Going to an '80s party- what to wear

[Hullabalooo]

I'm going to an 80s party soon but it's supposed to be a cool '80s party - think Siousixe and the Banshees etc but I have no idea what to wear?

Any tips? Don't really want to spend much or anything but be nice to look the part and look good too.

Size 10 and medium height

If you want tasteful 80s, I'd watch When Harry met Sally.
For something a bit edgier you could look for images of Annie Lennox, Madonna or Boy George. Or New Romantics (strictly speaking that was 70s but it was still going in my neck of the woods).

For laughs, look at Dynasty and, I am sorry to say, early Princess Diana.

The Top of the Pops re-runs are in the mid 80s at the moment so you'd get lots of other ideas there.

Baggy white T-shirt and high waisted jeans

Go on eBay for headband, braces, hat, leg warms type things - you don’t need them all but a bit of neon goes a long way

Add beads and bangles - check charity shops for ghaw

We rocked!

Did we mention hairspray - it’s all about the hair! Bigger the better - lots of eyeliner as well too and bottom and read lipstick

Start with the hair. What length/style/colour is it?

I think for “cool” eighties rather than kitsch your options are Goth, Annie Lennox, New Romantic or Robert Palmer girl.

Less cool but fun options would be Yuppie, Bananarama/Amazulu, Strawberry Switchblade, neon workout gear or Madonna (only if you’re happy to flash the flesh).

I was also going to say Robert Palmer girl. Black dress, red lip pie, slicked back hair.

A cool 80s party? That's no fun. I would go full on ra-ra skirt and lace fingerless gloves.

Thanks. This is all great!

Run DMC t-shirt and converse

If it's a "cool" party then I wouldn't be channelling Princess Di and Dynasty.

Why not pick a cool 80s popstar and copy that. Madonna is the obvious one. Or Blondie. Basically a blonde bob wig with a fringe, sunglasses and then whatever else - black shiny leggings and a ripped oversize band t-shirt spring to mind. Or an oversize black t-shirt, belted. For extra rock'n'roll you could cut the neckband so it makes it one-shouldered. Or wear a one-shouldered loose top. (you could copy one of her video outfits if you wanted to go to the extreme).

Other 80s ideas are body con dress with bright or neon coloured tights, ideally footless (easily bought on eBay) and worn with stiletto heels. and lots of bright plastic beads. Electric blue and pink very popular in the 80s as was stripes of blusher and frosted or purple lipstick.

Oh and finally CRIMP your hair. You can't get more 80s than that

(I'm thinking Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan only here BTW!)
Rayban type sunglasses, short black leather jacket, paperbag waisted trousers tucked into ankle boots (ankle boots must have thin heel not block or chunky heel). And curly hair with the front section twisted up in a small quiff. And red lipstick

This is what I aspired to look like in the 80s, Banarama were my style icons. I thinks it's very similar to what's currently in style too.

New Romantic or AdamAnt Pirate style ?

I used to wear: ( and I'm 52 so I remember it the first time round )

Ultra skinny jeans
Pixie boots
White shirt with ruffles (a bit Meatloaf but hey ! )
Double layer / double length belt - one went round the waist through the loops then the other bit lower on the hips . If it was studded , so much better .
Blazer with rolled up sleeves

Make-up - look at the female singers in The Human League . Heavy on the precion blusher and the eyeliner , colours would be navy +gold or purple+dark pink .

Hair - I had a cropped back/sides with a floppy fringe and a rat-tail (tiny thin plait at the back with a ribbon.

Earrings would have to be big, drops or danglies (I loved the Monty Don crystal pear and stud with a tiny ribbon but I could only afford Razzle-Dazzle )

Fingerless black lace short gloves if I was going somewhere snazzy .

Black lace tights were in too .

Put your blush on with masking tape, back comb your hair and wear lots of black lace. It worked for me all those years ago

How do you crimp your hair? Do I need a special device?

You can wash your hair , tie it up in tiny plaits , leave it overnight then undo and just run your fingers through to loosen .

More plaits = better wavy results .

Crimps shouldn’t be symmetrical or all over - just random

I've just bought a vintage 80s jacket from eBay for 8 quid. Wearing with black leggings and pixie boots for a party.

I want to go to this party.

Yes, to crimp your hair there is an electric crimper which gives a crinkle effect. The 80's look was a tight crimp and as a PP has said, random sections would do - but 80s hair was BIG, so crimping all over puffs the hair up. Backcombing and hairspray also popular - hair would be sideswept, so for example a ponytail (high) but on one side (lovely!) with a loose side fringe left down, either backcombed messily using a lot of hairspray, or crimped. Sometimes headbands were used but they were the sort that went across the forehead rather than on the top of the head. Lace in hair was popular, either tied in the ponytail or in the headband. (New Romantic element) .

But with no electric crimper, plaiting your hair in lots of small plaits overnight will result in a good enough crimped effect.

Google crimped 80s hairstyles for more inspo!

Wow you lot know your stuff!

Ahh people think that the 80s was the era that style forgot but really , it was the best

Nostalgia reigns

Asymmetrical hair. >nods<

YY to neon colours.

Build a brick around your mobile phone.

Or, for an outfit nobody else will think of, wear a red suit & heels, glamourous hair and makeup and be a Virgin Atlantic girl?

Hulla , I have just emerged from the rabbithoe of YouTube looking at 80s music videos (and I blame you entirely )

Have to say Stevie Winwood in the "Valerie" video with his windmachine hair ........

Glad to inspire your time warp trip! 😁

Just walk down the high street. I went birthday shopping last week and I saw so many items I had owned very similar in the 80s. Think blue and white stripes, shirt waisters, tea dresses. Just add padded shoulders.