You’ve got to love the 1980s. It was a law unto itself, where everything was bigger, better, more colourful and more crazy, and it didn’t care that in 30 years time people would be looking back and laughing. Below are 12 fashions and trends that could only ever have existed in our favourite decade, and please make sure that you’re honest and post a comment letting us know if you succumbed to any of them…
1. Shell Suits
There was a time when we all thought we looked amazing wearing Shell Suits, but looking back now we really do need to hold our head in our hands. Because not only did we look terrible, but they were a rather serious and dangerous fire hazard!
2. Calculator Watches
Yes, we once thought it was a good idea to have a calculator strapped to our wrists, just in case we needed to work out any extra difficult sums when we were purchasing our groceries. These ‘revolutionary’ watches allowed us to do many different groundbreaking things, because as well as working out difficult calculations they could also tell the date and time…
[rtk_adunit_top]
3. Grolsch Bottle Tops On Shoes
Just because Matt and Luke Goss from 80s boy band Bros wore Grolsch bottle tops strapped to their Doc Martens boots, does that necessarily make it a good idea? Many of us thought so, and I’m sure if the gorgeous twins told us to jump of a cliff we would have done that as well.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
4. Bum Bags
Known rather lovingly as ‘Fanny Packs’ in the US, these wonderful creations allowed us to go ‘hands free’, keeping our important belongings close at hand rather than having to store them in a bag or pockets. The only downside being that they looked quite ridiculous.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
5. Massive Hair
From the ‘curly on top and straight at the sides’, to the ‘shaved at the sides and long at the back’, to the mothers who thought it was a good idea to cut their kid’s hair whilst they had a bowl over their heads, the 1980s is the decade to look back on if you want to see all manner of hair based disasters.
[rtk_adunit_top]
6. Neon Clothes
They ensured we could be seen late at night, but rather than being a traffic safety based decision, neon clothes were simply a result of everything in the 1980s needing to be brighter and more colourful. And neon hasn’t actually gone anywhere of course, being the outfit of choice for many hen-dos all over the country.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
7. Spokey Dokes
Yes, for some reason we used to affix colourful beads onto our bike’s spokes, but looking back we believe it may not have done much to promote peace in our local neighbourhood. Ensuring that everyone could hear us coming, Spokey Dokes gave our bike a lovely ‘clacking’ sound.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
8. Ripped Jeans
We don’t know about you, but when we were kids we took a pair of perfectly good jeans and ripped them so we could look like Matt and Luke Goss. Whoever thought this was a good and cost and effective way to treat our new clothing we have no idea…
[rtk_adunit_top]
9. Clarks Magic Step Shoes
You didn’t dream it, there was actually once children’s shoes available to purchase that you could open with a key and hide things inside. Whether you chose to store your little trinkets or you used them to ferry drugs across the Atlantic was totally up to you.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
10. Massive Earrings
The fashion of choice by certain Coronation Street characters back in the 1980s, if your earrings weren’t pulling your earlobes down to the floor then they weren’t big enough.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
11. Candy Bracelets
Why wear a real watch that could tell the time and perform useful functions when you could have an edible watch that would fill the times of hunger between your regular meals? Fashion and food in one incredible creation.
[rtk_adunit_top]
12. Shoulder Pads
We suspect that shoulder pads were to make women of the 1980s look powerful, but looking back, did they not just end up looking completely ridiculous instead? We’ll let you decide…
[rtk_adunit_middle]
If you have enjoyed reading this post, please do spread some lovely, warm, nostalgic fashion based memories to your friends and family by sharing it with them!
[rtk_adunit_bottom]