80s fashion
Fashion in the 80s gave people more choices than ever before. The decade began with the aftermath of Punk, which turned the fashion world, as well as the music world, on its head. At the beginning of the 80s, the New Romantics took their influence from historical costume and both men and women wore outrageous make up. Later power dressing became essential for the career woman. Everyone was into designer labels and a new fashion phenomenon, Next, opened up on the high street.
After Punk
By the early 80s, Punk was on the wane. Those who originally adopted the style had already moved on by the late 70s. However, Punks were still seen in shopping precincts up and down the country and largely ignored by passers by. Punk was now cliché for rebellious youth. Punks featured in bank commercials and BBC documentaries, as well as Kenny Everett's Gizzard Puke. Punk parents were now bringing up children and living conventional lives.
Some young people adopted the Mod look of 60s Carnaby Street, inspired by the original Mod revival band, the Jam. Others adopted a look inspired by the 50s, known as Rockabilly. The severe, 50s derived flat top hairdo became popular for some young men. The next big fashion after Punk drew inspiration, not from the fifties, but from several centuries ago.
New Romantic
The New Romantic look most associated with 80s fashion began in the late 70s. It was a reaction against Punk and an opportunity to dress up and do your own thing. Early practitioners of the style were George O'Dowd, who later became famous as Boy George of Culture Club and nightclub host and promoter Steve Strange, who later fronted the pop group Visage. At this time the New Romantic look was a fringe activity seen only in some extreme, trendy London clubs. Most youths were still into Punk, Mod or Rockabilly or still wearing flares.
Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm Maclaren transformed their original Punk store at 430 King's Road. They completely rejected Punk and renamed the store 'World's End'. It specialised in Westwood's new pirate look, derived from 17th century pirate costumes.
New Romantic music and fashion became more mainstream youth culture in the early years of the 80s. It was typified by loose fitting clothes, asymmetric hair cuts and excessive make-up, worn by both men and women. The link between music and fashion was strong. New Romantic fashions were displayed by Adam and the Ants, Visage, the Human League as well as Culture Club.
Nostalgia
The clothes worn by the Princess of Wales had a impact on fashion throughout the 80s. Her wedding dress, by Elizabeth and David Emmanuel, from 1981 evoked an earlier era. The Princess' early 80s wardrobe became a blue print for the female Sloane Ranger.
Dynasty and shoulder pads
The glamorous look of stars such as Joan Collins from Dynasty had a major impact on fashions throughout the 80s. Designers Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler introduced shoulder pads to women's fashion as early as 1978. However, it took stars such as Joan Collins, who played Alexis Colby and Linda Evans who played Krystle Carrington in the American TV series Dynasty to popularise the style. By 1985, shoulder pads were everywhere and even men's suits started to feature them. They changed the female silhouette, making the shoulders broader and the hips appear narrower.
This trend fed into another 80s fashion: power dressing. Women wanted to feel the equal of men in the world of business and dressed to assert their authority. The business suit with wide shoulders became essential for any female Yuppie's wardrobe.
Designer labels
In the 80s, designer labels were essential for a fashionable wardrobe. Everyone wanted to look as if they had made it in the 80s and a designer outfit was the way to do it.
Fashion designer Paul Smith had a huge influence on the way men looked in the 80s. His suits defined the 80s look at the top end of the market. Paul Smith's store captured the spirit of the era. Discerning customers could also choose accessories such as Filofaxes to go with their new outfit. Both David Bowie and Brian Ferry bought suits from Paul Smith. Italian designers, such as Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani, were also favourite choices amongst fashionable men.
The 80s suit was totally different from the 70s: flares disappeared; trousers were straight legged. Turn-ups returned in the later years of the 80s and in the second half of the decade, the double breasted suit became popular.
Thin ties were in. A fashionable touch was a striped shirt with a white collar, as seen right, worn by then Radio 1 DJ, Steve Wright in 1985.
Polo shirts were not worth having unless they carried a designer label, such as Lacoste or Ralph Lauren. There was a trade in fake labels to sew on cheaper shirts to look like the real thing. Raincoats had to be by Burberry. For leisure wear Timberland deck shoes were essential for men, with a pair of Ralph Lauren Chinos and an appropriately expensive and labelled polo shirt.
Women too, went for Burberry or Aquascutum raincoats. Designers Giorgio Armani, Jasper Conran, Zhandra Rhodes, Bruce Oldfield, Jean Muir and Ralph Lauren were favourites. Pierre Cardin and Yves St Laurent also carried some cachet in the 80s and were more affordable.
Next
Designers were much more visible and and even if their creations were out of reach for most, a few pieces could be bought to improve basics purchased more cheaply in a chain store. The popularity of designer labels also prompted the high street to up its game. George Davies started Next for women in 1982 and launched Next for men two years later, transforming the menswear retailer Hepworth's. Next defined 80s style for many people.
Other stores also improved their offerings in the 80s. Marks and Spencer updated its collections in the 80s and moved the brand more upmarket than previously.
What next?
The economic prosperity which fuelled some of the excesses of the 80s ended in recession at the and of the decade. 80s fashions later came to represent an era of greed and selfishness. The 80s can now be viewed with a little more perspective.
80s fashion: reference and further reading
- The Fashion Source Book by Ame De La Haye, published 1987 (Macdonald Orbis)
- The Look by Paul Gorman, published 2001 (Sanctuary)
- The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook, by Ann Barr and Peter York, published 1982 (Ebury Press)
- The Official British Yuppie Handbook, by Russell Ash, published 1984 (Ravette)
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