You say ‘eighties fancy dress‘, you think ‘neon fishnet, big hair and crazy make-up!’ Not everyone lived through the 80s quite so merrily, so if that’s not really your cup of tea, here are a few of our favourite alternatives that pay homage to the great decade of ridiculousness!

Cartoon Character 80s Outfits
If you’re a child of the 80s you’ll know just how difficult it is to choose a favourite! But, if we’re forced to choose a Fancy Dress Ball favourite of the day, it has to be the time honoured partnering of He-Man and She-Ra (He-Man kind of makes sense as a name, but why She-“Ra”?)  The He-Man costume features a full body suit (so no need to panic about just wearing a pair of what are, essentially, red trunks!)

Tasty Delights
For many, the 80s was a decade of weird processed foods! We love fancy dress costumes that focus on all the weirdo food present in the average 80s household. Our food of the day is… SPAM! The Spam Can Costume is an awesome costume alternative!

Games and Fun
Our two 80s games of the day – Super Mario and Twister! Take your pick from the bunch of Super Mario characters we stock, including Princess Peach, Toad and the revered Italian super plumber himself! For couples (or just folks obsessed with Twister!) there’s the brilliant option of male and female Twister costumes, both featuring a dapper Twister board headdress!

Choosing 80′s costumes can be difficult, and with the relative ubiquity of 1980′s fancy dress parties, the chances are all of the best ideas have already been done. There is a way to give your outfit a truly unique edge, however, and create an 80′s talking point at your 80′s fancy dress party – with some essential 80′s accessories.

There are plenty of ways to embellish eighties outfits with accessories, and there are all kinds of items you can take along with you to 1980′s fancy dress parties that are sure to get your fellow guests talking. For example, if you are going to an 1980′s fancy dress party as one of your favourite 80′s rock stars, why not take along with you an eighties inflatable guitar or microphone – no wannabe eighties icon should be without one!

Whilst there are some general accessories you can take to a 1980′s fancy dress party that will really add an extra touch to an 80′s outfit, there are also some more specific accessories that will really complete your 1980′s fancy dress costume. For example, if you are brave enough to be going to a party in Pamela Andserson’s famous Baywatch red swimsuit, then why not finish it off with an authentic looking float.

At Fancy Dress Ball we’ve got loads of 80′s fancy dress costumes and accessories – including the Baywatch float – which means that you really can find everything you need for an 80′s fancy dress costume all in one place!

Whilst there are plenty of great options for 80′s costumes – from dressing like your favourite board game to dressing like an 80′s guitar – there is flaw in many of these great 80′s looks, i.e. they’re not so great on the dancefloor! Luckily, however, the 1980′s truly was a decade that loved to dance, and therefore creating 80′s fancy dress costumes that are comfortable to dance in is not only easy, but a whole lot of fun too.

Less is More

If you are attending an 80′s fancy dress party in a club for example, then some 80′s looks just wont be practical – not unless you like overheating! With this in mind the old idiom ‘less is more’ comes to mind. Luckily the 80′s fancy dress look can be achieved without having to over-dress, and oversize t-shirts and leggings can create a great 80′s look without any of the comfort issues.

Accessorise!

On a similar note, the 1980′s was a decade that loved its accessories and therefore there is no need to go overboard with your 80′s fancy dress costumes, when just a few well thought out accessories can do the trick! With this in mind some large “bangle” style earrings can really add a touch of the eighties to your 1980′s fancy dress costume, without compromising on your comfort.

80′s Colour

If done right, rather than impede your dancing, a 1980′s fancy dress outfit can really add to the dance floor experience. By embellishing your costume with bright day-glo colours, you are sure to set the dance floor on fire – whether you’re at an 80′s fancy dress party or not!

Whether its because of Madonna’s Like a Virgin phase or Billy Idol’s White Wedding video, the bride look as a serious eighties fancy dress edge to it. Unlike many other kinds of eighties fancy dress however (rather than looking a little clownish), dressed as an 80′s bride you’re bound to look stunning.

There are many way to interpret wedding dress eighties fancy dress costumes. On the one hand you could draw upon that 80′s pop queen madonna inspiration, and pair the look with some other Madonna embellishments, for example oversize bangles, or teaseled hair.

Alternatively you could opt for the Billy Idol wedding dress look, which is all about bleach blonde hair and a sexy edge. With this look in mind, you might want to go to your eighties fancy dress party with a partner decked out as that 80′s male icon Billy Idol replete with bleached blonde hair and leather pants.

If you really want to make an impact with your wedding dress 80′s fancy dress look then you could opt for the zombie bride look. Whilst this will have a similar edge to it as the White Wedding or Like a Virgin look, it will got that little bit further to create a style that is as scary as it is provocative. In order to achieve this look you might consider putting tears in your dress and even daubing it with fake blood.

