’80s Fashion Trends You Can Get Away with Wearing Today
The fascination with the ’80s is still going strong among the younger generation. On social media platforms like TikTok, you’ll stumble upon some trends that highlight the fashion and trends of the decade. One trend I’ve been obsessed recently with is when kids ask parents to “dance like it’s the ’80s” in a new dance challenge. In the trend, kids play the 1984 track Smalltown Boy by the British pop band Bronski Beat and wait to see how their parents respond. Many parents have been serving up pure 80s nostalgia with their moves.
Another trend I’ve been seeing a lot of is the “What if we got married in the 1980s.” This trend involves a popular CapCut filter. You take an image of you and your significant other and let the platform AI filter ’80s-fy your photo with a wedding twist portrait twist.
Lately, I’ve been noticing many people embracing ’80s fashion trends, such as teased hair and bright costumes. Glam metal and disco. Of course, colorful neon and spandex. Much of ’80s inspiration can be found in music and entertainment from Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia album to Stranger Things, Totally Killer, and Lisa Frankenstein.
80s Fashion Trends You Can Get Away with Wearing Today
Mixing retro with modern is all the rage these days! It’s super easy to blend iconic ’80s pieces with today’s fashion for a complete look. The best part? You might already have something in your wardrobe that screams ’80s.
It may look a bit different now, but skirt suits and oversized blazers are making their way back into mainstream fashion. Don’t worry shoulder pads are completely optional with this look.
Can you ever have too much denim? Not in the 80s. High-waisted silhouettes ruled the decade. Nowadays, they’re called Mom jeans. While low-rise options are on the rise, high-rise jeans remain a trendy denim staple. Acid-wash jeans are also making a fun comeback.
InStyle tells us that aerobics instructor Gilda Marx kicked off the Spandex craze while outfitting her A-list clientele in LA. These days, you’ll see people sporting bright spandex beyond the gym, pairing leotards and bodysuits with cute shoes or jeans.
Can’t forget about hair scrunchies. I’m thrilled to see the return of hair scrunchies, now upgraded with silk to promote healthy hair. For hair, 80s styles are making a big splash today with mullets, wolf cuts, bold blowouts, crimped hair, and side ponytails all making a fierce comeback. Some people have even tried and failed at DIY attempts to get some of these ’80s hair looks.
Accessories like metallic studs, spikes, chains, buckles, fishnets, and big earrings are making a splash, adding an extra pop to any outfit.
At festivals and concerts, belt bags and fanny packs are everywhere—convenient, fashionable, and oh-so-’80s. The trend has evolved into an across-the-body look rather than the classic fanny style.
These are just a few ’80s trends you can totally pull off or sneak into a more modern look today.