So, you’ve finally got your 80s fancy dress party sorted: the food, the 80’s fancy dress costumes – but is there anything missing? Well, if you really want your 80s fancy dress party to be one to remember, why not host some 80s party games?

Whilst you might assume that party games are more appropriate to kids parties, some 1980s fancy dress party games are a great way to help your guests break the ice at an 80s party, as well as ensuring that everyone has a whole lotta fun!

Now whilst there aren’t necessarily any traditional party games that immediately suggest the eighties, that doesn’t mean that games can’t be adapted for an eighties fancy dress party. For example, a classic party game such as musical statues can be adapted for a 1980s theme simply by using 1980s party anthems instead of modern songs.

Alternatively you could invent some brand new 1980s party games – what could be more fun than that? Basically, the only thing that limits what kind 1980s fancy dress party games that you play is your imagination, and some great examples of 1980s party games include 1980s name that tune, and a 1980s fancy dress contest!

Of course whilst party games will really turn up the party atmosphere, the fundamentals of an 80s fancy dress party are the costumes, and at Fancy Dress Ball you can find loads of great 80s party outfits all at great prices!

Music is a great theme for a fancy dress party, as not only does it afford partygoers with a whole wealth of costume options, but you’ll also have the music sorted, too. With this in mind, what are the options for a musically inspired 1980s fancy dress theme?

Well the best way to give your fancy dress party an 80s theme is to base your theme on your personal tastes, and the tastes of your guests. For example, if you often reminisce about your days as an 80s goth, then your might opt for a theme that brings all of those memories back.

With this gothic theme in mind, there are some simple ways to create that immediately recognisable eighties gothic look – for example, you shouldn’t be afraid to use plenty of eyeliner – and most importantly you should dig out all of those old gothic tunes from the likes of Gary Numan and Siouxsie and the Banshees to really make your 1980s fancy dress party go with a gothic bang.

Of course a gothic theme won’t be for everyone, and perhaps you weren’t even around in the 80s; in which case a less esoteric theme might be more in order. With this in mind, even people who were too young to remember the 1980s will appreciate a 1980s fancy dress theme. Some ideas for a more accessible kind of 80s party include a Michael Jackson theme or a Madonna costume theme. Let’s face it, who hasn’t heard of them?

So, you’ve decided to host a fancy dress party. Well whilst fancy dress parties are unsurpassed in terms of fun, there is a problem – how do you choose the perfect fancy dress party theme?

Well one idea, could be to choose a theme that is pretty broad. For example, rather than simply choosing an 80s fancy dress party, you could instead opt for a 20th century theme party – which will give your guests a near unlimited choice of costume options!

60s Outfits

The 1960s was perhaps the birth of fashion, and there are some simple ways to create a 60s look that will really make an impact at a fancy dress party. You could, for example, go for the hippie look with some coloured sunglasses and some longed haired wigs – not to mention some flairs and headbands!

80s Outfits

The eighties is like no other decade in that it provides a fancy dress party with loads and loads of diverse party looks. For example, an eighties fancy dress party goer could opt for some iconic shoulder pads, or could replicate the look of an 80s icon such as Jacko or Madonna.

Other Decades

Whilst the 60s and the 80s are perhaps the decades most associated with style – there is no reason why you cant draw on other decades for inspiration. For example, taking inspiration from the 90s, you could opt for some MC Hammer parachute pants!

Madonna’s success straddles a few decades, and she is perhaps one of the most versatile artists that have ever graced the airwaves, which makes her arguably one the best templates for a musical fancy dress theme.

Why? Well probably the main reason why Madonna lends herself so perfectly to fancy dress is because of the wealth of looks she has sported; from the eighties right through to today. So, what are the options for an aspiring Madonna costume?

Well such is the diversity of Madonna looks that are available, that there are loads of ways to give an outfit that Madonna edge. For example Madonna has sported some of the most  recognisable 80s outfits of any 80s icon – perhaps apart from Jacko – and to achieve that 80s Madonna costume look, you don’t have to break the bank.

