How can I make an 80's costume?

Question

I'm in 7th grade and I'm female and I need 80's costume ideas for my school dance, so nothing inappropriate. Oh and I want it to be cute!

Answer 1

I was a teenager in the 80's. Jeans were still the thing for most people, although they were NOT hiphuggers. The waistband was usually very high, and sometimes even yoked (V shaped fabric in the front) or with a paperbag waistband (belt loops a couple of inches below the top, work with a belt, so it scrunched above the belt). We wore knitted leg warmers over our jeans, scrunched down so they started just below the knee and ended at the ankle. Tennis shoes, usually, or penny loafers. The shirts ALL had shoulder pads - the bigger, the better. The collar was turned up. We wore full makeup - foundation and powder and blush and lipstick and eyeliner and mascara and at least two or three shades of eyeshadow. Jewelry was coordinated to the clothing - lots of plastic earrings with multiple colors. There was this necklace thing we did using lots of skinny beaded necklaces (they may be back). We put four or five together, looping each end over our fingers, then twisted them. We hooked the loop together in back with a special ring, but you can use twist ties temporarily. They were just a little longer than a choker.

The hair was big in front, but usually flat in back. Most girls had elaborately curled and sprayed bangs and "wings" (sides). Everything was curled back, except for the little fringe at the forehead that was curled under and sprayed into a little tunnel. Some girls (especially with shoulder length or shorter hair) curled back all of their hair, creating a nasty "butt crack" in the back, but most girls just curled the front and left the back flat.

Rather than checking out the exaggerated styles in Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion, try some of the teen movies of that time - Breakfast Club, Say Anything, Footloose, Pretty in Pink, Better Off Dead, Some Kind of Wonderful, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. These are all age appropriate, (okay, Breakfast Club is rated R, but that's only because PG-13 hadn't been invented yet) and better yet, GOOD 80's movies.

Answer 2

80s Preppy Costume

Answer 3

A couple ideas, look at some archives of Madonna's more conservative outfits from the 80's. Watch the movie Romy and Michelle's high school reunion. Some mini-ideas- big hair and shoulder pads.

Answer 4

If you want to look cute. Wear a tight polo shirt with your colar popped (have your mom iron and starch it) or a black and white striped shirt. Find a ruffled mini skirt. Wear nylons and sloughy socks or leg warmers. Wear big earrings. Think Full House's Kimmy Gibler or did you see the movie 13 going on 30. That is a fun movie and will give you ideas.

80s Preppy Look
Wear a polo shirt with your collar popped. Curl your hair back or feathered. Think the 70's show style. That show is a lot like the eighties. Tight jeans that are straight cut with chuck taylor converse shoes, Lots of lip gloss is a must. Pink blush and purple eye shadow. Electric blue or purple mascara if you can find it. .
80s Punk look
Tight black and white striped shirt or a big baggy shirt tied in a knot at the side (your dad's t-shirt) with black stretch pants tucked into white slouchy socks(optional) and black or red high heel pumps (shoes).. Big thick plastic hoop earrings. Long beads tied in a knot. Very black eyes and pale face. Red lipstick. A streak or straight line of blush not blended in. Lots of jelly bracelets.

Another idea is eighties rock star. Big messy hair and lots of black with ripped jeans. wear long scarves around your neck. Like areosmith or old bon jovi.

Madonna always wore a ballerina like skirt with leggins underneath with high heals or tennis shoes. with a black leather or tight jean jacket. Long necklace with a big cross. Big cross earrings. Red lipstick. Lace or regular fingerless gloves. You can buy cotton gloves and cut off the fingers.

I hope this helps, Have fun!

Answer 5

Well if you know someone older like a sister or anything, maybe they have an old prom dress, that would be cute to wear, If not go to the Salvation Army, look for a tye dye t-shirt, some bright leggings, and one of those skirts that has the layers and they sorta flip out. Get the T-shirt and tie it on the side at the bottem in a not. Wear tennis shoes with it, srunch your hair a lot, and spray a lot of hair spray in it, and pull it over into a side ponytail on top of your hair. Wear a lot of blush and bright lip stick.

Answer 6

get a plain white tee and place a faded bluejean jacket with lace,
for the bottom find a ruffley dress or skirt that poofs out.
tease out your hair. big hair was big in the 80's


wear ankle warmers and an off the shoulder sweat shirt

Check out resale/ salvation army stores they usually are great places to find older period style clothing and they are really cheap. ask the store clerk for help. they can be really useful.

happy halloween and have fun

Answer 7

80's were when maddonna was cool and Big hair was in.

So tease your hair. wear a mini skirt with leggins and some pumps.

or retro your look to include a tie die shirt, jeans , some leg warmers and boots.

Dont forget to tease your hair and make it BIG PUFFY and frosted.

Answer 8

Go to your local thrift shop. Its inexpensive and they usually have tons of clothes from the 80s that are there. I've even see old Members Only jackets there.

Answer 9

First, find a florescent green or orange top to wear. You will also need some really big earrings to go with it. Then, a skinny, florescent belt that can wrap around your hips two times. You will need skinny jeans and will have to "fold and roll" them. That means to fold the ankles over tightly and then roll them up two or three times. This comes easier w/ practice. Then, find socks that match you shirt (if you can find two pairs in complementary colors and layer them, even better!)and make sure to scrunch your socks down so they are visible under the ankle of your jeans. Last, curl your hair and make it as "big" as possible! Look for some old pics of Madonna, too, to help you. Have fun! I sure did back then-

Answer 10

Big hair. Leggings. A super long sweater. Layered socks over it (preferably in bright colors like neon pink and lime green) or legwarmers. Get a corset (they have cheap ones at walmart) and paint it gold. Metal was big and everyone remembers Madonna's gold bra.