The 1980s
The 1980s fashion was full of different and opposed styles. There was heavy emphasis on expensive dressing and fashion accessories such as large faux-gold earrings, pearl necklaces, excessive shoulder pads and clothing covered with sequins and shiny costume jewellery.
The dancewear craze and love for aerobics was due to the 1983 movie Flashdance. Headbands, leotards, leg warmers and ripped sweatshirts turned extremely popular. Later on, soccer shorts and track suits will be the thing to wear. After the release of her single "Like a Virgin" in late 1984, Madonna became a fashion icon for many young women around the world. Her “street urchin” look included short skirts worn over leggings, brassieres worn as outer clothing, untidy hair, crucifix jewellery, and fishnet gloves. Another iconic fashion m hriller style and use fedora hat, gloves…. odel was Michael Jackson and teenagers would attempt to replicate his thriller style and use fedora hat, gloves….
The 1980s brought an explosion of colorful styles in men's clothing. Miami Vice look popularised Hawaiian shirts, sports coats, colourful t-shirts and a few days’ beard. The mid- 1980s offered designer jeans, cowboy boots and leather to be “in”.
Punk fashion began as a reaction against both the hippie movement of the past decades and the materialist values of the current decade. Doc Martens boots were an important feature of the post-punk gothic look which featured long hair, pale skin, dark eyeshadow, eyeliner and lipstick, black nail varnish, spiked bracelets and dog-collars, black clothing, often of leather. Corsets were often worn by girls. British bands which inspired the gothic trend include The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Cult. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the New Romantic and Goth music and fashion movement for men and women included the eyeliner, the spiked hair and buccaneer shirts with popping collars.
Most influences on fashion came not only from television but also from music styles: heavy metal style, punk style, rockabilly style. Hip hop culture and Rap music also began influencing fashion trends, such as track suits (worn when not exercising), Kangol hats, acid colours, oversized clothes and gold jewellery for men and women. There were also conservative people like the “Preppies” or the “Yuppies”, who developed into their own subculture.
Hair in the 1980s was generally big, curly, bouffant and heavily styled with mousse and hairspray. Men grew moustaches due to the influence of television shows. Medium-length hair was common for men. However, very long hair for men became fashionable in the late 1980s due to the influence of Heavy Metal music. Regarding eyewear, either the Ray-Ban Wayfarer or Aviator sunglasses were true must-haves.
