I know we are all on this board due to a love of the 80's but with the best will in the world you can't love everything about an era and in the 80's case I feel some of the clothes were truely hideous( I would say that about any era I have lived through!).What was your worst fashion nightmare?? Come on I know you all had some disaster lurking in your wardrobe that seemed like such a good idea at the time......

:D :D :D HA HA HA.Sure i can think of a couple of things.Those Bright Neon colors!!! Bright orange,yellow,green,and pink.My goodness i had Bright Neon pink socks!!!! I had ugly leg warmers.For some reason those things look better on other people just not me.Lots of love for those 80's though,Deathcurse!

For a while in the 80s, I had an obsession with shirts from Merry-Go-Round  with zippers and hooks. I had this one shirt that had these two metal hooks placed strategically around the area of my nipples. I never thought anything about it until a friend asked me if I was wearing my bondage outfit! I was mortified.

I also went through a bright neon color phase. I had this bright yellow Choose Life jersey. I was wearing it one day when my father saw me and he immediately put on his sunglasses. I just rolled my eyes at ol' boring dad...  ::)

I'm with the others on this one....the NEON stuff!  One year for Christmas I got yellow neon socks, green neon pullover sweater, and a yellow lace hair bow.  I wore all 3 of these things to school one day.  Once I got there and got "tons" of weird looks, I realized I was never to wear any of that get up again! (alone or all together!)

I had a pair of purple cheetah print and one of black and white zebra print 3/4 length leggings which were pretty dreadful infact some of the multi coloured leggings I wore had to be seen to be believed I honestly cannot believe what madness overtook me when I purchased them!!!

:-[ In the early, early 80's the fashion around here was knee-length knickers.  I finally broke down and bought a pair, just as they were going out of fashion.  They were bright purple, and I went out of the house in them, a  lace blouse (white) a matching purple blazer, purple knee-highs, and high heeled oxford shoes (also purple).  I couldn't figure out why people were staring at me. :o ;D

The following summer I had two pairs of jeans, one with multi-colored patches all over the legs, and the other with all kinds of buttons sewn on up and down the legs.  That got a lot of stares too, but I notices a few years later it became somewhat of a fad in my neck of the woods.

Had to be parachute pants and some goofy looking shirt that had a zipper on one side that when you unzipped it a flap fell over and it was a different color inside. I think I bought them from Merry-Go-Round or something like that. oh wait I have another one...these were baggy pants, i think made of a nylon type material and they had zippers going the full length of the leg..well when you unzipped them it had another color inside...if i remember correctly this was during the Breakdancing craze..

I think I'm right there with David Jones.  Parachute pants.  All the rave in '84.  Worn with untied hightops and sleeveless shirts with zippers/snaps/etc.

A few years later I was spotted wearing the multicolored multipatterned surf/skate shorts...then the bright Quiksilver tees and the Jimmy'Z shorts with the velcro waistband... ;D

Trying think of this one...  For me, I guess it was my slashed up jeans.  I took a pair of 501's, and slashed them completely up and down the fronts and backs of each leg.  I wanted them to look like Joe Elliots in the Pour Some Sugar On Me video.

I loved those pants, and they seemed pretty popular with the girls, but they were also probably the worst thing in my dresser...

That or my neon striped, highly colorful briefs.  I had a pair of white pants that I couldn't wear with those things.  Too easily seen through the pants.

oooooh....white pants scream 80s. :o

Wow.  I still have white pants.  I love white pants.  White jeans especially...   I miss Levi's 501 button fly jeans

oops...no offense.  white pants and I are like magnets with positive poles...we repel.  i have this habit....red sock...washer....you get the picture.

None taken.  I have that same habit, and wound up with many a pair of pink pants that way.  I learned to love bleach, and my pants had a tendency to wear out quicker than normal from excessive washing...