If there’s one thing that’s going to impress at any eighties fancy dress party, it’s getting the perfect outfit to emulate the decade. You want to get the ultimate look to really create a stir, and you always need to make the most of your 80′s costume if you really want to impress.

By making the most of it, I mean don’t be afraid to take it to the next level. Anyone can slap on a tutu or a wig, but to really hit the right note your eighties fancy dress needs to go so much further than that. Try emulating a specific star or style of the decade, and get all the accessories that you can to perfectly recreate the look.

This was a decade that was all about having fun, so make sure it shines through in your costume. You want to go all out to ensure that you’ve captured the essence of the decade perfectly, and if you put in extra effort it’s bound to be noticed.

But, to really make the most of your 1980′s fancy dress costumes, you need to know where you can find the perfect costume. It’s only by having a fantastic selection of outfits to choose from that you can be sure you’ve made the right decision, and that’s why you need to come to us here at Fancy Dress Ball.

We have an exceptional range of 80′s costumes for you to choose from that will always go down well at any party, and with plenty of accessories you can’t fail to look the part. So, come to us today and let us kit you out for the perfect 80′s party.

Whenever you’re heading to a fancy dress party, you always want to look the part. If it’s a 1980′s theme it’s essential that you choose the right outfit to suit, and luckily there are plenty of places you can look for eighties fancy dress inspiration.

If you want to be inspired, look through your old music collection to see what takes your fancy. Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury… the list goes on, and using any one of these stars as style inspiration would be a fantastic idea. Here at Fancy Dress Ball we even have 1980′s fancy dress costumes that were specifically designed with such famous faces as a base, so you can be sure that you’ll hit the right note.

Watching old movies or TV shows would be another great way to get inspiration, as with there being so many memorable moments from the world of 80′s cinema and TV you’re bound to find something that appeals. Think Top Gun, Baywatch, Miami Vice and many others, and any will be able to give you plenty of ideas.

Or, simply try to remember some of the classic styles of the decade and see if you can recreate the look in 80′s fancy dress. Old photo albums can provide you with a wealth of ideas, and a few embarrassments along the way, or even going for the memorable wild child or tutu looks will go down well.

As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do to get your 80′s fancy dress inspiration. If you still need some help then make sure to come to us here at Fancy Dress Ball, and we’ll happily point you in the right direction.

A few years back, getting hold of a decent 80′s fancy dress costume was quite hard. Today, with all things 80′s back in vogue and everything retro being cool, good quality 80′s fancy dress costumes are thankfully much easier to get hold of.

But why 80′s fancy dress? Well, an 80′s party is a one stop event for cheesy, guaranteed fun that pretty much takes care of itself. Because the 80′s was a shameless decade that made such a monumental impact, the fashion, music,  dances and even nibbles are known and loved by everyone. Thankfully, this means that an 80′s party doesn’t need that much preparation and all the guests can get straight in to the 80′s vibe as soon as they arrive. It really couldn’t be easier!

For all the ladies who dreamed of being Madonna or any guys who longed to be Rambo, this is the chance to really indulge yourselves and rekindle your dreams. Today, really good quality 1980′s costumes are available, from Michael Jackson to Adam Ant, complete with more ra-ra skirts and shoulder pads than you could shake your deely-boppers at! The range of costumes is amazing so take a good look around and see if an individual Robocop outfit would suit your party sharking or whether causing havoc as one of the Ghostbusters with a group of mates would be more to your taste. Whatever your choice, an 80′s fancy dress party, much like the decade itself, is all about fun!

Everybody is mad for the 1980’s at the moment and 80’s fancy dress is going down a storm. All of your old 80’s favourites like Rocky, BA Baracus and Boy George are turning up at 80’s fancy dress parties up and down the country. One 80’s icon who every girl wants to emulate at fancy dress parties is Madonna. Madonna was innovative in her fashion as well as her music so there are many ‘looks’ to choose from. You can even mix and match clothes from different eras to make a killer Madonna costume.  To make sure that you are the number one Material Girl at the party, give your outfit some finishing touches.

Hair & make-up

Your hair should be radically wavy and tied up using a big ribbon that is finished in a bow on top of your head.  You will also need some very heavy eye makeup such as browns for eye shadow and heavy black eyeliner and mascara.  Lips need to be bright red and don’t forget to pencil on the trademark mole.

Accessories

Dangly earrings that didn’t match were a favourite of Madonna, with one earring bigger than the other.  Of course, there are the necklaces to consider, with crosses being a theme, as well as strings of fake pearls. To finish, find lots of bracelets, elastic bands and studded leather straps, and top off with some lace fingerless gloves.

And there you go, a Madonna costume worthy of Madge herself! For a wide range of fancy dress costumes and accessories to emulate your favourite 80s icon, browse the Fancy Dress Ball website and you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for.

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!

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.