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.

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!

The 1980s was a decade of powerful women. Whether it’s the femme fatales of Dallas or Dynasty or it’s pop superstars like Madonna – the 1980s was the first decade that was truly defined by its women. This makes an 1980s fancy dress party perfect for girls, who will not only have loads of style options to choose from, but will have plenty of female 80s style icons to imitate with fancy dress.

Undoubtedly the queen of 80s fashion was Madonna, and therefore she is the ideal template for 80s outfits. In fact her 80s styles where so diverse that choosing exactly what Madonna look to go for is a real challenge. Of course you don’t have to go the whole hog and dress entirely as Madonna, and you could use her style to inspire a more modest look by, for example, wearing some large earrings and having your hair teased.

If a Madonna costume is a little to obvious for your tastes, never fear, as she’s not the only 80s superstar. In fact there are loads of other female stars that are perfect for drawing inspiration from for 80s outfits! For example, perhaps you are going as a couple, in which case you and your partner could opt for the iconic style of Dirty Dancing. Or maybe you want to truly make an impact, in which case the flamboyant style of Cyndi Lauper is a great fancy dress look to copy.

Today we are spoilt for choice for style icons, whether for everyday fashion or ideas for fancy dress costumes, and we might assume that we are the only decade to really experience what a celebrity culture is. However, there was a decade when trendsetters where not only famous, but also true style icons – the 1980s. It is this distinction that makes the 80s the real celebrity decade.

Unlike today, where celebrity is more often than not short-lived, in the 1980s icons where so memorable that they are still as famous as they ever were, which means that hosting a 1980s fancy dress party will not only be a nostalgia fest but it will appeal even to people who weren’t around in the 80s.

So, who exactly are these 1980s icons? The King of Pop Michael Jackson was at his best in the 1980s and single handedly defined the era with his iconic songs and his defining tracks – even more so his outstanding presence in everyday media. What better template for an eighties fancy dress party, as not only will you be able to draw upon a whole library of looks, but you will have loads of party anthems to play that are guaranteed to get guests into the eighties moonwalking mood.

Of course the eighties wasn’t all about Jacko, and Madonna was equally symbolic of the flamboyance and exuberance of eighties styles, which makes her the ideal template for an 80s fancy dress party. Of course a Madonna costume is perhaps most effective when worn by ladies, but don’t be afraid to let your guests know that humour is on the cards for fancy dress costumes, too – you may even get some of the male guests turning up as Madonna!

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.

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.

The eighties has always seemed like the decade in which the unofficial female revolution took place, and women finally saw it fit to dress in whatever way they wanted – however outrageous. If you’re attending or hosting an 80’s fancy dress party, here’s a fantastic rundown on some of the inspirational ladies of the music world that took us by storm during this influential decade.

Madonna – of course Madonna became a style icon of this time and with the eccentricity of her outfits, girls dared to be different. Some of her costumes were outrageously provocative, with suspenders, garters and lacy tights being just some of the clothing items featuring in her stage wardrobe. Therefore, becoming Madonna for the eighties fancy dress night is the perfect excuse to go out dressed like you’ve never dared to before. Don the coned bra, the wild hair, the red lips and the gorgeous corset and you’re bound to steal the show just like Madonna herself.

Cyndi Lauper – the lady that just wanted girls to have fun. However, her song “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” shows the empowering sexual appeal Cyndi and other style icons of the 80s gave young women. With Cyndi’s overall wardrobe style being more punk than Madonna’s, she too allowed girls to dare to be different. Adopting her style for fancy dress would entail chic vintage dresses, bright colours and so on.

Debbie Harry – glamorous, gorgeous, sophisticated… a sure fire way to add the glam to your 80s fancy dress party. With blonde wigs, red lips and gorgeous outfits, becoming Debbie Harry for the night won’t fail to make you feel like the most glamorous woman in the world.

Fancy Dress Ball provide a host of authentic eighties-inspired fancy dress costumes to make any 1980′s themed fancy dress party a night to remember.

The 1980s saw the birth of the pop-culture that so prevails in the modern age, and saw us turning to our entertainment sources for our fashion ideas. It is true to say that the 80s was the first decade in which we truly not only began to idolise our stars, but began to imitate them. This means then when choosing an 80s fancy dress costume, you’ll have lots of inspiration – from some immediately recognisable 80s idols.

The King of Pop

Perhaps the most recognisable figure in the history of pop-culture was Michael Jackson. Not only was he an innovative musician, but he was a bona fide style icon. This makes him a great inspiration for 80s fancy dress. Some great Jacko inspired 80s fancy dress outfits include orange leather jackets (the “Thriller” look) or rhinestone encrusted leather jackets (the “Bad” look.) Such is the nature of Jacko’s style that you can add some subtle accessories, such has his famous diamond encrusted glove, to give a highly distinctive Michael Jackson look.

The Queen of Pop

Whilst the Jacko look will wow at 80s fancy dress parties, its not ideal for the girls! But luckily women have there very own paragon of 80s style to inspire them – Madonna. A Madonna costume is a great choice for a wide variety of tastes, as she just has so many looks! Some examples include her “blonde ambition” look, and her distinctive 80s look; either way a Madonna costume is a great option for a highly stylish fancy dress costume, that will make a great impact whichever look you go for!

Madonna is a style icon, and owes her massive success, in part, for her ability to adapt her style and keep the media storm focused firmly on her. This makes Madonna the perfect inspiration for a fancy dress costume, with such a variety of modern looks there are plenty of options for a Madonna costume.

If you want to make a huge impact, just like Madge did when she first wore her iconic outfits, you might consider wearing a Madonna inspired wedding dress. Admittedly this makes for a pretty unwieldy Madonna costume, but it is perfect for anyone that truly wants to make an impact at a fancy dress party.

Madonna is not just known for her controversial styles, however; and you can give any outfit a definite Madonna feel just by adding a few accessories or making a few adjustments to your existing clothes. For anyone who wants 80s fancy dress, great 80s Madonna inspired ideas include off the shoulder t-shirts and teased hair.

However, if you want a Madonna costume that is extremely distinctive, then there are many looks that are unmistakably Madge-inspired. For example, who could associate her “blonde ambition” look with anyone else but Madonna, complete with iconic coned bra: the ideal costume for anybody who wants a humourous and dramatic fancy dress costume, whilst not compromising on overall sassiness.

A Madonna costume is a fantastic 80s fancy dress idea, because it means you can draw upon decades of dramatic looks; ideal for anyone, from the brave to the stylish!