Acid Wash jeans...Uggh.   Should've left em in the acid a LOT longer..... :P

I had a pair of Parachute pants and some really ugly pair of purple Vans. Vans are the flat shoes with checkered boarding.  :P

I had parachute pants too...they really were awful....but I still love acid-washed jeans...I still have an acid-washed jean jacket...

My God ! I had forgotten I had a pair of trousers that unzipped at the sides and had japanese flag fabric underneath.I can also remember buying jeans that were so tight you had to lay on the floor and do up the zip with a pair of pliers !?!

Button down shirt with sweat pants....... :-X

The double polo shirt with BOTH collars up.

And has anyone mentioned the PUMPKIN-PANTS?! Those short skirt/shorts/abominations of nature? I never owned any, but I believe they bear mentioning. Yikes!

Oh my Gawd! The multi-colored Converse Chuck Taylors (red,orange,blue,green)   w/ tight parachute pants pulled up to the ankles and a matching parachute, polyester top!  :) Oh, and a silver M Jackson glove.
I guess for breakdancing it all made sense - but now that I think of it, why did we wear our clothes so damn tight?!  ???

..and of course I had to have the bright yellow Chuck Taylors that went nicely with my bright yellow-striped rugby shirt.... ::)

I really enjoyed most 80's styles/fashions. I've no complaints.  :)

geez I would like some neon clothes and shrts with zippers now. Anyone remember pinstripe jeans?

My mother (God rest her soul) got a lot of ugly clothes from her friends that she made me wear to school. Some examples: pink or fuchsia pants with a white plaid design, white jeans, black parachute pants with a confetti design, green turtle neck sweater (although it warmed me), and floater pants.
  My sister was taking orientation courses at Indiana State in Terre Haute in the summer in 1980. She got a huge laugh from one of her teacher's taste in clothing. Purple pants, a purple tie with white horsefish, a very loud (showy) shirt with several dark colors. She told of this to my family and we are still in disbelief. :o :D

I had a pair of pinstripe jeans .I always wanted a pair of snakskin ones,I had a denim skirt like that but not the jeans.

Those fat neon shoelaces. Geez, I still remember how the shoe stores would stock them in a assortment of colors and sizes.

Also, remember those wrap-around futuristic sun glasses that made you look like some sorta robot. Guilty. :-[

I also had one of those caps that had those flaps on the side and the back. Gawd.

Something, we also did as kids was  cuff the ends of our pant legs for no reason other than to look cool. How Lame!

One of these days, I'm gonna buy what I always wanted as a kid, a British Flag T-Shirt like that dude from Def Lep. Oh, and those shades with the sides covered in some sorta material. I guess you could call them BUG glasses, with the string to wear around my neck, of course. ;D

I've got two responses for this post.

My first answer is that a lot of the 80s clothes were pretty tacky and here are a few tacky items that I wore:

-black cycling shorts with neon pink stripes on the side. I wore them at school...and I rode on a bus instead of a bike to get there!

-those headbands with the bow on the side. (pretty prissy)

-acid wash jeans

Now onto my 80s outfit nightmare....

2nd part

When I was 13, my grandmother came up on one of her frequent visist, but this one time she bought me this surfer outfit. Those surfer clothes weren't bad, but it was what was on the clothes: surfer pants---white with neon smiley flowers with the slogan "Be Happy"
the t-shirt (even worse)---white with GIGANTIC smiley flowers with "BE HAPPY" on the back

Anyway, I had to wear it the following day. When I went to my friend's house, she laughed her head off at my outfit. On the bus was even worse; while everybody was getting off, I heard a group of older guys slyly saying, "Be happy," as soon as I stood up. Boy, was I embarassed and uncomfortable for the rest of the morning! But it wasn't just the morning because when I went home for lunch, I wanted to change, but my Mom wouldn't let me for my grandmother's sake. I don't think she even allowed me to wear a jacket. Unlike those flowers, I was  :-[                        

I loved everything, generally.  Really.  If only cuz it was fun, spunky and cheery.

