As a fancy dress costume inspiration from the 1980s era, one that really stands out is Joan Jett.  Lead singer and guitarist for the group known as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan Jett epitomises 1980s rock chick chic. 

Joan, who was born Joan Marie Larkin, started her career as a rock chick in the 1970s with a band known as The Runaways.  In 1979, she went solo for a while and then, in the 1980s, she advertised for “three good men” who, once found, became The Blackhearts.  Their song, I Love Rock and Roll, is still not only as popular now as it was back then, it is still serving as a rock anthem for rockers everywhere. 

As a fancy dress inspiration, Joan Jett has the perfect rocker chick look: from her edgy black hair to her preference for black leather and studded accessories. 

To get an idea of how to rock the look, let us start with the hair.  Think the Rock Diva Wig in black or the Jagged Edge Black Wig.  For the outfit, to go fully Joan Jett, think black leather and a biker’s jacket.  Or, take it to a different level by putting a twist on the look.  The 1980s Icon Costume combines hard rock chic with styles and colours popular during the era: leggings and lace in black and pink.  Aviator shades add to the rock appeal. 

Joan is a guitarist, so an inflatable life-sized guitar would not be out of order for completing the rocker look.

If you are not sure what to wear to an 80s fancy dress party, perhaps we can help.  First, let us think about some of the biggest 80s icons and once you have an idea of what you want, you can head into our 80s fancy dress department and take a look at what we have.  Mix and match; combine our selection with pieces of your own; add accessories and top it off with an 80s inspired wig such as 80s Wild Child, Heavy Metal Rocker, Rockin Soul, and Mississippi Mud Flap (a long, mullet look).

Female 80s iconic looks
The 1980s were a strange mix.  The Preppy look had girls wearing Izod jumpers over plaid skirts with knee socks and penny loafers.  Madonna inspired girls to go a bit wild with layered, ripped tops, tutus, wild hair, crucifix jewellery, and fingerless lace gloves.  Olivia Newton John inspired girls to get physical, in leotards with tights, leg warmers and headbands while Alexis and Krystle Carrington had women fighting over who could wear the biggest shoulder pads.  Other 80s iconic fashion influences included Toni Basil in Hey Mickey, Debbie Harry of Blondie, Flashdance, Punk Rock, New Romanticism and, of course, the girls from the Simply Irresistible video.

Male 80s iconic looks
For the guys, there was everything from the hard rocker look encapsulated by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister to the cone head hats of Devo.  The mullet was in style, as was the cross-gendered look favoured by Boy George and the Human League.  Other inspirations included the A-Team, Miami Vice, MC Hammer, and Michael Jackson.

No other decade offers such a wealth of opportunity when it comes to make up than the 1980s.  New Romanticism influences saw many cross-gender fashions, which meant the guys were wearing lipstick and eyeliner as much as the girls were.
To achieve an 80s makeup look, the trick is following the line of thought that more is better.  The 80s was definitely a time when people ‘painted’ their faces on.  Major defining elements were serious eyes, accentuated cheeks, and bold, bright lips.

 As an example, take 80s music and fashion inspiration Cyndi Lauper on the cover of her Time After Time album.  Her eyes are heavily lined in black with eyeliner extended out in an upward sweeping motion.  Her eye shadow is bright orange and her cheeks are accentuated with plenty of pink blush.  Cyndi’s hair, which serves as great inspiration for 80s costume hair, is teased on top, has little braids running through here and there, and swept over one shoulder.  In this particular photo, she is blonde but Cyndi made having multi-coloured hair all the rage in the 80s.

Typical 80s eye shadow was often applied in two colours; for instance, a bright blue on the lids with a bright orange extending up to the eyebrows.  Also popular was coloured mascara.  Lips were made to look pouty in colours from bright pink to blood red.

To dress like Cyndi, the 80s Party Girl Costume with the True Colours Red and Yellow Wig work well.  Add fingerless fishnet gloves, loads of bangles and beads and ripped fishnet tights.

For 80′s fancy dress ideas check out our Mega range from Fancy Dress Ball.

The 1980s fashions are hard to describe if you did not live through the decade.  Brightly coloured clothing, florescent legwarmers, and big backcombed hair helped to complete the look of this era.  The music however was simply fabulous and so any 80s-themed fancy dress party is sure to go with a swing.

Fancydressball.co.uk has some great 80s-inspired fancy dress costumes.  There are outfits inspired by the early stylings of Madonna during her Papa Don’t Preach and True Blue phase and what 80s costume collection would miss a Baywatch inspired number, available for both men and women?

