1
Best ’80s Fashion: Sarah Jessica Parker
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Yes, SJP! As one of Cosmo’s confirmed queens of ’80s style, she’s rocked so many trends, it’s hard to count them all. Big messy hair, tied hair scarf, oversized blazer, classic blue jeans, slouchy ankle-warmer style socks, slip-ons, bold sunglasses, and a casual pose. Perfect.
2
Best ’80s Fashion: Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface
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Michelle Pfeiffer is so beautiful she puts our mismatched pajamas to shame. Her grooming in Scarface is flawless: perfect claw-like nails, blow-dried bob hair… and let’s just take a moment to notice that her nightwear outfit is perfectly color-matched to her bedroom décor. Honestly, she couldn’t be any cooler.
3
Best ’80s Fashion: Christy Turlington
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Hello Christy Turlington and fellow power dressers. Can you imagine going to a job interview dressed like this and not getting the job? Well, because it’s impossible. And you could also request a corner office, a chauffeur, and a personal chef. This style is literally timeless.
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Four
Best ’80s fashion: Grace Jones
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You can’t talk about 80s fashion without mentioning the queen of excess and self-expression: Grace Jones. This particular look is one of our favorites because it’s proof that the adage “take one piece off before you leave the house” didn’t exist back then. 80s fashionistas advocated the exact opposite: huge hats, loud earrings, gloves, nude cage dresses, revealing pants, and red lips. Why wouldn’t you?!
Five
Best ’80s Fashion: Brooke Shields
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Brooke Shields’ Big Hair Don’t Care look is so ’80s. Head-to-toe white hairstyles were common in the ’80s to offset the overabundance of color in other people’s wardrobes (scroll further to see what we mean). This navy sweater vest adds a bit of nautical vibes, even for those not on board, another style that was hugely popular during the decade…
6
Best ’80s Fashion: Cher
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Cher was dressing naked before it was even called “dressing naked,” and, in our opinion, she remains the person who did it best. Following the maximalist style of the era, the singer attended the Met Gala in one of her most iconic ensembles: a see-through, crystal- and beaded-covered bodysuit with a low-cut black maxi skirt, some seriously big ear cuffs, and quintessential ’80s purple eyeshadow.
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7
Best ’80s Fashion: Jane Fonda
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It’s the workout that defined the decade (and beyond), and an entire generation’s take on what constitutes gym wear. The rules? The higher the cut of the legs on your fitted leotard, the better, and always make sure your leg warmers and sweatbands match perfectly, with a belt on top.
8
Best ’80s Fashion: Cindy Crawford
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How to create a retro vamp, inspired by Cindy Crawford. This cropped biker jacket shape was hugely popular at the time, and was paired with a stretch mini and high-waisted jeans. Cindy’s messy brows and red lips were also classic ’80s beauty trends, and the black and red combo was also popular.
9
Best ’80s fashion: Joan Jett
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Joan Jett, lead singer of The Runaways, really shows that people in the ’80s weren’t afraid to wear multiple trends at once. Clashing prints, extreme haircuts, loud makeup, and accessories that made it hard to wear anything else…very flashy. And a metallic belt is the perfect accent to tie it all together. Wow.
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Ten
Best ’80s Fashion: Demi Moore
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Hello, Demi? Is that you? Honestly, it looks like someone put our favorite Charlie’s Angels through an ’80s Instagram filter. Frizzing your bangs is a bold move. As this photo proves, bangs are restless and give a kind of “glamorous but windblown” (and a little crazy) vibe. Demi’s soft makeup is also super flattering, and she finishes off the look with a sequined blazer, ribbon earrings, and glittering beads.
11
Best ’80s Fashion: Elle Macpherson
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Elle’s “The Body” Macpherson wears three huge ’80s trends: velvet jackets with huge shoulder pads, harlequin print mini skirts, and sheer black tights. Think of all the women in the ’80s who cared about their leg hair… Unfortunately, 50 denier tights had yet to become a wardrobe staple for busy women around the world.
12
Best ’80s Fashion: Debbie Harry
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Debbie Harry is giving us all a masterclass in pre-90s makeup by combining a colorful smokey eye with super-powerful blush. Forget about contouring, this is another level. Jane Fonda and the popularity of aerobics made leisurewear like pineapples super popular, and velour tracksuits like Debbie’s were seen everywhere (and super comfortable). Join us!
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13
Best ’80s Fashion: The Breakfast Club
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The Breakfast Club features all the classic teen movie characters: the jock, the popular princess, the awkward goth, the nerd, the rule breaker. In this cult film, they all wear outfits that will make you lust. Classic sweats, varsity jackets, double denim, hoodies, all black, old grunge… *Add to Watchlist Now*
14
Best Fashion of the 80s: Princess Diana
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Princess Diana is one of our all-time favorite style icons, and the ’80s was her heyday. This paintbrush-print puff-sleeve blouse is admittedly a little like 101 Dalmatians, but we’re okay with that.
Waist belts are a classic ’80s accessory. Remember Jane Fonda’s workouts and how everyone had tiny waists? So everything was cinched in to the brim. And note her sunglasses. Oversized, retro beauties. So chic.
15
Best ’80s Fashion: Heathers
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Heathers is a 1988 movie about the meanest high school group of all time (did you know it inspired Mean Girls?), plus it’s full of scenes of teen power dressing.
As you can see from this photo, they favored double-breasted blazers and always looked like they had just come from a hair and makeup session. This is high school at its most glamorous.
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16
Best ’80s Fashion: Sarah Jessica Parker
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If we had rock-hard abs like SJP, we’d be wearing bras. Anything with beads is so 80s-esque, and they’re usually super heavy and can be found in vintage and charity shops everywhere. This style of jacket is actually called a bolero and was adopted from Spanish bullfighters and dancers. SJP’s bull is out of the picture (lol, just kidding).
17
Best ’80s Fashion: Madonna
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The question is, how many bracelets are too many? Madonna’s answer is… “You can never have too many bracelets.” However, this is not an airport outfit. Imagine waiting through a metal detector. Madonna’s hair scarf was the go-to accessory of the decade. It’s perfect for post-workout hair or when you just can’t be bothered to wash your hair.
18
Best ’80s Fashion: “Working Girl”
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Working Girl, starring Melanie Griffith as a hardworking secretary who gets cheated by her boss, then becomes rich and exacts revenge, also has a lot of retro smut thrown in for its epic storyline: shoulder pads taller than the Empire State Building, trench coats tied tighter than the Kardashians’ waist trainers, and hair so big it’s physically impossible to wear any hat.
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19
Best ’80s Fashion: Iman
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Double denim? Ugh. Triple denim was big in the ’80s. Because why do things halfway? Supermodel and David Bowie’s wife Iman shows us how to accessorize the denim trinity, flipping up her collar to reveal giant hoop earrings, a chunky men’s bracelet, and a belt. And the finishing touch? Tinted glasses.
20
Best ’80s Fashion: Joan Collins
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Joan Collins has always been an icon, but the ’80s were hands down her finest era, as seen here in a mix of leather and lace with a somewhat questionable Native American-inspired jacket, bouffant hair, lots of jewelry, and of course, a bold red lip.
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