I admit I never wore anything like the messy-yet-bright Boy George look - but then, I didn't see many wearing it, either.  Real life, as opposed to pop culture, you know.

For myself, I didn't like the stirrup pants which briefly strolled thru (oh, how many mini-fads people forget happened in the '80s).  I had to get some - but on me, I just looked like I really had nothing but bean-poles for legs.  Perfectly straight from top to bottom, no knees or anything.  It looked bizarre on me, like I was walking on stilts.  I liked the "support" of the stirrups on my feet, but that was it.

Also not great on me was the mini-fad of the oversized floral-print (giant flowers) sweatshirt-type sweaters which you generally tied half-way w/the belt.  It doens't fall nicely on me (most relaxed sweaters don't) - I just look like a scarecrow w/a deflated hot-air balloon falling flat from the top and billowing at the bottom.  But I thought most people could wear those well.

I had tons of pinstriped jeans!  Also big were those shirts with the mesh, either at the neck or the arm, wherever with all these metal snaps going down the front.  That was around the summer of '83 or '84, I don't quite remember.

:P  I FRENCH ROLLED MY JEANS AND DID THE BIG HAIR!  THERE WERE MY HOOP EARRINGS AND LEG WARMERS FOLLOWED BY CROP TOPS, JELLY BRACLETS, JELLY SHOES, THOSE SILLY PLASTIC CHARM NECKLACES, EASTLAND LOAFERS WITH THE CORKSCREW SHOELACE KNOTS, AND STIRRUP KNIT PANTS!  OH MY,  THERE WAS SOOOO MUCH FUNKY STUFF!!!!

I wore those Nike high tops.  Funny as they look now, I have to give them credit as they sure were comfortable!

Probably the most regrettable thing I wore in the 80s would be the short basketball type shorts in the summer.  Everyone wore them, but nobody was smart enough to notice how stupid they looked! :P

I wore skinny leather ties ala Ric Ocasek.  I did the best I could to New Wave it up, at least as good as you could get with a suburban mall.  

I was an easy target for the metalheads, you know, "Hey faggot!"  In my town guys had to like hard rock and metal.  The girls could like Duran Duran, WHAM, Culture Club, Thomposon Twins, etc., but for males this was forbidden territory.  The David Byrne style suit jackets got me in worse trouble!

The trashy girls all had the ZZ Top video look: cheap white pumps (or knee-high vinyl boots, with or without faux fur trim), nylons (white sheer or black fishnet), some kind of awful miniskirt, halter tops ("over the shoulder boulder holders"), Lee press-ons, and big hair (piled high or feathered back).  Mind you, halter tops had to be covered per dress code, so you saw a lot of whatever those crazy blouses were.  They also wore those faux rabbit fur jackets in cold weather.  

I too had a pair of knickers!! ::)

Navy knickers
Navy and white striped sailor shirt w/big bow in front
Navy ballet slippers

I was tranplanted to a very small cattle ranching town and this outfit drew more than a few funny looks.  As did most of my clothes.  I also had one of those jumpsuits with the elastic at the ankles that you wore with high heels. It was light purple guazy material.  I wore white pumps with my tight jeans and sometimes with leg warmers!!  I think people at school used to just wait everyday to see what freaky thing I was wearing.   :)
My sister did the whole neon/Madonna thing but she lived in California so didn't get quite the same reaction I would have.  

I used to wear Jordache Jeans.After a while my butt became so wide,I couldn't even fit into em' anymore! ;D


Howard

My friends and I had the pants with the baggy legs that tapered down and had elastic at the ankles.  Everyone wore them back then, and of course, with them we wore the belts that had the V shape in the front and buckled in the back.  If I ever saw any pictures of us back then, I wonder how we ever wore that stuff!  But we thought we looked great!   There were also the pants that buttoned at the ankle.  Some of them were really nice, though.

Does anyone remember 'wrapping' the pant legs of pants/jeans to achieve the tight ankle look?