The 80s were the decade of mixed fashions, classy clothes with huge shoulder pads on one outfit, stripy knee high socks on another.  Anyone who remembers Dynasty will know Alexis Colby (amongst other married names) and Fancydressball.co.uk has an outfit that would be right at home in the Carrington / Colby households.

Also available is a princess Peach outfit that is inspired by the Super Mario computer game that first came into existence in the 80s and whose popularity grew rapidly in subsequent years.  There is also a princess Peach outfit for children so your little girl can dress up with you. 

Fancy dress costumes in an 80s theme are available for both men and women.  Men’s outfits are inspired by many 80s musical influences from Freddie Mercury, to Slash and to MC Hammer.  There are several Michael Jackson outfits and of course, no 80s collection would be complete without an E.T. costume.

In the 1980s, the new romanticism movement was a key influence in music and fashion.  The main 1970s influences for the movement were David Bowie and his androgynous Ziggy Stardust, and Roxy Music.  Later influences included Culture Club, Ultravox, Spandau Ballet, and Duran Duran.  Also connected to new romanticism, although not directly, were Adam and the Ants and the Human League.

Style-wise, new romanticism embraced androgyny.  Women and men dressed in a counter-sexual way, with both embracing cosmetics such as lipstick and heavy eyeliner.  Fashions were also based on romantic themes: frilly shirts reminiscent of the English Romantic period and styles that looked like they were taken straight from a 1930s cabaret.  Mullets, wedges, and quiffs were common hairstyles.  Headbands were also common.

In the mainstream, new romantic fashion served as an influence on major designers; key among them was Vivian Westwood and her ‘pirate collection’.
As an 80′s fancy dress influence, the eclectic nature new romanticism leaves plenty of room for originality and diversity.  The New Romanic Costume is Adam Ant inspired, featuring a jacket, shirt, trousers, belt, and headband.  An 80s tennis player wig and grease paint sticks top off the look.  As an option to your own boots, deluxe pirate boot covers can be used.

For a Boy George, Culture Club cross-gender look, the Boy George 80s Pop Star Costume features a long shirt, waistcoat, and hat with wig.  Topped off with lipstick and eyeliner, the look is completed with a classic Boy George lip pout.

In 1986, the film Top Gun hit the big screen and navy aviators were never looked at the same again.

The film features Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as the main character with Kelly McGillis as Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood as his love interest.  She, by the way, is an astrophysicist and Top Gun instructor.  Both look incredibly hot in their uniforms and helped make a green jumpsuit and aviator sunglasses synonymous with sexy.

But then, there has always been something sexy about a man in a military uniform.  Take Richard Gere in his dress whites in An Officer and a Gentleman; would it have been as sexy if he had swept Debra Winger off her feet wearing jeans and a plaid shirt?  We think not.

While a woman in a typical uniform may not have the same appeal – they tend not to be that flattering to the figure – a woman in a sexy fancy dress uniform draws major, positive attention.

Major Fling is part of the Fever Collection and features a halter neck dress, belt, and hat in military khaki.  Fever army camouflage shoes feature the colours found on army boots, but on an attractive high heel sandal.  Add military accessories such as a bullet belt and aluminium dog tags.

If this talk about Charlie Blackwood has inspired you, the Top Gun Aviator Costume comes in both men and women styles.  The woman’s version is a sexy one-piece military green jumpsuit with flared legs.  Decals give it a look of authenticity and it comes with a belt to accentuate the waste.

25 years on and Top is as popular today as when it first hit the big screens. At Fancy Dress Ball we have a great range of sexy costumes including his and her Top Gun Costumes.

With the release of Madonna’s Like a Virgin single in late 1984, followed by the movie Desperately Seeking Susan, singer turned actress Madonna became a major fashion icon for young women all over the world.  Classified as “street urchin” fashion, Madonna’s now classic look included short skirts and leggings, layered tops ripped or cut to shape, brassieres partially shown or worn as a top, wildly arranged hair with bows, fishnet gloves, high heels with white lace socks, and crucifix jewellery.

In 1987, Who’s That Girl introduced another important Madonna look – the white-blonde Marylyn Monroe inspired hair, with thick dark eyebrows, and bright red lips.  Fashion included corsets and corseted dresses with full skirts.
To mimic the Madonna look in an 80′s costume, there are several options.  The 80s Pop Bride Costume is a Like a Virgin choice, featuring a wedding dress, gloves, and veil.  Wear with Doc Martin styled boots or Mary Janes in white, and add an 80s wild child wig.  An alternative to this costume is the 80s Toy Boy costume, which features a white dress with corset and tutu, gloves, belt, and headband with bow.

