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.

Today 3 teens came into the shop I was working in in ra ra skirts and asymmetrical tops a la Madonna circa 1985. They are definitely available in normal stores. Took at pictures of Madonna in 1984/85 for inspiration

As Wham disbanded in 86 it’s very much 80s. The ruffled blouse is definitely something I wore around 1981-2. How about something Madonna ish as in Desperately Seeking Susan or Bananarama style ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desperately_Seeking_Susan#/media/File:Desperately_Seeking_Susan_movie_poster.jpg

My going out outfits in the 80s were usually a very short tight skirt ( leather, pale denim, black and very stretchy) and a T-shirt with neck, sleeves and bottom cut off. Possibly with “relax” emblazoned across it. Then court shoes or plimsols to match the skirt. Big hair, blue eyeliner.

I'll make you even more envious ( though this isn't my autographed picture , I did get a signed photo of him ) I kissed Gary Davis when he did a guest appearance .
Just a peck , not a proper snog .
Back in 1985 or late 1984 .

Watch some bananarama videos

https://www.vintag.es/2018/03/bananarama.html

Go as an 80 year old lady (you may be the only one!) and say you misunderstood the invite because you're 'getting on a bit' and your eyesight is not as good as it was.

Mid 80s lots of white. White and pink. White and yellow. Slogan tops. Kitten heels.or full stiletto. Big hair. Even bobs had a lot of volume. Not just blue eye shadow..lots of pink,fuchsia, orange, grey. Blue mascara though. Big earrings. White cotton trousers rolled up.
Cruel Summer - Bananarama on TOTP
Rita, Sue and Bob too 1987 appx
Mallory on Tikt9k reels - brilliant
1986 I wore so much yellow I resembled a bolero
The Madonna lace thing was only.really " Lime a Virgin" then she was quite 1950s.
It got a bit more 50s after 86 with wiggle dresses flat tops, 501s and college jackets.
Basically I dressed like my mother.
Then late 80s Soul ll Soul lots of ethnic prints, baggy stuff but also cycle shorts and a big belt. Neneh Cherry etc.
The 80s was such a journey fashion wise from the recession to the end.
Have fun

Watch Rivals for some inspo.

Many years ago I dressed DS up for an 80s Party
Chinos rolled up , Converse type shoes , two belts - onr round his waist , one loose diagonal through the belt loops at the side , dark vest and a TShirt with the sleeves hacked off and Choose Life in Sharpie Pen letters . Spiked hair .
Any photos have probably been destroyed to save his embarassment

If it was me , I'd do white legging/pedal pushers , layered vest tops , (slogans obvs) belts, mesh net frou frou skirt and all the blue eyeshadow I could muster .
Hair back combed and sprayed with some gold colour spray and some Monty Don style earrings ( originals are ££ but a drop pearl and a CZ stud with a ribbon bow at the join )

Watch the TV series Rivals on Disney+. It’s an absolute feast of eighties fashion! Or you could go pencil skirt, brogues, oversized men’s shirt with popped collar with a silk scarf, wide belt over the shirt, sitting on the hips. Dangly earrings, big hair.

I wear an outfit a lot that was inspired by the 80’s! It’s a pair of light wash denim straight leg jeans and an oversized white and pink striped shirt, I just tuck mine into the jeans cos they’re high waisted but you could knot it, wear it open with a white vest underneath it or whatever.

I know you said "Not fancy dress" so that rukes out things like Boy George for example .

The 80s was the best era for fashion and music.

The two backing singers for The Human League were very classy dressers .
Pepsi and Shirley . Less so
Bananarama looked like they got got out of bed , rolled in glue and ran through a skip.

All very different styles all very 80s .

I liked the pencil skirt with pumps or skinny jeans (they were jeans not jeggings ) Tucker Boots , eyeliner , short hair with the top layered to gel , lots of earrings .
If only I could re-create my 80s size 8 figure <sigh>

If I wanted to look distinctively '80s but not too fancy dress, I'd start by checking out pics of Sade, Annie Lennox, Sean Young in Blade Runner and Mollie Ringwald in Pretty in Pink.

Shoulder pads. Big hair. High heels. Or Ra Ra skirt, lots of cheap jewellery, rags in your hair

A couple we know did exactly this, came as an ‘elderly’ couple, slippers, knitted cardigans, bus passes on lanyards around their necks, grey wigs, they’d even found a walking frame and a red checked shopping trolley from somewhere. They were the talk of the night.

Oh please let's hear more about how to dress like an 80 year-old. Or even as an elderly couple.
Don't hold back.

A pair of dungarees. White t-shirt. Doc martins. Lots of plastic bracelets. Wild back-combed hair, or…
Pencil skirt, slouchy blazer with big shoulder pads. Stilettos.
Have fun!

As a teenager in the 80s I wore New Romantic clothing. So a white frilly blouse, long sleeved with a high neckline and heavily ruffled down the front. Pale pastel coloured knickerbockers. As a previous poster mentioned. These were short trousers which fastened just below the knee with a button. Shoes which I can only describe as Prince shoes. So a full shoe with a small heel. Like princes I. Pantomimes wear. Short, big hair. Lots if blusher and lipgloss. Blue mascara and eyeliner, pink and blue eyeshadow.
Then there was the Madonna look. Again big messy hair with a black scarf tied into a bow. Black short leggings, Lacey top with leather jacket. Black lace up boots. Black Lacey fingerless gloves, lots of jewellery. Thin jangley bangles, crucifix necklace along with beaded necklaces.

I'm loving all these ideas! I quite fancy the Addicted to Love idea and/or one of Mel and Kim.