I once wore:

- Fluorescent yellow top
- Fluorescent yellow lace bow in my hair (like Madonna wore her black one in 1984)
- Fluorescent yellow earrings
- Black PVC trousers
- Fluorescent yellow socks

I don't remember the shoes I wore. I was colour co-ordinated, yes, but you could see me for miles. I'm also guilty of having owned and worn a Van Halen shirt. Yes, the black ones with the white 3/4 length sleeves. Me! I had a Corey Hart one too. :) Also, since I could never find a "Choose Life" or "Frankie Say Relax" T-shirt (they couldn't keep them on the shelves), I had to do with cheap knock-offs with other sayings on them like "B Cool" or something. Ugh.

Absolutely Vile

I wore British Knights in the Eighty's.
;D  \m/

when i started high school i used to wear army fatigues. i was a "soldier of fortune" reading gun freak. looking back at it now, i can see why i didn't make too many friends (except for other creeps like me).

my last two years in school i wore mostly denim. i went through three acid-washed jackets, i loved them torn at the elbows, my mother would patched them and then i insisted on a new jacket. denim, black tees and nike high tops. plus a full head of neatly styled hair. i miss the hair and the high tops :'(

You'll never guess what my favorite shirts were (hint: my name). lol   :P

FAVORITE SHIRTS? Most apt for the '80s:

                HAIRCUT 100

               FAVOURITE SHIRTS
               (BOY MEETS GIRL)

               LYRICS

Time can`t afford no time
Can`t afford the rhyme
Nevermind, someday maybe
Boy meets girl
And love, love is on it`s way
Boy meets girl
Boy meets girl
Bang, feel a little love
Carino dime
Never mind, someday Terry
Feel the pain
Hit, feel, rap, sweat
Why, feel the floor
Sweets for my way
Boy meets girl
Boy meets girl
Why, feel the floor
Sweets for my way
Boy meets girl
Boy meets girl
Feel the rhyme
Take the time
Go fighting to the top
Go number one
Stick a honeybun
Your mind begins to flop
How take in steam
Recall your dream
Hey Camisas
Your favourite shirt is on the bed
Do a somersault on your head

Legwarmers. I had those stupid things in  every color!

And sweatsuits with fancy sequins and designs, etc!

In 1980 I wore ruffly shirts with high ruffle necks, with jeans, and boots, and blue eye shadow. Princess Diana got engaged to Charles and every female was copying her look, but it only looked good on HER!

I ALMOST FORGOT!  WHAT ABOUT THOSE GENERRA SHIRTS THAT CHANGED COLOR WITH HEAT?  WERE THOSE 80'S OR 90'S?  I ALSO REMEMBER THOSE I.O.U SHIRTS FROM MERRY GO ROUND STORES, I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE 90'S THOUGH.  

Picture it 1981...
I am a huge Rick Springfield fan (still am) even at 34
so in my closet there was those long "lab "coats in varying pastel colors (all worn with the sleeves pushed up)
a white button down blouse tucked in worn with acid washed jeans, and a skinny tie, worn kinda with the knot loosely to look look more feminine, pastel Converse "chuck Taylor's"
and to top it off a girly type mullet hair do with a top so high it took 10 cans of Aquanet hairspray to keep it from falling.

Ah Nostalgia...
and forget about Jeese's girl I wanted Rick!
Back then (been very happily married for 13 years now)

Aww, you're married, well, maybe you and Rick can still have an "Affair of the Heart."   8)

Stuff I wore... :o :o :o

Jellied Shoes
Legwarmers
Friendship Bracelets
Jansport Backpacks
Gloria Vanderbilt jeans
Gitano Jeans
Lace Tops

