1980s Pop Culture Trends: Styles, Fads & Moments that Defined a Decade
Girls just wanna have fun, and the ‘80s sure were fun! As the decade most known for color, boldness, and boundary-pushing pop music, the '80s have endured as an era looked back on with nostalgia and sentimentality. But what were the 1980s really all about? In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the totally radical ‘80s fashion, hair, music, movies, history, and more!
1980s Pop Culture Overview
‘80s fashion trends included masculine styles for women (like shoulder pads and power suits), as well as neon colors, acid wash jeans, leg warmers, and Members-only jackets.
‘80s movies and music including culture-shifting films and artists like The Breakfast Club, Do the Right Thing, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson.
‘80s pop culture involved massive fads and trends like Pac Man, shopping mall culture, Jazzercise, Cabbage Patch Kids, and “eat-ertainment” spots like Chuck E. Cheese.
80s Fashion Trends
1980s fashion featured shoulder pads, athletic wear, and neon colors.When you think about the ‘80s, you probably think about fashion first: neon pinks and oranges, voluminous parachute pants, and fingerless gloves may come to mind, as well as athletic wear like leg warmers and Members-only jackets. Accessories like jelly shoes and Ray-Ban sunglasses were also popular, and even staples like a pair of Levis were eighties-ified with the rise of acid-wash denim.
On the flip side of the flashy and color-forward fashion trends preferred by ‘80s youth was the women’s “power dressing” trends. Throughout the eighties, masculine-inspired trends became popular in women’s fashion, with everything from shoulder pads and silk ties to oversized double-breasted suits becoming trendy thanks to public figures like Nancy Reagan and Princess Diana.
Designers like Giorgio Armani, Thierry Mugler, and Calvin Klein also leaned into this look, with movies like 9 to 5 (1980) and Working Girl (1988) also showcasing the style. As ever, style paralleled culture and history, as the 1980s also saw a steep increase in women joining the labor force.
Men’s & Women’s 80s Hair & Makeup Trends
Women were encouraged to wear large hairdos with fluffy curls, teased out bangs, long crimped locks, high (side) ponytails, and permanent waves. Add an exorbitant waft of hairspray and a colorful scrunchie, and it’s like you’ve transported right back into the decade of decadence!
Most male hairstyle trends from the ‘80s also revolved around height and volume. Mullets, tall mohawk styles, Jheri curls, flattops, and hi-top fades were all popular looks among 1980s dudes.
If you’re curious about what 1980s hairstyles really looked like, search up decade specific photos of stars like Brooke Shields, Whitney Houston, John Stamos, and Will Smith
1980s makeup trends famously included bold, bright, and neon looks.Like most things in the eighties, the decade’s makeup looked focused on electric colors and eye catching looks. Eyeshadow was often swiped on in neon colors like electric blue, hot pink, and vivid purple with more than one of these colors often being used at a time!Exaggerated winged eyeliner was popular, as was using thick lines of contrasting colors to frame the eyes.
For the rest of the face, just as much color was used (no need to “balance” out your makeup look here!). Popular blush colors included bright pinks, plums, and reds, which were often blended into the hairline and eyeshadow in a trend known as “draping.”
Colorful mascara in blues and purples was also popular, as well as vibrant lipstick shades like fuchsia, plum, and bubblegum pink.
As you might have already noticed, the “natural” look wasn’t really a thing in the ‘80s. So, when it came to skin, a heavily layered base of foundation was a must, and the foundation was preferably about two shades lighter than your natural skin tone .
The ‘80s produced iconic films and shows, including John Hughes flicks.John Hughes and his star-studded group of teen actors (known as the Brat Pack) definitely dominated the 1980s T.V. and movie scene with famous films like The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. However, the ‘80s was a massive time for movies overall, with the rise of the blockbuster film producing movies that have gone on to have enduring legacies including Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Dirty Dancing, Do the Right Thing, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Top Gun, The Goonies, and Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Movies weren’t the only thing to make a definitive mark on ‘80s screens—T.V. shows like Miami Vice, The A Team, Dallas, and Cheers also premiered and shaped pop culture throughout the decade.
The Cosby Show also ran for eight years after premiering in 1984, providing one of the first mainstream portrayals of a family of color who was affluent, successful, and educated (which defied racial stereotypes at the time).
Another significant T.V. show, The Simpsons, premiered in 1989 and continues to run on modern T.V.—with 36 seasons as of 2024