Madonna’s 80s outfits in particular were often fairly simple, and were characterised by basic accessories such as earrings and bangles, as well as easily achieved hairstyles such as teaselled hair – which means that achieving that Madonna costume look is a great affordable fancy dress solution.

Of course by going down the Madonna route, you immediately solve the problem of choosing fancy dress party anthems, as Madonna as had enough hits to keep a party going long into the night!

So, rather than overcomplicate your fancy dress theme, by choosing Madonna as your template you not only get access to a whole pantheon of great looks, but you also get the music too.

Whilst the 80s for many was a decade of bright colours and flamboyant attitudes, this is perhaps a little stereotypical. In fact, the 1980s was a little more complicated. There was, for example, a thriving alternative scene, and gothic fashion really began to come into its own.

With this in mind a gothic themed eighties fancy dress party is a great theme for anyone who wants to throw a truly unique party, which still retains that element of nostalgia. So, how do you incorporate a gothic theme into a 1980s fancy dress party?

Well one way is to give your 80s fancy dress party some 80s horror credentials – as the 80s was perhaps the decade that was most synonymous with video nasties and zombies – with this in mind you and your guests could take some inspiration from 80s zombie classics such as the Evil Dead.

If you want your 1980s fancy dress party to be authentically gothic, however, then you just have to take some inspiration from some 80s gothic icons.

For the ladies, you could look to 80s gothic songstress Siouxsie Sioux, for inspiration and opt for plenty of eye make-up and an oversize t-shirts.

For the guys, The Cure’s Robert Smith is a perfect gothic template, and that Cure Look is easily replicated with some big hair, and plenty of eye make-up!

If you’re a guest rather than hosting a gothic 80s fancy dress part, then choosing gothic 80s outfits is a great way to make an impression, and it is more than likely you’ll be the coolest in the room!

Whilst fashion is perhaps the most important factor when throwing a 1980s fancy dress party, affording your guests with loads and loads of costume options, if you really want your 1980s fancy dress party to be success then you should also try and decorate the party venue appropriately.

Luckily, it wasn’t just the fashion that was popular in the 80s, and there are a whole host of 80s cultural landmarks that provide the perfect inspiration for that 80s fancy dress party.

For example, if your hosting a 1980s fancy dress house party, then you might consider decorating your walls with some classic 80s posters – these could either be music or 80s film posters – such as the famous back to the future or Ghostbusters movie posters – or you could opt for iconic images of some 80s legends, such as Madonna or Michael Jackson.

Of course, 1980s posters is just one way to decorate for a 1980s fancy dress party, and you could also try to re-recreate an 80s dance-floor complete with a disco-ball and some neon lighting. Even better you could hire a genuine 80s DJ, to play all those memorable 1980s party anthems!

Whilst the heart of an 80s fancy dress party will be the clothes – whether its shoulder pads or leg-warmers – by including some 80s decoration you will really add to the 80s atmosphere, ensuring that your 80s party is one to remember.

The 1980s is perhaps the perfect inspiration for a fancy dress party. However, it is perhaps a little too perfect, and such are the options that the 80s provides the potential 1980s fancy dress party planner that it can be difficult knowing exactly what to include.  As a starting point, however, you might consider incorporating some 1980s food into your 1980s fancy dress party plan.

Now the 1980s isn’t perhaps the most food-centric decade, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of ideas for 80s party food that will really help to foster the 80s fancy dress party atmosphere. Depending on how old you were in the 80s there are certain brands and kinds of food that just scream the 1980s. For example, if your guests where youngsters in the 80s then sweets and the like will give your party a nostalgic twist, alternatively you could opt for some familiar 80s brands, such as Whispas or Wham Bars.

You may even decide to base the food choices on popular culture references from the eighties, or even TV shows such as Bananas in Pyjamas! Whilst incorporating 80s food is one way to cater for a 80s fancy dress party – there is another way. For example, you could theme your food to represent certain 80s ideas – so, for example, you could host a yuppie feast complete with sushi and champagne!