Wow, what memories, some of those fashions were awful! Some where cool.  Bad things I wore in the 1980's:  Neon clothing, CHOOSE LIFE/RELAX shirts, Madonna-be clothing, oversized sweatshirts, Mesh clothing, headbands, tons of cheesy-looking bracelets, jelly shoes, anklet socks with lace trim, shirts with huge, obnoxious stripes, bubble skirts, bubble shirts, a bad perm that bleached my dark brown/naturally curly hair orange, big, long, tacky earrings, crucifix earrings, large, crazy-patterned sweaters, balloon pants, huge, white, Elvis-style cinch belts, etc. Homecoming dresses with poofy sleeves, usually in taffeta, and line-backer-style shoulder pads.
Good things I wore in the '80's-Denim(acid-washed wasn't that bad, was it?)pants, jackets, and miniskirts, my beloved heavy-metal t-shirts, stretch leggings, flannel shirts(Back before Seattle, when Grunge was just a dirty ring around your tub, lol), black leather cowboy boots, black suede fringe Jacket from Wilson's House of Leather(I still have the jacket!), white ankle boots, Reebok hightops, Fanny pack, leather purses, Mock turtlenecks, Sunset Strip/Heavy Metal Concert bimbo wear(miniskirts, leggings, black, wide-brimmed outback hat,fishnet stockings, accessories-usually lace, leather, spandex, vinyl, lycra, denim, etc.)-all of it TIGHT, lots of rings(all my jewelry was real, I didn't like fake), silver, turquoise, gold, my class ring, 2-3 necklaces(silver/gold), multiple piercings in my ears(considered tame today), silver bracelets, etc., my fedora, my bandanna(Axl Rose-style), etc.  Of course I wore my long hair teased to the sky, color-coordinated eye-makeup(I had eyeliner and mascara in a large rainbow of shades), frosty white or pink lipstick, hair and body glitter, glittery nail polish, etc. There was plenty of hairspray to be found, and I made sure my hair was completely set and dry before I lit a Marlborough Light cigarette.  Back then I could stash them in my purse, and have one outside the school grounds before class started.
Before I came to my senses and realized I was a heavy-metal chick, I dressed to try to please others so I could make friends.  Little did I realize till later that a friend is what is on the inside of a person-a valuable lesson I learned.  I used to wear paisley or patterned, button-down shirts with the brooch at the neck, trendy, patterned, sweaters and sweatshirts, surfer shirts, etc.  I had a little gaggle of friends I would hang with in the 10th grade, we'd all giggle about biys and stuff-too cute, ad nauseum.  Well, you should have seen the look on their faces the day I strolled in wearing a Led Zeppelin t-shirt!  They just sort of gaped at me at first, as if I were some alien.  lol  Boy, they sure treated me different after that, but that doesn't matter.  I am still a metal-head, I wear what makes me happy, and life's alright.

I used to love those gitano jeans!  I must have had 10 pairs of them.  The fit was unbelievable.  
I couldn't believe that while out Christmas shopping the other day, the store I was in had racks and racks of shirts with the wide stripes, like black and white, pink and black, and a few other color combos, with the boat neck.  I almost blurted out in the store 'how 80's, I love it!" but was able to contain myself LOL.  The only twist is that these shirts had a metal buckle thing at the side.  I had alot of striped shirts back in the early '80's and was just the other day wishing I could find something similar now.

CHOOSE LIFE & RELAX

Which came first, WHAM's use of "Choose Life," or the so-called pro-life movement's use of the slogan.  I don't remember "Choose Life" before WHAM.  

I remember a lot of mall rats wearing "Relax" and "Frankie Say Relax" t-shirts, and thinking "Don't they know what that song's about?"

You mention smoking before school.  I wasn't a smoker myself, but our high school had a designated "smoking area" in the courtyard.  I think they did away with it in 1988, and today a high school "smoking area" would be unthinkable.

I also wore the neon colors....pink,yellow,green. You name it. And the leg warmers with pumps.Lace socks,plastic charm necklace,jelly bracelets,Member's Only jacket(boyfriend's). I'm sure there's more but I can't remember it all or maybe I don't want to. Lol ;D

all i can say is that if it didnt have a little alligator on it i wouldnt wear it.