The decade that gave us the Rubix Cube, the Walkman, and Pac-Man has inspired a lot of fashion trends over the years. It was a time when pastels were in, shoulder pads were out, and everything was neon. If you want to go out as a ’80s teenager, you’re going to need a lot of neon.
The ’80s were a time when fashion and music went hand in hand. If you wore the right outfit, you could be the best dancer or singer in your local club. If you couldn’t dance or sing, you could at least look like you could.
Don’t just throw on a tutu and call it an ’80s outfit, though. To become a true “misfit” (as the song says), complete your costume with neon accessories, bright shades, and an oversized sweatshirt. Let everyone know that it’s time to turn up the music and hit the dance floor.
Here are some of the most popular party outfits of the 1980’s:
The Flashdance
If you are a fan of the ’80s movie Flashdance, then you’ll love this costume. The Flashdance costume is one of the most popular outfits that ’80s girls wore to parties and clubs. It consists of a white tank top, leggings, and leg warmers. To complete the look, you’ll also need a black headband, a red belt with a fake gold buckle, and metal toe shoes (that are uncomfortable to wear).
The Headband
Another popular ’80s outfit was the headband. For your party outfit, pick a bright color and tie it around your head. To really get into character, dance around the room waving your arms in the air like you just don’t care. This is a great costume for teens who don’t want to dress up as someone specific from an ’80s movie or TV show because it is such an easy costume to make on your own using items from around your house or purchased at the store.
The Greaser Costume
The Greaser costume was very popular among teens in the 1980s because it showed off their rebellious side. If your party is in the evening or on Halloween, you can add a black leather jacket and a motorcycle chain to complete your look. The only thing better than being a Greaser is to dress up as your favorite ’80s rock star like Bon Jovi or Mötley Crüe, or your favorite movie star like Michael J. Fox or Tom Cruise. Your friends will think you’re the best dressed at the party.
The Wannabe
The Wannabe costume is perfect for those who are going out with friends but don’t want to stand out too much. It consists of clothing that looks like what many ’80s teenagers would have worn to school, plus two accessories: neon sunglasses and a pair of white sneakers. With this outfit, you’ll fit in with everyone else at the party but still be able to show off your individual style by choosing some bright neon colors for your clothes and accessories.
The Misfit
The Misfit outfit is not for shy people or those who want to blend in with the crowd. This costume is perfect for someone who wants to stand out in the crowd and be the center of attention. The Misfit outfit consists of a bright neon sweatshirt, a pair of oversized headphones, and an 80’s-style boombox. You can wear whatever pants you like since you will be wearing a sweatshirt over them anyway. Wear what you want on your feet because it doesn’t matter if your shoes match your accessories as long as they are comfortable to wear all night long.
The Mime
The Mime costume is perfect for those who are shy or want to be in the background at their party. It consists of a black turtleneck, black pants, and a white ski mask. For your accessories, you can add some white gloves and a black cane if you like. This outfit is perfect for Halloween parties or if you just want to go out as a movie or TV character that nobody will recognize.
The Madonna Costume
Madonna was one of the biggest pop stars in the ’80s and virtually everyone knows who she is, especially teenagers. This costume consists of clothing that Madonna wore during her “Like A Virgin” era: dark-colored leggings with a white turtleneck underneath them, black boots, and a bright pink jacket with fur on the collar and around the cuffs. You’ll also need several large silver necklaces to complete your 80s Madonna look. If you really want to get into character, add some hair extensions and fake eyelashes for an authentic look straight from the 1980s.
The Pimp Costume
The pimp costume is perfect for those who love bling and pink. It consists of a black and pink pimp hat, a pink turtleneck, pink pants, white sunglasses, white gloves, a gold chain necklace, and a pair of white shoes. Add some bling anywhere that you can: on your shoes, on your finger(s), around your neck, or even in your hair. Don’t forget to make eye contact with everyone at the party when you walk in the room.
The Jheri Curl
The Jheri Curl is perfect for those who want to go out as one of their favorite 1980s movie stars like Eddie Murphy or Will Smith. This costume is easy to make because all you really need are two things: big hair and a leopard print outfit. Wear brown or yellow-colored contacts to complete your look if you want to look like you just stepped off the set of “Coming To America” or “The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air”.
The Boy George Costume
Boy George was one of the biggest pop stars in the ’80s and he had some pretty unusual fashion sense that included bright colors and glittery makeup. If you want to go out as Boy George, you’ll need a big white wig, a black leather jacket, white pants, a studded belt with a bright pink belt buckle, and red shoes. For your accessories, add some big gold earrings and some fake diamonds or rhinestones to your face and clothes to make it look like you just stepped off the set of MTV in 1986.
The Power Ranger
If you want to go out as one of the popular ’80s TV heroes, then you can’t get much more popular than the Power Rangers. This costume for teens consists of a red, blue, or green leotard and tights. Add a bright colored tunic top, yellow boots, a white belt with an oval-shaped buckle, and some white gloves. To complete your look, wear your favorite ’80s hair style: either a spiky or swept back look will work perfectly for this costume.