For the Desperately Seeking Susan look, try the 80s Wild Child Costume.  This outfit includes a black and gold top and jacket, reminiscent of the one worn in the movie.  Also included are a tutu, lace leggings, gloves, and headband with bow.  To complete the look, add an ornate cross pendant in silver and a Madonna-inspired wig from the 80s wig collection.

Go wild and choose from our great range of 80s fancy dress today!

When we think of 80s fashion, we often shudder; it was bold, bright, and all over the place.  For fancy dress however, the 80s are a fantastic place to look for inspiration.  After all, in what other era could you wear leg warmers with a mini skirt or pair MC Hammer pants with a heavily shoulder-padded jacket?

To get your 80s fancy dress creative juices flowing, think about these top trends:
• Shoulder pads – shoulder pads were such a big deal that even the t-shirts came with them sewn in.
• Mini skirts – the shorter, the better.  Worn in denim, knit, and leather and paired with leggings.
• Leg warmers – not just for exercise; leg warmers were worn with everything.  Every girl had a least one pair in their wardrobe.
• Fingerless gloves – from Madonna to Whitesnake, fingerless gloves in leather or lace were in style.
• Parachute pants – fitting around the hips, parachute pants just got bigger as you went down.�
• Members only – anyone who was anyone had a Members Only jacket.
• Stirrup pants – stretchy and universally unattractive.
• Oversized tops – from the shredded sweatshirts of Flashdance to the padded, glitzy oversized jumpers of Dynasty, oversized was in.

Can you see the 80s in your mind now?  Are you inspired?  If not, here are two costume suggestions to get you on your way:
For you men out there, think MC Hammer and 80s MC Rapper God Trousers.  Pair them with the 80s MC Rapper Vest for a complete look.
Ladies, celebrate your inner Alexis with the Dynasty Diva Costume.  It is pink, it is frilly, and it is completely over the top.

While there are several striking styles to choose from when considering an 80s fancy dress theme, one of the most fun may well be the 80s glam rock look. Think Rod Stewart or Tina Turner.

For guys looking to rock the look, consider the 80s Bon Rocker Costume. This is a Bon Jovi styled outfit that includes a black vest, blue patterned trousers and a sash. Sizes come in medium and large, fitting a 32 to 38 inch waste. A life size guitar can be added for a few extra pounds, as can a wig. Try the Rocking Dude blonde wig, Hard Rocker blonde wig or the Throwback with bits of brown in amongst the blonde.

For the ladies, consider pairing the Video Vixen costume, which includes a zebra print tunic and black lace up corset with an 80s inspired wig like the Rock Diva wig in black, red and black, blonde and black or ginger and black. An alternative great wig would be the Devine Punk white & black wig. There are quite a few others as well. I could be on here all day telling you about the great wigs we’ve got to rock the 80s rock glam look.

The trick is starting with our 80s fancy dress selection to gain inspiration; but not limiting yourself. There are other amazing costumes, wigs and accessories to be found on the site. By exploring your options, you can create the perfect 80s Rock Glam outfit for you.

Glancing at photos taken in the 80s, you may be forgiven for assuming it was the era when people wore fancy dress every day. Today, when we look at fashion photos taken back then, it’s no surprise many question what people were thinking.

The good news is that it isn’t the 80s anymore and we can dress sensibly again. The good news is also that we can use those years as inspiration for fancy dress costumes!

For immediate inspiration, you only have to think about the icons: musically, there is Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Adam Ant, Freddy Mercury, and Madonna. From film and television, we can draw inspiration from Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, the A-Team, Miami Vice, Magnum PI and the plethora of roller themed movies.

Key fashion looks included ra-ra skirts, leg warmers, and hot pants. Girls wore neon-coloured jackets and lacy anklets with patent leather pumps. The shoulder pads were big and the hair was bigger. Guys wore pastel suits with t-shirts and big chunky gold jewellery was the rage. Everyone wore shades.

Along with a great selection of 80s fancy dress costumes, we’ve also got a great selection of 80s inspired wigs. Remember Foxy Brown? We have her hair. Remember Dolly Parton’s massive hair? We have that too. From Madonna-inspired dos to a look inspired by Cyndi Lauper; if you are headed back to the 80s, we can help you get there.

Every costume selection is accompanied by recommended accessories to help you complete the look. Our costumes are of the highest quality and, if you are not satisfied, we can refund your purchase or exchange it.