The 80s is a great theme for a fancy dress party. Most adults remember the era and the fashions, so even the shyest guest should be able to find an outfit that goes with the decade. Many of us secretly still have one or two items of 80s clothing tucked away somewhere, and are just waiting to be trotted out and made into the centrepiece of an out-there, radical 80s fancy dress costume.

Without a doubt, the key element for the 80s fancy dress party host is the sound track. In fact, pulling out the old tape player and a stack of Wham!, Adam Ant, and Duran Duran albums reason enough to hold an 80s fancy dress party in itself. A really great touch is to get hold of an 80’s karaoke disc for your games console. There are plenty of them around, because the soundtrack of the decade has all the key ingredients for singing along – punchy choruses, melodramatic lyrics, and embarrassingly heartfelt power notes.

Some old music posters will do a lot to add ambience to the party venue. If you or any of your mates still have a couple of Bananarama posters in the attic, dig them out and let them see the light again. Hosting a successful fancy dress party is all about the authenticity.

Of course, the other thing everyone remembers are the 80s outfits. Most of us wore them out and about and revelled in how cool we looked in hot pink leg warmers, fluorescent muscle tops, and tennis sweatbands. It’s hard not to have a giggle at our younger selves.

An ideal place to start thinking about 80s fancy dress outfits is the music you used to listen to way back then. Remember when you really wanted to look like Simon Le Bon, or the redhead from Eurythmics? Don’t worry, you’re in good company. We all had some very strange ideas about fashion back then, and that’s one of the best reasons to host your very own 80s party!

But let’s concentrate on finding the perfect 80s fancy dress costume. Think back to your favourite bands. For men, were you a fan of the beret-wearing Simon Trent D’Arby, or the famous Adam Ant? Were you the ripped muscle top type or more inclined towards suits with big shoulder pads and a thin white tie? For women, did you wear the dark eye makeup and black clothes of a fan of The Smiths, or wish you did? Or would an 80’s Madonna outfit with a big-haired, blonde perm wig be more ideal for you?

Whatever 80s fad you were into back then, there is an 80s fancy dress outfit to make your youth come full circle. It was the great age of different youth movements – goth, punk, new wave, mod – whatever floated your boat. Clothes and music were the most important thing in the world and outrageous statements of fashion were commonplace.

No matter how embarrassing it is, nobody need know which bands used to make you dance around your bedroom and sing into your hairbrush – unless you want them to, of course. That’s the beauty of 80s fancy dress.

Everyone remembers the 80s outfits and hairstyles, either with a giggle or a cringe. If you’re preparing for an 80s fancy dress party,  there’s no need to go out and hunt down a hairdresser who’s willing and able to give you a full perm like the one you had in 1985. You would have to take that perm to work on Monday, after all.

For women with long hair, you can go as simple or as wild as you like with making your hair suitable for fancy dress. Almost anyone with medium length hair or longer can give themselves a Robert Smith style teased hairdo, which looks very authentic. If you want to go big, have a look in our 80s fancy dress wig section; much easier, and you can get your own hairstyle back instantly. If you’ve got long or thick hair already, choose a wig with plenty of volume so you can tuck your natural hair underneath without the bulk showing through.

Simpler things, like a side ponytail are a quick way of giving your own hair that special something it needs to go with an 80s outfit. For men or short haired ladies, get busy with the hair gel and create something as crazy as possible in shape. The 80s was the golden age of the mohawk and the mohican, too. We’ve got wigs for that, so you can get the impact without shaving sections of your hair off. Or there is always the mullet, of course, if you are feeling particularly daring.

80s fancy dress is easy, and with a few carefully chosen details you can create the perfect 80s outfit for the discerning man. There are a few very different styles to think about, and as long as you pick one and run with it you won’t go far wrong.

The easiest is probably the suit and tie approach. This can be a bit boring unless you pay attention to details, but there is an instantly recognisable 80s fancy dress outfit with a suit (big shoulder pads and loose cut for preference) and tie (skinny and usually white) as the key components. If it doesn’t look quite 80s enough, add some chunky white grill sunglasses and reach for the hair gel.

