If the 1950s was the decade when rock and roll was born, then the 1980s can be said to be the era when rock truly came of age! And with the advent of the music video, walkmen and cds rock truly began to take over the world. Of course all this is a boon for 1980s fancy dress, and with some of truly recognizable 80s rock and roll looks – why not rock out?

The 80s was known for all kind of rock music, each with their own distinct styles – it really is true to say that the 80s was a decade where style became as important to rock and roll as the music.

For example, the Gothic style with its truly unique fashions first appeared on the scene in the 80s, and it is a great template for a really individual kind of 1980s fancy dress. Unlike many other kinds of 1980s fancy dress outfits, the Gothic look can be fairly easily replicated, with, for example, the use of black eyeliner and leggings.

Whilst the Gothic look was a look for the introverted, the 80s was also a decade for the rock extrovert. If you really want to make an impact at a 1980s fancy dress parties then some choice mullet wigs and ripped jeans are a fabulous way to create truly edgy fancy dress costumes.

At Fancy Dress Ball we’ve got loads of eighties outfits and accessories which make achieving that 80s rock look a breeze.

The 80′s was an age of excess and therefore no 80 fancy dress costumes should be without a wild child edge. Achieving this wild child look can be a challenge, depending on the lengths your willing to go to; which is where Fancy Dress Ball comes in with great wigs and 80′s fancy dress costumes to make achieving the wild child look a breeze.

Perhaps the easiest way to channel your inner wild child is by wearing an appropriate wig. At Fancy Dress Ball we’ve got loads of great wigs that will turn even the most staid of 80′s fancy dress costumes into a wild party outfit! When choosing a wig for an 80′s fancy dress costume, you should be looking at bright colours and wild styles – just like those 80′s rock icons.

Of course wigs aren’t the be all and end all of the wild child look, and if you really want to go the whole hog when it comes to your 80′s fancy dress costumes then you might consider some great 80′s wild child accessories. With this in mind, some brightly coloured bangles or oversize earrings are a great way add a little sassiness to 80′s fancy dress costumes.

As a final point, if your really want your eighties fancy dress costumes to have a wild child edge then its going to take a little more than wigs and accessories. To complete your wild child outfit, you need a little of that wild child attitude!

Whilst there are many generic fancy dress costumes available for an 80′s theme, there are also an equal amount of more unique costumes on the Fancy Dress Ball website that may not represent the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of 80′s fancy dress.

Dressing up as your favourite 80′s cartoon character is a very unique idea that not many people tend to think of. With Madonna and Michael Jackson clouding their creativity, the option for dressing up as Dangermouse or He-Man doesn’t tend to cross peoples’ minds.

As the host of an 1980′s fancy dress party, you could even theme the event so that everyone turns up as their favourite character from an 80′s TV programme. Not only will this afford guests with a wide range of fancy dress options, but it makes the party more accessible to people that were perhaps young children in the eighties, rather than guests who were adults at this time.

Available on the Fancy Dress Ball website are cartoon character fancy dress costumes in a wide range of sizes and designs. You may find yourself dressing up as Count Duckula, or even Batfink from the parody of Batman and The Green Hornet.

With those Bananas in Pyjamas, Mario Brothers and even Jess the Cat from the Postman Pat series as options, guests will be simply spoilt for choice. Having a party of this theme is also guaranteed to bring about some nostalgia, and offers the party host the chance to add extra authenticity by playing famous 80′s TV shows at the party!

A great way to get inspiration for an 80s fancy dress costume is to re-visit the music and television of the day. The hard, confrontational Punk look of the late 1970’s evolved into softer, friendlier styles which then went on to typify the decade. TV, music and video were a driving force behind this transformation, so that is the best place to look for iconic 80s fancy dress ideas.

Music

The New Romantic look used frills for a softer look and Princess Diana, Duran Duran and Adam Ant are obvious ambassadors of this style. With a few tweaks, pirate costumes can double-up as 80s fancy dress as New Romantic outfits in the 80’s often involved waistbands, cummerbunds and jackets with velvet lapels.

TV

Everybody still remembers the 80s Levi jeans advert on TV where Nick Kamen stripped off his 501’s in the launderette. Of course, a pair of jeans with a white T-shirt and trainers is a very easy 80s fancy dress costume, and you could make this more unique by adding some of the many accessories available from Fancy Dress Ball.

Video

Fitness exploded in the 1980’s and it suddenly became fashionable to keep in shape. Many celebrities enthusiastically embraced this new fad and Olivia Newton John’s ‘Physical’ video became a smash hit. So, if you can carry it off, a great 80s fancy dress costume is that of headband, lycra top and bottoms, with acrylic leg warmers.

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!

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!

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.

The 1980s was a decade of creativity, whether it’s the homemade fashions of pop-starlets like Madonna, or the home-made tune-age of 80’s punk bands. It is only right, therefore, that 80’s fancy dress costumes live up to that creative 80’s ideal, and that you get creative with your 80’s outfits for fancy dress parties.

For example, there are some obvious 80s outfits, such as a Madonna costume for the ladies or a Ghostbusters’s costume for the gentlemen, and whilst these are great and iconic 80s outfits they lack a little originality. So, why not mix things up a little? Perhaps if you’re a girl you could go as a Ghostbuster, or if you’re a guy you could go as Madonna – guaranteed to make an impact at any eighties party!

Another great way to make an impact with your 80s fancy dress costumes is to coordinate them. This could be as simple as colour matching with some eighties Day-Glo accessories, or you could push the boat out and go as the two leads form Dirty Dancing – jut be prepared to show everyone a few dance moves!

These, of course, are just a couple of ideas, and the possibility for 80’s fancy dress costumes is only as limited as your imagination allows. For example, rather than dressing as an iconic eighties individual, why not dress as an iconic 80s object such as a famous eighties board game, like Twister! Alternatively, you could go as that iconic car we all remember: the Delorean from Back to the Future!