Life | Fashion

10 Fashion Disasters We All Suffered Through In The 80s That We Wish We Could Forget

By Tanya |

Never in my life have I claimed to be fashionable. I am almost always years behind in trends, and honestly I just wear what is most comfortable.

However, when we were all kids and young adults in the 80s, we obviously had a lot more time and energy to devote to our clothing choices and let's just say we all made some mistakes.

Trying to keep up with the trends is not only exhausting, but it means you're going to end up with a lot of embarrassing pictures of your past. The trendy thing that was all the rage? Yep, you're gonna look back and regret it.

Well, regret might be a bit of a strong word, because at the time we probably felt super cool, and honestly who has the time to regret all their bad choices?

Even though we shouldn't regret them, we can look back and cringe a little at some of the hilarious styles we used to think were so very cool.

1. T-Shirt Clips

Because for some reason we all bought our shirts two sizes too big, and to make them fit slightly better we would clip them at the side.

These little plastic clips gave a nice pop of color to our t-shirts I guess, but looking back it doesn't really hold up quite as well.

2. Sweaters on the Shoulders

Canon Film Distributors

It seems like every preppy guy needed to tie a sweater around his shoulders, not for warmth obviously, just as a status symbol.

I guess it says "I have the capability of being warm, but I don't need to because I am too fancy," or something, I really don't know why they did it.

3. Perms

Columbia Pictures

I know that they've been making a big comeback lately, but at least the new perms have a little bit less of an electrocuted look to them.

These were big, puffy, frizzy, and basically just facilitated the big hair we all desired so very much.  

4. Sweat Bands

I don't know why we were all so sweaty in the 80s, maybe because of all the jazzercise, but either way, these sweat bands were pretty excessive.

We had to have a bunch of them for when we would work out, but I really don't know how necessary they really were.

5. Shoulder Pads

New World Pictures

Looking back through pictures of the 80s is kind of like looking at a picture of a football team. Everyone is super buff up top and then the rest is all pretty thin.

I guess that may have been part of the point, because if your shoulders were super wide your waist would theoretically look super small, but I think looking back it just looks weird.

6. Miami Vice Suits

NBC

Just because the guys on Miami Vice looked "cool" in their suits with their sleeves pushed up that does not mean that it's going to look cool on you.

This was the harsh truth that a lot of people had to learn when they tried to pull off the white suit with a pastel colored t-shirt underneath and realized that it just didn't work at all.

7. Fingerless Lace Gloves

Thanks Madonna, this one I am going to credit you for. You created a style that was all yours but the more popular you got, the more everyone started to copy you.

Everyone started wearing a bunch of fingerless gloves all the time, and while they may not be practical, they did really make a statement. That statement was "I wish I were Madonna."

8. Neon Colored Everything

Sears

When I say everything, I mean everything.

From the scrunchies in our hair, to the baggy sweaters draped over our shoulders, down past our leggings, and all the way to our legwarmers, looking into our closets was like staring into the sun.

Everything was so bright it was almost painful but you know what, it was great.

9. Mullets

The mullet is a thing of beauty. It's a treasured relic from the past. Just kidding, mullets were everywhere and they were quite a lot to handle.

There were curly mullets, stringy mullets, fluffy mullets, crunchy mullets, and really any type of texture you could have, you could find a mullet version. I know that basically everyone had one back then but still...

And yes, there are still some people who have them now, but I ask you, should they?

10. Stirrup Pants

Having your pants secured to your feet was apparently a very important part of your outfit. You wouldn't want your pants to magically ride up right?

These straps were mostly just a pain though, but a lot of people seemed to love them. So much so that they've actually managed to make a comeback.

Which of these 80s fashion disasters are you most guilty of committing?

Seriously though, stirrup pants are back in style, perms are back in style, what's next? Mullets?

HT - Aunty Acid / Slap Laughter

More Throwbacks

Fashion

Fashion Experts Are Trying To Trick Us Into Wearing Flared Jeans Again And We Aren't Having It

By Tanya
Listen, I know fashion is cyclical. I know that things are going to go in and out of style, but here's the thing, not everything should. Fashion is also highly subjective. We all have our own opinions, but when the fashion magazines start telling us "this is what is in style" we all second guess our choices. Now, these experts are telling us to dust off our old flared jeans and honestly, I don't understand why. I know that flared jeans were huge in the disco-era, and I know this because when they came back in the late 90s and

90s

Lip Smacker's New Christmas Collection Brings Back Your 90s Favorites. All Of Them.

By Tanya
If there was one product that you had to pick that would best represent what it was like to be a preteen in the 90s, I think a lot of us girls would agree that Lip Smackers would be the best choice. These little tubes of oftentimes glittered, scented, colorful lip-balm made us all feel like the fanciest of ladies, totally ready to grab our purses and do whatever it is that our moms did when they weren't paying attention to us. You had so many different choices too. You'd have a classic berry scented red Lip Smacker, you'd have

Fashion

25 Bridesmaids Dresses That'll Actually Make You Glad The 80s Are Over

By Tanya
Listen, getting married in the 80s was kind of wild. Not only did you have to deal with the big hair, mullets, and mustaches, but the fashion was a whole other bag of worms. There was no way to predict how insane the dresses were going to look, but it was always safe to assume they would be pretty wild. Puffy sleeves, shiny fabric, and a lot of ruffles seemed to be the norm at the time. Let's not forget that return to the Victorian era that saw women trying to dress like an old-time princess. But, we brave the

90s

Cardigans Are Apparently Back In Style But The 90s Totally Did It Better

By Tanya
If we are being perfectly honest here, I didn't know cardigans ever really went out of style. Sure, people don't really wear them the same way as they used to, but there's still plenty available. But the thing is, the 90s were a prime time for sweater sets and cardigans. Not only were they available in a million color options, but they had a bunch of different designs and patterns that became popular. It seemed like every person had one either wrapped around their shoulders or wore it as a crop top in the 90s. Now they are apparently "back

80s

15 Of The Most Important Celebrity Mullets That Are Too Iconic To Forget

By Tanya
Let's talk about mullets. Yes, mullets. Why? Because they are an important part of our past, one that we should look at with reverence and admiration, not disgust and agony. Listen, I know what you're thinking. "Mullets aren't cool anymore, why would you still admire them?" Well, because they were a thing of beauty. It was a commitment, it was a brave choice, it was a bold look, and it was iconic. It wasn't just your average Joe's haircut, it was every celebrity in Hollywood, rocking those multi-leveled hairstyles like you wouldn't believe. I know it's hard to remember now.

90s

10 Beauty Essentials Every 90s Girl Kept In Her Caboodle

By Tanya
Growing up we didn't necessarily get a lot of privacy. Sure, we had our bedrooms, but it always felt like anyone could just walk in. The only truly private place was the bathroom. The bathroom was a pretty important room for a 90s girl, and yes I know that's a weird sentence, but it's true. There are completely different items in the bathroom now - medicines, women shavers, like these, or something for adults. It used to be very different before.That's where you learn all about makeup, it's where you get to try out all the coolest hairstyles, and