The 80s workout craze reached its peak during 1983, with sales of leg warmers and leotards going through the roof.
To create an 80s workout look, wear a lycra leotard with a big belt around the waist, and leggingsor tights with scrunched up leg warmers. A headband and sweat bands are optional, but really will enhance your look. There are no strict rules about the colours, but pastel or neon colours such as pink, purple, turquoise and silver were popular, and for fancy dress purposes these colours look very 80s. Animal print and striped leotards can also be used.
This knitting pattern panphlet from 1983 shows us that leg warmers were still popular, although I can't remember many girls wearing them with bobbles on!
The Ra-Rah (or Rah-Rah) skirt was particularly popular with ladies during 1982 and 1983. The look was enhanced (or ruined, depending on your point of view) by girls who decided towear 3/4 length leggings underneath.
On this Smash Hits cover from 1983, we see Tracie Young with Paul Weller from The Style Council. I remember a lot of stylish girls wearing hats at this time, and more will feature further down this post. Weller has stuck to his mod revival style.
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Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox - Smash Hits March 1983 |
Annie Lennox provided us with a now iconic 80s look. Her style was androgynous, with cropped orange hair (which looked even more striking against her pale face) and a suit. This matched well with the cold synthesizer sounds provided by Eurythmics, although her voice was warm and sensual.
In this cover photo from a Woolworth Smash Hits Christmas Special (1983) we see two 80s fashion icons together - Annie Lennox with Culture Club frontman Boy George. Annie's hair is slightly longer here and the make-up is almost as bold as George's. A magazine front cover doesn't get any more 80s than this.
I still remember the day when Boy George first appeared on Top of the Pops. He became the talk of the school playground, with fierce arguments breaking out over which gender he really was. My Dad was pretty bemused, too. In his typically blunt manner, he asked me "What the hell is that?".
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1983 book - Culture Club - Boy George in his own words. |
Does anyone remember this book cum magazine? There were plenty of these magazine books around back in the day, with record companies trying to rake in as much cash as they could before the bands became unpopular. I remember a 1986 Frankie Goes To Hollywood magbookwith the headline "They're Back!" sitting on the shelves of my local WHSmith for around a year. In 1984, any publication featuring the band would have sold out in a day!
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Thompson Twins on the cover of Smash Hits - April 1983 |
Alannah Currie from synthpop band Thompson Twins provided us with another iconic 80s style with her crazy hair which was half-covered by an over-sized, peaked hat.
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Fame Annual 1983 - back cover |
A fitness fad was still gripping the nation in 1983, with leg warmers, leggings and over-sized sweatshirts with batwing sleeves (often worn with big neon or white belts) being the order of the day for teenage girls. Leg warmers were particularly on-trendand were even worn over jeans. Exercise gear had become streetwear, but by the time I left school in 1984, the craze had almost died a death.
Yes, even Barbie joined in with the 80s dance and fitness craze by donning a leotard, leg warmers and a headband.
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1980s Swatch Watch |
Founded in 1983, Swatch watches became very trendy and there were dozens of quirky designs available, With the advent of the digital watch, these artistic designs helped to halt the decline of traditional mechanical watches - this became known as the Quartz crisis.
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Vasily Maxi Swatch Watch |
Well, here endeth my glimpse into 1983 fashion. No doubt, I will come back to this post and add more items as I find them.
FAQs
1983 featured a flashback to the 1940s with menswear influences like strong shoulder pads and oversized coats. The overall look of the year is accentuated by the power belt that minimizes the waist and emphasizes the hips. In summary, volume fashion was a hit.
How to dress for 1983? ›
15 Fashions People Were Rocking in 1983
- Off-the-Shoulder Sweatshirts. ...
- Members Only Jackets. ...
- Hawaiian Shirts. ...
- Big Shoulders. ...
- Popped Collars. ...
- Baracuta Jackets. ...
- Exercise Gear. ...
- Guess Jeans.
Young women wore Guess jeans, lace everything (thanks to trend-setting Madonna), and jellies shoes. What were men wearing in 1983? For casual wear, they all wanted to look like Tom Selleck in Magnum, PI; they wore Hawaiian shirts. And for the ultimate 1983 preppy look, just pop the collar.
How to look like you're from the 80s? ›
If you're putting together a casual look for women, think high-waisted jeans, turtlenecks, velvet blazers, and loose dresses with sneakers, thick heels, or round-toed boots. For men, early '80s casual looks included rolled straight-legged jeans with slouched socks, polo shirts, and polyester button ups.
How did people dress in the 1980s? ›
The 1980s was possibly 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.
How to dress like the 80s female? ›
Look for items like oversized blazers, sweaters, and jackets. You can also look for items with exaggerated details like shoulder pads and big collars. High-waisted pants, skirts, or shorts were a popular choice in the 80s. Opt for high-waisted jeans, skirts, or trousers to achieve an authentic retro look.
How should I dress for an 80s party? ›
Designers should use bright neon colors, shoulder pads, puffed sleeves, animal prints, leather, and lace. The trick to putting together an outfit for an 80s party is to pick something that is 80s inspired but still stays true to what's trending today.
What is the 80s look? ›
The fabrics of the 1980s were unquestionably velour, spandex, and Lycra, with comfortable cotton and natural silk also popular. Severely tailored military -style suits and jackets with padded shoulders were worn side-by-side with printed t-shirts, velvet tracksuits , and baggy harem pants or leggings.
What did kids wear in 1983? ›
Children's fashion from the 1980s consisted of chunky colored sweaters, light washed denim, and more. Children's fashion from the 1980s consisted of chunky colored sweaters, light washed denim, and more.
What was the craze in the 80's? ›
The suits, shoulder pads and lady ties permeated pop culture as well, showcased in movies such as 9 to 5 (1980) and Working Girl (1988) and TV shows like Dynasty (1981-89) and Moonlighting (1985-89)—all of which featured strong female characters who brought even more popularity to the power dressing trend.
Just think about it: The '80s brought us fishnets and leg warmers, served up electric colorways and the naked dress, made a case for leggings-as-pants, and inserted shoulder pads into any blazer and blouse that designers would allow.
What was the main style in the 80s? ›
When thinking of 80's fashion, the words 'big and bright' surely sums it up. It was a decade of big hair, shoulder pads, large and dramatic earring types, acid wash jeans, colorful necklace styles and eye-straining fabric colors and patterns.
How to make an easy 80s outfit? ›
Make your own 80s outfit by wearing bright colors, a loose top, and tight-fitting pants. Thrift for 80s fashion staples like acid-washed jeans, jumpsuits, and denim jackets. Channel the spirit of the 80s with a teased hairstyle, sweatband, and heavy, bright makeup.
How to do 80s hair? ›
Use a small barrel curling iron for all-over corkscrew curls, or use heatless hair curlers sized for corkscrew or spiral curls. Once set, pull your curls apart for extra body. If you happen to have naturally curly hair — your time has come. Curly hair products can help you achieve this totally '80s look.
What pants were popular in the 80s? ›
Jeans: Jordache made tight jeans with skinny legs popular, but women also wore 'mom jeans' with a high waist and loose fit around the legs. Whether your jeans were skinny fit or baggy, during the 80's stone-washed and edgy rock-style acid washed denim fabric was the norm.
What fashion styles were in style in the 1980s? ›
The 1980s was possibly 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.
What clothing was big in the 80s? ›
Just think about it: The '80s brought us fishnets and leg warmers, served up electric colorways and the naked dress, made a case for leggings-as-pants, and inserted shoulder pads into any blazer and blouse that designers would allow.
