1940s –?50s fashion , polka dot dresses, skirts, and tops resurfaced in the 80s with a vengeance. The style was brought back by the French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro on its SS 1985 ready-to-wear collection, fast adopted by royalty, pop stars, and cinema celebrities alike.

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1980s Animal Prints

Even in the 80s wearing natural animal skin was drawn upon. However, that didn’t deter celebrities from wearing over-the-top animal prints on every imaginable outfit and style. From leggings to handbags, skirts, and sunglasses, bold prints of leopard, zebra, tiger, giraffe, and python were the rage.

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Eighties Oversized Eyewear