Adam Ant 80s Costume Idea
By Lori Ferraro I LOVED ADAM ANT. I was introduced to his antmusic during the dawn of MTV – I specifically remember seeing the video for “Stand and Deliver” and being instantly intrigued and of course, instantly smitten. The music was so cool, so different; I loved the drums, the harmonies and the dramatic lyrics about “dandy highwaymen” and “prince charmings.” *Sigh* Adam Ant was dreamy with his new wave/colonial/military inspired...
80s Costume Idea: Snake Plissken from Escape from New York
By Lori Ferraro Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken is a classic 80s antihero, full of firepower and bad attitude. He fought his way across the futuristic island of Manhattan in 1981’s Escape from New York to save the president from evil prison inmates. Now you can fight your way from the couch to the refrigerator in your very own Snake Plissken ensemble. Here’s what you’ll need: Eye patch (very important) Mullet wig Black tank top or...
The Mad Bomber from KABOOM!
By Lori Ferraro I love when two of my favorite holidays connect . . . One of the greatest Christmas gifts I ever received (the Atari 2600) years later led to be the inspiration for one of my favorite Halloween costumes: Sure, Space Invaders was awesome, Pac Man is classic but this was my game: I LOVED KABOOM. The gist was this – furiously catch the lit bombs that the Mad Bomber was dropping in your three buckets of water. Maybe that...
80s Bride and Groom Costume Idea
Oh you lucky brides of the 80s, how I envy you . . . Giant hair, giant nails, giant dresses – had I been getting married in 1980-something I would have been a giant, happy train wreck – completely in my element and completely lost under all that make up, hair, and white tulle. A few years back my best friend Laura and her husband Ron came to my Halloween party as the ultimate 80s bride and groom: What a fun couples costume idea!...
Farmer Ted from Sixteen Candles, 80s Costume Idea
Looking for an 80s themed costume this year that is: Super-inexpensive Hilarious Brilliant??? Well, look no further. Imagine my surprise and delight when at my Halloween party a few years back – the doorbell rings, I open it and this is standing in front of me: My friend Amanda as Anthony Michael Hall as Farmer Ted (or “The Geek” as he is credited) from the film Sixteen Candles. I was Madonna that year and felt kind of put to...
Magnum, P.I. Costume Idea
In the eighties, we swooned over Tom Selleck as Magnum, the mustached and mysterious Hawaii-based private investigator. Magnum, P.I. ran from 1980-1988. It featured beautiful tropical scenery, helicopters, a fancy beachfront estate, and a shiny red Ferrari. http://youtu.be/zvjzSu9RIcI We might not have understand the whole deal between Magnum and Higgins, that prickly military-type dude with the Dobermans, but whatever. Magnum was...
Cousin Eddie from National Lampoon’s Vacation
The eighties gave us loads of awesome movies, but National Lampoon’s Vacation is one of our all-time favorites. Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is hilarious in the cross-country family adventure, but Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) steals the show when he’s onscreen. Here’s a great montage of Cousin Eddie scenes to help you get in the mood: http://youtu.be/7Bu4MwNTJwA Cousin Eddie wears a variety of fetching ensembles in the Vacation film...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Wham!
Wham! was pure 80’s fun, yummy pop candy for the ears. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley paired up to create the hit group, and, although George had a successful solo career after they split, dressing as the duo will give you the best visual effect. Here’s the video for 1984’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (and just TRY not to smile and chair dance as you listen): http://youtu.be/pIgZ7gMze7A Note: the Choose Life T-shirts were designed...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Ralphie from A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story was released in 1983 and became an instant holiday classic. Watching the sentimental family comedy about Ralphie, who oh-so-desperately wanted a Red Ryder BB gun from Santa, is still an important part of many of our holiday traditions. We love Flick, who froze his tongue to a pole, and Randy, in his ridiculously puffy snowsuit, but Ralphie is totally the coolest. http://youtu.be/uvMLfSQrHKE Because Ralphie had...
Mr. T Costume Idea: B. A. Baracas of the A Team
Dress like the baddest member of that crack commando unit, the A Team, played by the way-tough Mr. T. The television show The A Team ran from 1983 to 1986. That theme song still gets me pumped: http://youtu.be/_MVonyVSQoM Back in the day, Mom assured me that B.A. stood for Bad Attitude, but I’m pretty sure it stood (and stands) for Bad Ass. B.A. could punch through walls and make the bad guys back off with a sneer, just don’t try to...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Milli Vanilli
Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan were a couple of hot models from Munich. They weren’t singers. But who ever said you need more than good looks to succeed in the music biz? Milli Vanilli hurtled on to the music scene in the late 80s with their album Girl You Know It’s True, and we all fell in love with the handsome duo. Blame It on the Rain, Baby Don’t Forget My Number, and Girl I’m Gonna Miss You were #1 hits. Their meteoric rise...
Smurfs Costume
What could be Smurfier than going as your favorite little blue creature for your next 80s party or Halloween bash? With the new Smurf movie out this summer (2011), being blue is back and hotter than ever. This makes a great group costume; each person can tailor their accessories to be their favorite Smurf. For example, add some round, black glasses and a big book, and you are Brainy Smurf. Spend the party sleeping on the couch, and...
Rubik’s Cube Costume
Unlike the actual puzzle, this costume is the essence of simplicity. I owned several Rubik’s cubes in the 80s, and now my son owns one, and neither of us has made any headway on solving the thing. Oh well. Happily, that skill is not required to create this great 80s-inspired costume. What you need is a little DIY ambition and some basic supplies. Needed supplies: Square cardboard box Black duct tape Poster board in red, blue, green,...
Bernie Lomax from Weekend at Bernie’s 80s Costume
By Lori Ferraro Ask me what my favorite 80s movie about two guys who go to their bosses beach house for the weekend only to discover he’s dead and the two guys have to spend the entire weekend pretending he’s alive by maneuvering his corpse like a marionette is, and I will always say: WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S. http://youtu.be/YCTgcZ6ImsQ Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman star in this 1989 gem that Siskel and Ebert hated but I along...
Jack Burton Costume, Big Trouble in Little China
What better excuse for an 80s mullet than Kurt Russell’s classic role in “Big Trouble in Little China.” Pulling this 80s costume together is so easy. All you need is the Fu Manchu tank from either Found Item Clothing or 80stees.com (links below), jeans, a knife and some boots. That’s it. You’ll want to be sure to tuck your jeans into your boots, otherwise you won’t be capturing the full cheese factor. Again, a mullet and a knife – nuf...
