Florals, Pastels And Punk-Rock: Check Out 80s Fashion Trends That Still Slays!

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In the ever-changing and fluid world of fashion, repeatability and influence are the ultimate markers of something great and classic. The 1980s, by far, have had the most influential impact on fashion even today, especially as we are still styling high-waisted flared pants that are comfortable, stylish, and yes, an innovation of the 80s (we are never going back to low-waisted skinny jeans). The era was all about fun, bold, out-there colours, and it laid out the foundations of the Gothic aesthetic with a hint of punk rock on the side. Think pastel oversized sweaters, colourful shirts, faux fur coats, graphic t-shirts, geometrical wayfarers, and radio sunglasses; it was time for 'yuppie fashion'. Power suits with a preppy aesthetic, with athleisure wear laying its roots (think spandex and mismatched unitards) and Madonna making waves with her music. We have curated the ultimate list of 80s fashion trends that you must consider reintroducing and inculcating in your everyday fashion as they are fun, bold, relaxed, and comfortable — everything we hope to achieve with our fashion sensibilities.

Acid Wash Denim

The 1980s greatly defined and fashioned the style of jeans that we love and stand by today. Other than everything being high-waisted (which is how God meant it to be), acid-wash jeans were a huge hit of the time, along with the tight rolls. They were popular among new urban professionals and screamed preppy, where 'more is more'. They're now right back in fashion, with people pairing them with bold colours for balance.
Mid Waist Slit Denim-Acid Blue

Mid Waist Slit Denim-Acid Blue

5999
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Dark Blue Acid Wash Unfinished Hem Wide Leg Jeans

Dark Blue Acid Wash Unfinished Hem Wide Leg Jeans

2799
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Women Black Acid Wash Denim Shrug

Women Black Acid Wash Denim Shrug

1799
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Dark Blue High Waist Ripped Denim

Dark Blue High Waist Ripped Denim

3295
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Oversized Graphic T-Shirts

This trend is very evident in all the sitcoms of this era, where you can spot characters in graphic tees and high-waisted jeans. It also marked a tiny segue for the punk-rock aesthetic and denoted the popularity of rock music around that time. It was the casual wear of the yuppies and has still stayed a trend that we do not see going away anytime soon.

Round Neck Graphic T-Shirt

Round Neck Graphic T-Shirt

1199
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Grey Oversized Printed Tshirt

Grey Oversized Printed Tshirt

1290
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Grey Oversized T-Shirt

Grey Oversized T-Shirt

799
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Black Oversized T-Shirt

Black Oversized T-Shirt

799
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Pastel Button-Downs And Sweaters

Pastel button-downs with high-waisted pants were the uniform of all the new professionals that were entering the workforce. The political climate of the 1980s was about an effective surge in industries and the corporate sector, especially in America. This resulted in a lot of fashion that gave a successful, accomplished, and sophisticated vibe, where women wore pant suits and men opted for blazers and sweaters with their high-waisted pants.

Women Textured Purple Top

Women Textured Purple Top

2999
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Linen Full Sleeves Plain Collar Shirt

Linen Full Sleeves Plain Collar Shirt

2999
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Cropped Cable Knit Cardigan

Cropped Cable Knit Cardigan

3299
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Lilac And Mint Green Checkered Cardigan

Lilac And Mint Green Checkered Cardigan

3495
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Pleated And Leather Skirts

Of course, skirts were not unheard of before the 1980s; they were pretty much all popular, but what makes the distinction between this era's skirts and its predecessors was the material. Lycra and leather skirts slowly started showing up, and they stayed for more than two decades. In South Asia too, many designers picked up on the trend and made it accessible and wearable for their audience with bold prints and patterns, slightly increasing the length. In India, this style became integral to college fits, where many women opted for skirts with clunky belts, highlighting their waists, and tied-up shirts.

Leather Black Skirt

Leather Black Skirt

2950
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Black Solid Mini A-Line Leather Skirt

Black Solid Mini A-Line Leather Skirt

2499
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Printed Long Adina Skirt

Printed Long Adina Skirt

2950
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Navy Blue Colour Pleated A-Line Skirt

Navy Blue Colour Pleated A-Line Skirt

1999
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Athleisure With Bright Colours

Most of us have seen at least one fitness video from the 80s with people exercising in leotards, unitards, and spandex. The fitness industry undertook a huge journey and began to have more commercial success through videos and tapes. Though workout wear with peppy colours may not be the vibe of today, you can definitely incorporate them into your co-ord sets and have a little more fun with your exercise.
Luxe Gym Training/Workout Blue Sports Bra

Luxe Gym Training/Workout Blue Sports Bra

2499
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Women Flambe Pink & Russet Pop Sweatshirt

Women Flambe Pink & Russet Pop Sweatshirt

3750
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Women's Neon Green Front Zipper Sports Bra

Women's Neon Green Front Zipper Sports Bra

2499
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Neon Streak Print Mid Waist Tights

Neon Streak Print Mid Waist Tights

3099
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Shoulder Padded Dresses And Shirts

Shoulder-padded dresses and tops were preferred because of the illusion they create around the waist and because they created some stunning flowy silhouettes. Shoulder-padded dresses can be seen in the workwear of this era, where more and more women were choosing to wear power suits, which were also bridged with dresses that were elegant and sophisticated.

Double Breasted Padded Shoulder Blazer

Double Breasted Padded Shoulder Blazer

2699
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Blue Dress With Padded Shoulder

Blue Dress With Padded Shoulder

3990
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Lacing Detailed Blazer

Lacing Detailed Blazer

8299
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Grey Shine Blazer With Pants

Grey Shine Blazer With Pants

7795
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Scrunchies

Accessories of the 80s are well distinguished, with chunky belts, gold hoops, neck pieces, and most importantly, scrunchies. Pick out any style or any character from any sitcom of this era, and you will have scrunchies, poofed-up hair dos, or perms. The scrunchy was almost a cultural phenomenon that went away for quite some time but came back stronger than ever after the pandemic, thanks to the soft-girl aesthetic era we're in.

Organza Scrunchies

Organza Scrunchies

895
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Ponytail Holders (Set of 6)

Ponytail Holders (Set of 6)

900
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Floral Sarees

In India, everything floral was popping off during the 80s, be it floral pantsuits, or shirts and skirts. If you make a lookbook of all the saree outfits of icons like Rekha and Amrita Singh, you will find floral sarees, with puffed sleeves. This colour scheme is really interesting, as for the west the whole vibe was contradictory with tan-beige colours. But closer to home, people preferred pastels, sparkles, and florals. Sarees are evergreen silhouettes, and floral patterns are something that always looks good on the six-yard magic, perfect to style every day and could also be styled as occasion wear.

Dark Green Modal Printed Draped Saree

Dark Green Modal Printed Draped Saree

4500
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Ethnic Bloom Georgette Printed Saree

Ethnic Bloom Georgette Printed Saree

2499
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Rouge Pink Cutdana Embellished Organza Floral Print Saree

Rouge Pink Cutdana Embellished Organza Floral Print Saree

10345
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A literature post-graduate, with over a year of experience in all things content, and loves writing about fashion, pop-culture, and academia.