Teen Girl Clothes in the 1980s

The '80s were a time of decadence.

The fashion of the '80s was inspired by music more than anything else. Rockers and pop stars alike had an influence on what teen girls wore. Madonna and Cyndi Lauper were fashionistas in the '80s, while Hollywood gave us "Fame" and "Flashdance" as inspiration for our wardrobe. From leg warmers and spandex to those oversized sweatshirts, '80s fashion was between big and tight, black and colorful.

Leg Warmers

Leg warmers weren't just for dancers anymore!

Leg warmers are a mainstay for dancers and were long before the '80s trend of wearing them with everything began. Movies like "Flashdance" and shows like "Fame" were huge hits and everyone wanted to dance. Even without dancing ability, anyone could look like a dancer -- all you needed was a pair of leg warmers.

Just like that leg warmers became a huge fashion hit. Really, they are nothing more than socks that have no toe covering and thus can be pulled up the leg. Yet with all of their colors and styles, they were worn often and for every occasion. It was not rare to see a teen with leg warmers over her spandex pants while wearing an oversized sweatshirt with a Mickey Mouse or other Disney logo.

Denim

Denim seemed to touch every fashion trend.

There was an explosion of denim in 1980's fashion. Teen girls were often spotted wearing jean jackets. They were a big hit in the '80s. Actually, denim in general was huge and the jean jacket just an extension of the denim outfit. Skirts, pants, jackets, dresses and even purses were available in denim.

The jean jacket was meant to match the acid washed jeans. Jeans in general were modified in a variety of ways -- the basic blue wasn't fashionable enough. Acid washing jeans or buying them pre-washed was one of the jean trends. Others preferred to peg their jeans by folding over the extra fabric at the ankle and rolling the pant leg up an inch or so. There was also the trend of ripped or slitted jeans. The best look was when the rip did not make a hole but instead was a series of threads exposing some skin beneath. The bigger, the better.

Spandex

Leggings were a major trend, too.

Tight Spandex leggings were as multi-functional as leg warmers. Girls could wear spandex underneath their miniskirts (denim, of course) and add a pair of leg warmers for the perfect '80s fashion trend.

Even without the leg warmers or miniskirts, the spandex pants were popular under shorts, ripped jeans, or just worn as a leg covering that functioned with the help of an oversized sweatshirt and large, dangling belt that was hanging off the hips.

Oversized Sweatshirts

The oversized sweatshirt was a perfect '80s trend. There were so many reasons to wear these bulky coverings. The '80s were all about big and with sweatshirts, the bigger the better. Young girls would leave one, or sometimes both shoulders exposed through the neck of the sweatshirt.

Since big sweatshirts came down past the waist, and sometimes lower than shorts or a miniskirt, they could hold their own as a sort of shirt/dress. Add spandex and a big belt and the whole ensemble made for a perfect outfit.

References

• The People's History: Clothes And Fashion Styles Prices, Examples
• Like Totally 80s: Fashion and the 1980s
• i80s: 80′s Fads & Fashion