Kids’ Guide to 80s Fashion

This is post number 10 in the series “30 Days of Tales from the Loop,” a celebration of the game set in an 80s that never was.

The 1980s was an amazing time for fashion! It was a hot mess of color and experimentation and expressiveness.

This list of 80s fashions is intended to spur a player (or the GM’s) imagination when describing how a Kid (or an adult) is dressed in the game. Or, more entertainingly, to decide what to wear to game night.

(A big thank you to my fellow 80s-era friends who donated photos of themselves for this post!)

Hair

  • Banana clips
  • Big hair
  • Fade haircut
  • High bangs
  • High-tops
  • Jheri Curls
  • Mohawks
  • Mullets
  • Perms
  • Rat tails
  • Scrunchies
  • Side ponytails

General Fashions

  • Acid wash jeans
  • Airbrushed T-shirts
  • Animal prints
  • Headbands
  • Iron-on letters
  • Jean jackets
  • Neon colors
  • Preppy
  • Ripped jeans
  • Spandex
  • Sweater tied around the neck (This is usually the sign of a douchy villain.)
  • Tracksuits (especially velour)
  • Underoos

Men’s Fashions

  • Hawaiian shirts
  • Jams shorts
  • Members Only jackets
  • Miami Vice style
  • Parachute pants

Women’s Fashions

  • Guess jeans
  • Huge earrings
  • Jordache jeans
  • Lace gloves (especially fingerless)
  • Leg warmers
  • Leggings
  • Leotards
  • Miniskirts
  • Shoulder pads

Shoes

  • Air Jordans
  • Doc Martens
  • High-tops
  • Jelly
  • Loafers
  • Nikes
  • Reeboks
  • Sneakers without laces
  • Vans

Accessories

  • Calculator watches
  • Digital watches
  • Fanny packs
  • Narrow bracelets (jelly, bangles)
  • Ray-Bans
  • Skinny ties
  • Swatch watches
  • Tortoise-shell glasses

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