80s Fatal Attraction Costume Idea
Fatal Attraction was one of the most frightening movies of 1987 – hands down. Between the boiling of the bunny, the kidnapping, and the comeback at the end after you think she’s dead, this 80s movie had married men everywhere thinking twice about one night stands. Nominated for an amazing 6 Oscars (although it didn’t win any), this is an iconic movie with an unforgettable character (Alex Forrest) done brilliantly by Glenn Close. If...
Simply Irresistible: Robert Palmer Video Girl Costume
This is a great 80s costume either alone or as a group. Robert Palmer’s 1988 song hit #2 on the singles chart and is fun today as it was then. This costume is easy to pull together, using wardrobe basics that you might already have – little black dress and black heels. You’ll need the orange sash to make it authentic so we’ve included a link below for that. And, really, who doesn’t want to be simply irresistible? Bring a guy into the...
80s Jem Costume
What could be more fun than the hair and makeup associated with this classic 80s cartoon character? Jem and the Holograms ran from 1985 to 1988 and centered around music company owner Jerrica Benton and her band the Holograms. Of course, Jem was her alter-ego (using her holographic computer, Synergy) and a cool one at that! BTW, does anyone else think that the whole Hannah Montana thing might be just a smidge derivative? Jem is a fun...
80s Rocker Joan Jett Costume
Joan Jett was and is a bad ass. So, this costume is all about bringing forth your inner BA. Joan Jett rose to super-stardom in 1982 with her smash hit, “I Love Rock n Roll.” She defined a certain hard-edged, hard rocking rebelliousness that is as appealing today as it was in the early 80s. The message is timeless and so is the look. If you love rock n’ roll and don’t give a damn about your bad reputation, Joan Jett is the costume for...
80s Costume Pictures
A picture is worth . . .well you know the rest. Sometimes you just need a little photo inspiration to kick start the costume process even if it does contain a blonde rocker wig or a tinsel wig. Check out these awesome 80s costume pictures submitted by our site readers. Are they totally rad or what!? These pictures are a great source of ideas as you put together your totally rad 80s costume. Be sure to send us a picture of you in...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Preppy
To capture the essence of the classic 80s preppy look, we highly recommend The Official Preppy Handbook – it is funny and scarily dead on in its descriptions of this cultural sub-set. For this 80s party costume, you can mix and match lots of different pieces – whatever you have on hand or can borrow. So many of the preppy-style clothes have come back (or never went out of style) and are readily available in the stores. ...
80s Party Costume Idea: Blondie’s Debbie Harry
Gorgeous, sultry, talented – Debbie Harry was not just the voice of Blondie, she was the voice of the 80s. Blondie started off the decade with the number one song of 1980, “Call Me.” To get in the right frame of mind, we recommend watching the music video for her in Blondie’s very cool song, “Rapture.” To achieve the Debbie Harry look for this 80s costume, you’ll need start with the hair. The...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Prom Queen
This is a very easy to put together 80s costume. Most of us have access to some sort of 80s formal dress, lurking either in our closets or the closet of a relative or friend. Pull that puppy out, dust off the ruffles and plan for a totally awesome 80s party or Halloween. Once you have the dress, you can add details to the costume at whatever level you want. We’ve included some ideas below for taking it up a notch or two....
80s Party Costume Ideas: Punky Brewster
Punky Brewster was a loveable, sassy, and spirited young girl with a wardrobe to match. Visions of colorful clothes, bright bandanas and mismatched sneakers come to mind when you hear her name. And don’t for get about those pig tails with the sun shaped ponytail holders! The Punky look is all about layers, mismatched things, and bright colors (sort of like the 80s in general). Find some fun colored clothes and start...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Let’s Get Physical
Olivia Newton John was a goddess in the 80s. She was beautiful, sang fabulous songs (while the Grease movie/soundtrack technically came out in the 70s – it was close enough) and starred in some classic movies of the period. One of her best albums, Physical, featured its title song and one heck of a great music video. The Let’s Get Physical costume idea is an homage to the 80s obsession with “work out” gear...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Flashdance
This iconic movie of the 80s is at least partly responsible for creating two of the most readily identifiable 80s fashion trends: over-sized sweatshirts and leg warmers. Read more about the movie, Flashdance, here. To put together this very easy 80s costume, those two items are essential. Flashdance Costume Items The basic elements for this totally 80s costume idea are: White tape across the balls of your feet (see first few seconds...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Hey Mickey
You’re So Fine You Blow My Mind I had this 80s jewel of a song on 45 – remember those? I saved up my allowance and bought it at the mall. This is a great period-piece 80s costume – who doesn’t remember that video? Freshen up that memory and watch the “Mickey” music video here. Here are the essentials: Outfit – Cheerleader outfit – if you don’t already own one, try out the one shown...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Punk Rock Girl
Here is our shameless plug for the Dead Milkmen – not one of the most popular or mainstream bands in the 80s, but certainly one of the more interesting. Two of their most known songs are Bitchin Camero and Punk Rock Girl – both anthems of an age, sort of. Anyway, take a look at the original music video for Punk Rock Girl (1988) and get ready to don your black and a heavy dose of attitude. This is a look that hasn’t...
80s Party Costume Ideas: Madonna – Like a Virgin
Madonna has, from the beginning, been a trail blazer, a fashion maker, and a boundary pusher. That she is still around, unlike other 80s pop stars that went out with parachute pants, is a testament to her instinctive understanding about pop culture and what people want. For these reasons (and others), Madonna makes the ideal model for your 80s party costume. For the costume, you can combine aspects of the Madonna look from the Lucky...
80s Party Costume Idea: Mall Rat
Think the opening scenes of Valley Girl when the group of girls is shopping at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in, like, the real Valley. This is your mission. This costume includes all the standard 80s fashion elements and is only limited in execution by your imagination. Here are some essential elements: Tops huge top option #1: a big button down with shoulder pads in a bright color or pattern with the color up huge top option #2:...
