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In the late 1980s, big hair, puffed sleeves, padded shoulders, and baggy parachute pants were in fashion. However, the big bell-bottoms of the '70s were out. Tight-legged, acid-washed jeans reflected the new casual style. In the corporate workplace, men and women took charge of their wardrobe and pursued "dressing for success."
Throughout much of the '80s, a few brands of sneakers such as Vans and Keds for girls became the must-have shoe of the moment. By the late '80s, though, the sports shoe was king for both guys and girls. Thanks to celebrity athletes and the hip hop music scene bringing the shoes into vogue, designer sneakers became all the rage. A few brand names ruled this '80s style.
In the '80s, big hair was the order of the day. With all the teasing and spraying that women did to their hair, they even found new ways to make the simple bob cut as big as possible. The original classic bob style came into vogue in the 1920s when women bobbed their hair short. It was updated for the larger-than-life '80s and came in several different looks.
Along with those shoulder pads and leg warmers, if you want to emulate a 1980's look, go for the bodacious big hair. This was the era of Cyndi Lauper and Madonna as teen trendsetters. The hair was long, teased, moussed and sprayed. There were the good girl preppy looks and the bad girls who had all the fun. Guys also got in on the fun with Mohawks, mullets and everything in between.
The 1980s was a decade of fashion hits -- or misses -- depending upon how you looked at it. Any decade that boasted matching neon sweater and socks had to be unique. And don't forget the hairstyles -- even though some of you may try. In the '80s, bigger was better and frosted was to, like, totally die for. It didn't matter the length of your hair. Hot hairstyles of the '80s transcended every haircut and length.
The 1980s were wild times with even wilder fashions, and hairstyles were no exception. The '80s were all about big hair, but even the most glamorous Valley Girl couldn't wear all her hair big every single day, so side ponytails came into vogue. It was the '80s, so if a ponytail was fine, a big, quirky, fountain-top ponytail on the side of the head was even better.
The 1980s were dominated by creativity which was reflected in the hairstyles. Hair was big and bold for both men and women. The hairstyle was an integral part of the everyday look. Although hairstyles from the 80s may look complicated, they are actually very easy to recreate. Many 80s hairstyles will require some sort of gel or spray to keep the hair in place since so many styles forced the hair into unnatural positions.
A lot of damage was done to hair in the 1980s. The larger-than-life fashions of the era were topped only by the even more outrageous hairstyles. Hair was ratted, teased, permed and dyed to death. The second half of the decade saw styles calm down a bit and by the end of the 80s, simpler styles that were easier to maintain came into vogue.
Modern fashion often looks to the past for inspiration. The vibrant 80s look is making a big comeback and many of these retro hairstyles can be adapted for a cool, new look. Hairstyles of the 80s are famous for being extravagant, textured, voluminous and requiring an ample amount of styling product. Teenagers can easily recreate authentic 80s hairstyles that are perfect for a themed party or to add some attitude to their everyday look.
The 1980s saw women break away from the mundane, boring hairstyles of the 1970s to experiment with different ideas and colors. With a variety of hairstyles throughout the decade, some are more memorable than others.
Jheri Redding invented the "Jheri curl," often misspelled as "Jerry curl," that surged in popularity among African Americans in the 1970s and 80s. The Jheri curl was a type of perm that loosened African Americans' naturally tight curls by using chemical softeners and perm rods. The look fell out of style largely because of the high maintenance it required -- wearers had to apply greasy activator and heavy moisturizers each day and sleep with a plastic cap on their heads.
The 1980s were characterized by hair experimentation in many forms. Hair was arranged in sky-high towers or gelled in strange angles, saturated in mousse and accessorized with plastic and metal. Hair was crimped, spiked, teased and permed. The general hair opinion of young people in the 1980s seemed to be, "the bigger, the better." While there were many ways to style short hair that fit into the 1980s aesthetic, long hair lent itself to iconic bigger styles, perms and up-dos.
The big hair of the 1980s may be making a comeback. If you look at pictures from this time period, you see young women with wildly permed hair, big bangs and forelocks that overwhelmed their faces. Some hairstyles were big, but not as big as the permed Afro cuts some women opted for.
The disco decade was over, and a new wave of music was hitting the airways. It was the 1980s, and your hair was the biggest statement you could make about yourself and the world around you.