When planning an 1980s fancy dress party, the food is often overlooked, which is understandable as unlike a decade such as the 70s, the 80s does not suggest many food ideas – however, with a bit of creativity is definitely possible to create a perfect 80s banquet!

Eighties fancy dress is one of the most popular fancy dress templates around, and bizarrely the 1980s seems to be continuously growing in popularity.

Whilst this is evidence that that everybody loves an 80s party, with great popularity comes a problem: how do you throw an eighties fancy dress party that is truly unique?

Luckily while the 80s is full of some pretty bold statements, musically, in terms of fashion and even that 80s attitude, the 80s was also a decade of cults. For example, with the advent of video tapes in the 1980s, movies really began to become cult classics – with genres such as horror really touching the zeitgeist.

With this in mind, if you really want your 80s fancy dress to be unique then why not opt for an 80s horror theme, drawing on films like dawn of the dead for inspiration – of course, if this a little too cult you could base your horror theme on Michael Jackson’s thriller video, either way your party is sure to be memorable.

Using cult movies to theme your 1980s fancy dress party is only one way to guarantee its uniqueness, and you could, for example, host an alternative 80s fashion night, drawing on alternative eighties fashion icons for inspiration – such as The Cure’s Robert Smith.

Of course it is possible for things to get a little bit too obscure, and therefore while you might choose and overarching cult theme for your shindig, you could also embellish it with some recognisable features – such as some 80s party anthems.

Perhaps unlike any other decade, the 80s was responsible to a whole host of no-nos, from no-nos in music to no-nos in fashion. Of course, these faux pas examples have their uses, and if you really want your eighties fancy dress costume party to go off with a bang then you’ve just got to indulge in some of the decade’s biggest embarassing mistakes.

Perhaps the most fertile ground for no-nos in the eighties was fashion – one need only say mullet or shoulder pads to send a chill down anybody’s spine. However, such is the nature of 80s fashion with its exuberance and theatre that it is the perfect template for a fancy dress party. With this in mind, there are a few easy tips to really set off 1980s fancy dress outfits. For example, you could opt for day-glo colours, or embellish an outfit with some 80s accessories such as oversize bangles.

Of course an true 80s fancy dress party should go beyond costumes, and if you really want to create an 80s atmosphere then you’re going to want some 80s anthems. The options for this are diverse, and range from iconic hits from 80s legends such as Michael Jackson and Madonna to more obscure hits from 80s electro pioneers such as Gary Numan. Of course, the 80s is also home to plenty of musical no-nos such as cheesy dance anthems, and dare I say it, flamboyant artists such as Duran Duran or Adam and the Ants.

Whatever 80s theme you choose, by incorporating some no-nos into your 80s fancy dress party you can be certain that your party is one to remember.

Even though the 80s was three decades ago, it has never really gone out of fashion. Mobile phones started to come out in the 80s, as did some of our greatest pop-stars, such as Madonna to name but one. With this in mind then, the 1980s provides the perfect template for a fancy dress party, as not only are there a wealth of 80s fancy dress options, but even if your guests weren’t around for the 80s they are likely to understand the references.

So, what are the options for 80s fancy dress?

Well, were do we start? How you choose to throw an 80s fancy dress party will depend on a few factors. For example, if you and your friends have a clear recollection of the 80s, then you’ll probably get away with some obscure film and music references.

On the other hand, if you and your guests are on the younger side, then the chances are that some of the more obscure references might be lost on people who where young in the 80s. With this in mind, decorate your party with some immediately recognisable 80s icons – or better yet choose a theme that still has relevance in the modern day – such as a Madonna theme.

Right, so you’ve been won over to the idea of 80s fancy dress, but where do you get the gear? Well at Fancy Dress Ball we’ve got everything you’ll ever need to host the perfect fancy dress party – 80s or otherwise.