On the casual end of the 80s fancy dress spectrum, there is the sporting theme. Again, this one is pretty easy. All you need is a fluorescent pink or yellow tank top, or muscle shirt and baggy short shorts. Complement the clothing with a set of stylish sweatbands and away you go. This is an ideal 80s fancy dress costume to add a fake bushy moustache and mullet wig to.

The other option is to go outrageous. Two of the best 80s costumes are the punk and MTV glam rocker type. For the punk, you want a mohican wig, ripped denims and as much leather and spiked metal gear as you can get your hands on. For the other, think Adam Ant and Michael Jackson. Have a look through our website and you’ll find plenty of ideas.

The 80s was the golden age of doing whatever you wanted with clothes, hair, and makeup. The most unlikely styles and fashion fads took off and became absolutely huge. 80s outfits were creative and extreme – ideal fodder for costume parties and fancy dress. Here are a few template 80s costume ideas to get you started.

The Madonna costume is a classic. One of the biggest stars of the 80s, she was also one of the greatest innovators and the one who took her music video fashions into totally uncharted territories. You could fill a whole party with Madonna costumes and no two would ever need to be the same. There are several in our catalogue of 80s outfits that are inspired by her efforts.

Extremely bright neon colours were a strong element in 80s outfits. To get the best possible impact, think about a wig in fluoro pink or green. The pink is much easier to pull off from a fashion point of view, but this is the 80s, so you can throw fashion rules out the window and do what you want. Coupled with a fitted mid-length dress, this makes an easy 80s outfit.

If you want to put a little more effort in, go glam rock. Teased or permed bottle blonde hair is the order of the decade, and don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of wigs that are perfect so there is no need for the hairdresser. Browse through the fancy dress options on our website and pick something that reminds you of your favourite 80s singer.

Although punk’s not dead, the 80s was its grand heyday. Throughout the decade it was stronger, dirtier, rougher, and altogether more punk than before or since. A punk theme makes one of the most striking 80s fancy dress costumes, and it isn’t a difficult look to achieve.

The basic punk 80s outfit starts with a pair of old jeans, as ripped as decency allows. Get down to your local charity shop and take their most battered pair off their hands, then go straight to our 80s fancy dress accessories section. Pick up a pair of leather-look fingerless gloves and maybe a spiked collar, or anything with metal studs.

Any t-shirt will do, or you can leave the shirt out altogether and just wear an old leather or denim jacket. If it’s denim, rip the arms off for added authenticity. This sort of fancy dress theme is extremely easy to achieve.

As for hair, the mohican is the classic punk look, and we’ve got a range of mohawk wigs that are perfect for fancy dress. Anything brightly coloured will also do nicely. Remember that you can savage a neat and tidy, brightly coloured wig with a pair of scissors to make it more punk rock.

There are also some little details you can add yourself. A packet of safety pins strategically deployed to hold ripped clothing together, or just for decoration is good form on any punk-ish 80s fancy dress. Tattoos can be drawn on with eyebrow pencil – ‘love’ and ‘hate’ across the knuckles is a classic. Mock scars can be drawn on in the same way.

The first 80s outfits most people think of are the ones that look like the clothes worn by rock stars of the era, be it glam rock, new wave, punk, or whatever you used to listen to as kids or young adults. It’s true that those are the 80s outfits that really defined the fashions of the decade, but there are other things we all associate with the 80s. It was also the golden age of Saturday morning cartoons, for example.

With that in mind, we’ve got a range of cartoon-related 80s fancy dress costumes that will impress on two levels. First, they are high-quality costumes, instantly recognisable and sure to bring back a flood of fond memories from other party guests. Second, they take a different route to most 80s fancy dress costumes. Do something different and you’ll stand out from the crowd.

