Everyone always says that old trends come back into style each year and 2018 is no exception, with a massive 80s fashion revival for autumn! While the 1980s is known for its bold colours and experimental fashions, and you may cringe at the memory of crimped hair and leg warmers, these are luckily staying firmly in the past. However, some iconic looks are making a reappearance, including bold prints, leather jackets, distressed denim and neons. You can expect modern updates and thankfully, more toned down styles than three decades ago. If in doubt, here is how to pull off the 1980s trends making a comeback this autumn:
Animal prints were one of the big 1980s trends, which was an era all about bold colours and prints to get you noticed. Leopard print was the dominating look, appearing everywhere, including on MTV pop stars like Madonna. Although leopard is known for walking the thin line between trashy and luxury, it is a timeless print which always comes back around. For 2018, designers Tom Ford, Victoria Beckham and Max Mara, have all featured leopard print in their A/W catwalks.
To pull off this 1980s trend, you could pair a striking leopard print coat with all black, to add a pop of colour and brighten up a plain outfit. If you drape your coat over your shoulders, it will also add a touch of class to your outfit. A modern way to wear leopard print, is to treat it as a neutral piece and then wear clashing prints such as checks, to add contrast. If you don’t want to wear a large leopard print piece, you can add flashes of this bold print in your accessories. Why not try a leopard print bag or bold pair of ankle boots, to add another dimension to a plain outfit and show off your personality?
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Oversized blazers with shoulder pads, must be one of the most iconic fashion trends of the 1980s. Big-shouldered jackets originally appeared after a surge of women joined the workforce in executive roles and oversized, boxy styles were used to desexualise women and help them assert their authority. However, tailoring soon became more feminine, while remaining sharp and striking. Nowadays, designers are bringing back 80s style blazers, with the same padding to emphasise the shoulders, but more modern silhouettes.
Now a staple piece in any wardrobe, you can pull this 1980s trend off by wearing your oversized blazer open, like a cardigan, over a more casual outfit. This look works particularly well with high-waisted jeans and rolled cuffs for a stylish, dressed down, smart casual look. You can also dress your blazer up by wearing it over a short dress and pairing it with heels so it doesn’t swamp petite frames. If you are looking for an eye-catching, structured jacket, why not channel your 80’s power dresser and invest in an oversized blazer for your 1980s trends?
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While neon isn’t the most practical colour trend of the year, it is most definitely making a comeback for A/W 2018. 1980s fashion is known for its bright colours and fluorescents were no exception, being particularly popular with fitness gurus during the decade. With hot pinks, bright yellows and oranges and lime greens all making a comeback on catwalks by Prada, Krizia and Louis Vuitton, it is time to bring some neon into your wardrobe.
Neon can be a difficult trend to wear, so you’ll probably find it easier to pull off neon accents. Believe it or not, you can incorporate neon into a monochrome outfit without it looking tacky or childish. To pull one of the 1980s trends like this off, you should add flashes of neon in your accessories, such as belts, handbags and shoes, to make a statement without having to wear a large neon piece. However, if you’re after a more eye-catching look, you could go bold and opt for a neon dress or skirt for a night out. If you do, make sure you keep the design fairly simple and pair the bright article of clothing with neutral colours such as black, white or beige, to avoid overdoing it.
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Although mini dresses first appeared in the 1960s, it was during the 80s that they developed into a range of different styles, including skater, ra-ra and pencil. With all kinds of elaborate mini party dresses, from velvet to lace, to silk, vinyl, and even full on sequins, there was a cocktail dress for everyone. Stars such as Tina Turner, Cher and Kylie Minogue all wore this thigh-grazing style during the era and it is making a comeback this year. For Autumn 2018, Saint Laurent featured a variety of mini party dresses, with striking bold shoulders straight out of the 1980s, which has influenced high street fashion for the season.
If you want to try out this trend for a party, you should pair your mini dress with some simple heels, to elongate your legs for a striking look and add sheer black tights for a sexy, vintage feel. You can also pair 80s style mini party dresses with dramatic thigh-high boots for a modern look and you can even layer a flowy coat over the top in the winter. Or, you could go for a more everyday look, with a leather biker jacket and combat boots to toughen up the trend. However you decide to wear it, getting your legs out in a mini dress is going to be a big trend this party season! This is definitely one of the best 1980s trends!
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Leather was the most dominant of all fabrics on the 2018 A/W catwalks, with black being the most popular colour for coats, dresses, trousers and skirts. Leather is a versatile, edgy fabric which always comes back into style and a leather jackets have become a wardrobe staple since their first appearance. In the 80s, leather clothing came in all sorts of styles, including ruffled, studded and fringed and black leather jackets with their wide lapels and zips created a trademark “tough guy” or “rock star” look. This year, designer Miu Miu revived soft leather jackets in 80s silhouettes and the 80s met the matrix with long black leather coats making a comeback.
A leather jacket is the easiest way to pull off this 1980s trend, as you can wear it with almost anything. If you want to toughen up a chiffon shirt or boho dress, a leather jacket will give an edgy contrast. You can also dress a leather jacket down with a band t-shirt and skinny jeans, or wear an oversized one over a loose knitted jumper in the winter. If you want to make more of a statement, you could even channel your inner rock chick and try out double leather! While this isn’t the easiest look to pull off, if you go for something more muted, rather than patent, a leather jacket with leather skirt combo can be both chic and sexy!
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This vintage wash of jeans first appeared somewhere in the mid-to-late 1980s, going hang in hand with the big hair trend. Popular amongst 80s rock bands, acid-washed jeans featured a fine-grain pattern which gave wearers an edgy, grunge look, before it was even fashionable. Designers like Miu Miu have brought back this unique style of jeans for the 2018 A/W season and stars like Katy Perry have also been seen channelling their inner rock chick in acid-wash.
While double denim was big thirty years ago, in order to pull off this 1980s trend making a comeback, you must avoid it at all costs! Nobody wants to see that look being revived! The simplest ways to wear acid-washed jeans, are to either dress them down with a band tee and converse trainers for a casual, youthful look, or to dress them up with a plain white t-shirt, blazer and a modern pair of heels, to smarten and update the look for going out. It is best to avoid bright colours alongside acid-wash as the trend makes its own statement and you don’t want your look to end up looking more like a retro costume! This is one of our favourite 1980s trends!
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Nothing says 80s glam like sequins and shine! After several years of minimalism, silver metallics were an unexpected, but dominant feature of the 2018 A/W catwalks. In the 1980s, metallic clothing and accessories were a futuristic trend, with gold and silver the most popular colours, often paired with black velvet. This year, every style has been seen on runways, from hi-shine suits to liquid silver dresses to holographic jackets. Tom Ford featured a silver sequin blazer and leggings combo, while Alberta Ferretti went for stunning ballgown glamour. The modern take on the metallics trend is more toned down, with sleek silhouettes and monochrome palettes.
To pull off this 1980s trend, you should avoid going for an all-over shiny look. Instead, you should pair your metallic pieces with simple pieces and mix and match fabrics to break up this bold look. The easiest way to wear metallics is to keep everything else you’re wearing black. For instance, you could pair a silver skirt with a plain black blouse or a metallic knitted jumper with dark skinny jeans for contrast. To make the trend more wearable, you may also want to choose muted metallics, rather than high shine ones, for larger pieces like jackets and dresses. You can then be bolder with accessories and add sparkle to your outfit that way! This is one of the best 1980s trends!
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Even if you’re too young to have experienced the 80s first time round, this article should have given you an insight into some of the most popular trends of the decade and given you ideas to help you pull off the 1980s trends making a comeback this autumn. Feeling nostalgic yet?
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