What to wear to an 80s party but not fancy dress?

[BeckyBismuth]

I'm going to an 80s party later this year. It's for a 50th birthday (though I'm not 50) and they've booked Woo Gary Davies as the DJ. I have no clue what to wear as I wasn't alive in the 80s.

I don't want a fancy dress type outfit.

I saw this in Marks and Spencer when I went for a sandwich today and thought it might be alright as a New Romantic type outfit but I don't know what I'd wear it with:
https://www.marksandspencer.com/lyocell-rich-v-neck-ruffle-detail-blouse/p/clp61229706#intid=pid_pg1pip48g4r3c1%7Cprodflag_Just%20Arrived

Other ideas I'd thought of were a Choose Life T shirt with jeans and a leather jacket. Or some type of rara skirt/dress. I have no 80s shoes or anything though.

Any thoughts please? Thank you.

A puff-ball skirt
Global hyperbolic top
Jelly shoes
Hair in a banana clip
White Musk perfume

That type of shirt would probably have been worn with knickerbocker style knee length trousers. I suppose the current ballon leg ones would be a reasonable modern interpretation if you don’t want to be too literally 80’s. A ra ra skirt and t shirt might be easier. There are a few ra as around at the moment. Or go for more of a Madonna look with black lace

Watch some 80s progammes-lots streaming this afternoon!

there is useful info on Chat GPT.

@ASingleDayOnVenus
Haha I still wear White Musk as an everyday perfume. Graduated and married in the 80s!

i was at one on Saturday, ripped white jeans, Choose Life Tshirt and a full can of Sunsilk hairspray. Oh and blue eye shadow.

Pretty envious they’ve got Gary Davies, that will have been expensive!

Ra ra or puffball skirts were all the rage. Worn with a t shirt - if you buy a cheap one and cut off sleeves or neckline (flash dance or Madonna style), that could make it more 80s. Maybe add leg warmers...Madonna said in her Graham Norton interview that she basically just wore her dance gear - so maybe look to Fame for inspiration. Or look at Rivals and see what they are wearing...

That ruffled blouse and 'choose life' T-shirt would be very much 1990's IMO. Trainspotting didnt come out till 1996!

I really don't think people will be scrutinising every detail including your shoes! Leg warmers, lace finger less gloves, puff skirts, slouchy t-shirts off the shoulder would all work. And BIG hair and shoulder pads.

Wham wore the Choose Life white T shirts in the early 80s.

Vintage Laura Ashley would be lovely! A dress or gorgeous blouse and skirt.

A puff-ball skirt
Global hyperbolic top
Jelly shoes
Hair in a banana clip
White Musk perfume

Sorry, that was supposed to be Global Hypercolor top, not Global hyperbolic!

Yes and the ruffled blouse is totally 80’s. See Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet early 80’s

So this year the summer fashions are v v 80s. Little boxy t shirts and blouses. Straight jeans are very 80s. Alternatively, a big mens t shirt tied in one corner. Tiered skirts, coloured tights, mini skirts. Re shoes - ballet flats, loafers, kitten heels, DMs. Birkenstock clogs are similar to 80s clogs. Dungarees and jumpsuits are all over the place. We didn't call them utility jacjets but they were 80. We didn't call them skinny jeans but we wore stretch jeans. Baseball style t shirts, rugby shirts. We didn't call them playsuits, but had those in the 80s. Shorts like Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman are everywhere at the moment as are oversized blazers. In 1989 my honeymoon outfit was a linen suit that had blazer (but we called them jackets unless they had gold buttons) a skirt and shorts (not both at once 😆). Tuck your top or t shirt in unless it's a frilly blouse or boxy t.

Hyperbolic does sum up eighties fashion rather well
though 😆😆

I had no idea, thank you. I'd only associated with trainspotting.

Double denim
ra ra skirts
big hair
fluorescent colours - leg warmers, wrist bands
beads, lots of beaded necklaces
shoulder pads
power suits
bling
jump suits

George Michael originally, in the 1984 music video.

And Rimmel Heather Shimmer

Sloane Ranger early 80s look:

piecrust floral blouse
knickerbockers
court shoes or pixie boots

lashings of electric blue mascara.

To be fair another ‘youngster’ 😊😊, said the same thing to me wearing mine on Saturday. Here's a picture of George for you 😊

Well I'm nearly 50, so don't consider myself a youngest, and do recall a great deal of the 80's. Clearly not the words on George's T-shirt though 😆

You could go a bit Greenham Common protester. Jeans, boots, saggy jumper and a CND badge.

Very back-brushed hair with a big wired, black velvet tie headband and lace gloves and teddy with a leather jacket. Baggy jeans with a big belt. Desperately Seeking Susan Madonna vibe.

How about going as one of the girls in the Addicted to Love video?