1980s Fancy dress ideas
Need some ideas for a 1980s fancy dress event?
80s New Romantics
The 1970s had some flamboyant clothing but it continued in the 80s with the "New Romantics".
New romantic music bands of the early 1980 s like Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Culture Club and Adam and the Ants all had great over the top styles.
Adam and the Ants took on an 18th century romantic style using flouncy open neck shirt, long jackets, boots with turnover tops and usually finished with jewellery and even face make up.
In fact quite similar to the Pirates of the Caribbean hero Jack Sparrow! So if you have a pirate costume already you could perhaps add a wig, paint some stripes on your face to turn it into an Adam and the Ants fancy dress outfit!
Culture Club were part of the New Romantic cult but Boy George the lead singer certainly had his very own unique style. He too used make-up and lots of it, his hair had long braids and always with a hat, often worn with bright long smocks.
Punks but Still Rocking
The Punk movement was still hanging in there in the very early eighties so that is always a fairly easy costume to come up with using your own narrow jeans with rips cut into them and white T-shirt also with holes. Then use saftey pins to partial close the rips. To finish the outfit off get some accessories like studded chokers and even a Mohawk wig.
Glam rock had finished in the 80s but there were still some rockers about; Rod Stewart was still belting out the tunes in his leopard print outfits and American band Bon Jovi were big wearing tight trousers, vests and leather jackets with black and blond long back combed hair.
Like a Virgin Getting Physical
Moving into the mid-80s Madonna become one of the biggest stars of the time after her "Like a Virgin" album and the movie "Desperately Seeking Susan" came out. Madonna 80s dress style at this period has become very iconic and so many fancy dress costumes for the 80 s are based on this look. If you want to create your own outfit wear a tight vest top, loose off the shoulder mesh top, tutu, and leggings. Then accessorise with lace gloves, beads and/or a cross necklace and top with a blonde highlight wig.
Also around this time of the 80s bright contrasting colours were worn in the gym with toweling sweatbands, leg warmers and net tops as aerobics become popular. Watch Olivia Newton John's "Lets get Physical" video as a typical example to give you a better idea!
Hairs never been so big
Womens hair in the 1980s was big. Backcombing, crimping and blonde highlights were the norm. Some mens 80s styles weren't a lot different either!
There are loads of fancy dress wigs available to give you the big 80s hair do's and here's just a few.
Womens:
Mens:
Great ideas from 80s TV and Film
There are lots of ideas for fancydress to take from television and movies of the 80s decade.
On TV was the Sunday quiz show Bullseye with Jim Bowen and Bully, Rainbow with Zippy and George, the brilliant British cartoons Banana man, Danger Mouse and the US adventure cartoon He-man with Prince Adam and his arch enemy Skeletor. He-man also had a sister called She-Ra Princess of power!
On the big screen hit movies were TopGun with Maverick, Goose and the Iceman. The 1st of Sly Stallone's Rambo movies came out and also came the dark Batman Movie starring Jack Nicholson as Joker and Michael Keaton as Batman. Talking of Michael Keaton, he also stared in the Comedy/Horror film Beetle Juice another idea for 80s or Halloween.
We hope this has given you enough ideas for your up-coming fancy dress event.
Below are some costumes and accessories to give you an idea of what full costumes are available for the 1980s.
