Need An 80s Fancy Dress Costume Pronto? Check Out Our Outfit Ideas

So the invite has landed and there is a dress code... 'The Eighties'. What on earth do you wear?

We know the 80s were about slouchy wear – ladies opting for leggings, big t-shirts, leg warmers, side pony tails – but weren't they also about Power Dressing: shoulder pads, masculine cuts and oversizing?

And what about the influence of pop? Remember those outrageous outfits of Madonna? Those fantastic jackets of Michael Jackson? And let's not forget the decade's favourite hairstyle, the mullet...

This was an era of bright colours and style experimentation. Of expensive clothes and accessories (the bigger and bulkier the better). The decade of big, bouffant hair, of sports and aerobics classes, of brat pack movies – The Breakfast Club, *St Elmo's Fire *– and breakdancing.

Indeed, there is so much to get inspired by with this glorious decade, that possibly, there is too much.

80's hairstyle ideas

80's hairstyles were incredibly ecentric, ballsy and downright crazy- therefore the most fun to emulate, right?

Okay, so we briefly touched on the mullet (see para). The mullet, aka the short back and sides which Billy-Rae Cyrus famously crooned about (albeit 20 years later) is the perfect statment-do for causing a stir at an 80's bash. We do however, strongly advise you to stay away from the scissors and sport a wig instead!

Crimping your hair is another fun way to injecting some eighties magic into your look. The more crimped your hair - the better. In eighties land, there is no such thing as 'too crimped' and if it looks like you have stuck your finger in a plug mains - then welldone you! #optimumcrimping

And of coursem that brings us to the perm. We could not talk about 80's hairstyles without dedicating a paragraph or two about the perm. The perm quite frankly grabs you by the shoulders and screams 'I'm from the 80's baby!' Although the va-voomy style has yet to have been revived like 80's double denim, perms don't always have to be that awful style your mum had when she was your age. Remember, Meg Ryan's dreamy do in Harry Met Sally...

80's accessory ideas

If you recieved the invite for your eighties bash last minute and/or you despise fancy dress, you should look for a statement accessory to efortlessly transform your outfit and ultimately avoid your host feeling dejected, blubbing to the Grease soundtrack.

First stop - leg warmers. Derived from atheletic wear, the sole purpose of legwarmers were to, er, keep dancer's legs warm. Simply really. Iconic films like Flashdance and Fame then catipulted the ankle covers into mainstream fashion. People in that decade would *even *go to great effort matching the colour of their legwarmers to their scrunchie. The good thing, is that the addition of legwarmers will take 45 seconds and will make your outfit go from 'hasn't bothered' to 'bonefide 80's fashionesta!'

Scruchies were also huuuge 30 years ago. A side ponytail or half up style, topped with a scrunchie is perfect for adding some 80's nostalgia. If the addition of a scrunchie will compensate your hair style (maybe you opted for the perm a la Oliva Newton-John) then adding them to your wrist is a sure winner.

Rubber bracelets, Swatch watches and fingerless gloves are all great.

80's oufit ideas

Now lets talk about the actual clothes and outfit assembles that were very circa 1980.

Shoulder pads took the term 'power dressing' to new levels and were worn by everyone and anyone. Neon hues (so bright, they make you grimace) and rara skirts get a big tick - if you can incoperate all three then you have nailed it!

If you are *still *unsure of your party assemble and need some further inspo courtsey of your eighties heros, then have a flick through this gallery. Now, you can head off to that party looking just like you were born in the Eighties, the Eighties...