The Danger Mouse costume is wonderful. A true icon of the age and a favourite for millions of 80s kids, you can find Danger Mouse in the men’s 80s fancy dress – but he’s really suitable for anyone. We’ve also go He-Man, Skeletor, and She-Ra. They are especially effective if you can form a group of three and arrive together. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is another great group theme.

Other 80s television fancy dress includes Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless, Postman Pat, and Ghostbusters – including a more feminine version for ladies. Have a look through the catalogue and see what you remember best from Saturday mornings long past.

Musicians may have been the great fashion leaders of the decade, and we have plenty of eighties fancy dress outfits with that theme, but there are other icons that were no less important at the time. There are two key factors in great 80’s costumes – or any fancy dress. One is picking a theme and sticking with it, adding as much detail as you can. The second is picking a novel and interesting theme that other people might not have thought of. That way, your 80’s costume is sure to start more conversations and get you more creativity points than one that took the more travelled road.

Have a look in the eighties fancy dress section and see what makes you smile with fond nostalgia first. Who were the real style icons of the 80’s?

Everyone remembers Baywatch. David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson are still famous for it, even though it was cancelled years ago. Skimpy red swimwear, bulging arms and running up and down beaches of golden sand were the centrepieces of every episode, and were as popular here in the damp, cold UK as they were around the world. We have Baywatch 80’s costumes in both the men’s and women’s sections. The big red float is included, and added padding for the comedic effect is optional.

The Village People were defined by their individual and collective style, and set the scene for the celebration and reinvention of everyday uniforms that characterised the 80’s. Get a group together and pick a costume each. It’s guaranteed to get people doing the YMCA dance at an 80s fancy dress party.

As with all fancy dress, you can achieve a lot with a few small details. If you don’t want to go all out and get a full 80s costume, that doesn’t mean you can’t turn up to the party and fit right in with the theme. The addition of a few carefully chosen accessories can make all the difference.

The most obvious element is hair, and that’s what a lot of people associate most strongly with the era. An 80s fancy dress wig will make almost any outfit pass muster at a costume party. Go for volume or bright colours. A big platinum blonde perm is the icon of the age, but a fluorescent bob will do just fine, and women can add ponytails and hair scrunchies for extra effect. For men, think power ballad. A bush of curls is ideal, or if you’re taking a really minimalist approach to 80s fancy dress, get your hands on some really thick gel or wax and create something with your own hair.

Moustaches are great too, for men or women looking for a little extra fun. It should be dark and brushy, and doesn’t need to match hair colour at all. In fact, there is a lot to be said for the blonde wig and black moustache combination at an 80s costume party. Find our moustache collection in the general wigs and moustaches section.

Sweatbands for the wrists and forehead were all the rage, and they were pretty much restricted to the 80s, so they’re guaranteed to make any outfit iconic. A very simple jogging outfit can be transformed into a fancy dress masterpiece with some sweatbands and a wig, or maybe a tennis-style visor cap.

There are a huge range of 80s fancy dress costumes for men and women in the 80s costumes section, but elsewhere in the catalogue there are a few gems that hark back to the 80s, or can be used to create the right effect.

Have a look through the general wig section as well as the 80s-specific one. There you’ll find a wider selection of wigs and of course the essential brushy 80s fancy dress moustache. There isn’t an 80s costume it doesn’t go with, either as part of the theme or for comedy value, but moustaches are a key element in many costumes, so they are housed in with the rest of the collection.

Cartoons and superheroes can also be found under their own sections, as well as in the 80s categories. Danger Mouse and He-Man are in the men’s 80s fancy dress section but if you were most attached to Batman as a child, you can find him in the Superhero fancy dress section because he is relevant to more than one specification. The same goes for Loony Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny – look through the cartoon fancy dress section before making a decision. Check out the movies as well, to find some you will remember from the 80s.

There’s also a huge selection of hats to go with any outfit, as well as costume jewellery and sunglasses. Choosing a costume and everything to go with it is all part of the fun, so take your time and enjoy browsing through the different sections of our site.