Fashion Fads From the ’80s That We Will Never See Again

Published: February 13, 2024 by Stephanie Harper

The 1980s was an era known for delivering some of the most infamous moments in time. Whether it be in sports, music, or fashion, there’s no denying how influential the timeframe was. However, that’s not to say that all of these memories are good. Fashion-wise, there are plenty of 1980s moments society isn’t proud of. That’s not to say they were wrong at the time, but these days, they simply wouldn’t feel right. In the 1980s… the bigger, the better.

Shoulder pads and oversized blazers made folks feel like they were the boss. Today, those trends aren’t seen as acceptable at all. As of now, formfitting clothes help people look more official and professional. Wearing baggy clothing today is a sign that you’re trying to hide something. Another 80s fashion trend was wearing neon fabrics. While people are trying to be as colorful and expressive as possible these days, wearing neon often feels like you’re taking it too far.

It’s impossible to ignore neon fabrics. No matter how hard you might try to look away when you see someone rocking neon, plenty of people can’t help but stare. In 2024, people don’t always want to attract too much negative attention based on their outfit choices. Denim jackets and jean shorts tried to make a slight comeback a few years ago, but society put a stop to it. There’s a reason that trend didn’t survive much past the 80s. either. Click here to read more about fashion trends that should die in 2024.

To compile this list of fashion trends from the 80s we won’t see again, 24/7 Tempo consulted several fashion-centered sources. These include Elle, Who What Wear, and Vogue.

Shoulder Pads

There was a time when shoulder pads were needed to help a person fill out their suit. Today, custom suit designers are talented enough to ensure that every part of a suit looks exactly how it’s supposed to on a person. Some suits still have small shoulder pads inside them, but there’s no reason to include the massive ones that were used during the 1980s.

As of now, many people want to look as small as they can. Because of that, there’s never going to be a time in the near future where having shoulder pads is required.

Oversized Blazers

Sam Palladio is going against fashion and trying to bring back the oversized blazer.

Making sure your outfit looks divine when heading to the office for work used to require the biggest blazer you could find. If it was bigger, it showed that you had more power and dominance in a situation. Today, much like with shoulder pads, there’s no reason to take up extra space with clothing.

Oversized blazers actually make you look worse when the piece isn’t fit your body properly. Even though fashion trends change year by year, don’t expect to see oversized blazers making a comeback on average individuals.

Leopard Print

Keeping animals safe is an ideology that’s been gaining traction over the last decade. However, in the 80s, it was common to see people wearing leopard print clothing. Even though this can be done without using actual skin from the speedy animal today, there’s still such a negative stigma surrounding leopard print.

The stigma stems from how clothing with this print was once made back in the day. Younger generations are putting more care and value into the ecosystem our world has. A huge part of that ecosystem are animals. To top it off, plenty of fashionistas think leopard print is totally tacky in 2024.

Neon Fabrics

Other than Muni Long, neon isn’t a good color to wear.

Feeling blinded by what someone’s wearing is the worst. While it might be acceptable to wear neon fabrics at a Halloween event or 80s-themed party, there’s no need to wear neon fabrics on a typical day. The amount of colors that are at fashion designers’ disposals makes it easy for them to avoid colors that are so bright and blinding. There was a time and a place for neon fabrics to be a part of society – and that was the 1980s.

Denim

Aside from a few months during the COVID-19 pandemic, denim shirts are a fashion choice that’s stayed in the 80s. Jeans are going to always be beloved and adored, but denim shirts and denim jackets haven’t gotten as much love. The material for a denim jacket is too heavy to comfortably wear. On top of that, they’re not worth the same value of a regular jacket. Jean shirts present similar issues.

Baggy Shirts

Flavor Flav made the baggy shirt popular.

As it is with the other pieces of baggy clothing items consumers might find, baggy shirts are a thing of the past. It feels awkward and uncomfortable to constantly adjust your shirt when it’s too baggy. Adjustments must always be made to be sure the graphic design printed on a baggy shirt is staying where it belongs. Baggy shirts were once in style during the 1980s. If you take a look at society today, you’ll see most people wearing tighter clothes that are far more formfitting.

Baggy Pants

The 1980s was the era of baggy clothes from head to toe. Baggy pants were in style back then. Folks thought they created a sense of swag and confidence if you wore them. In 2024, baggy pants aren’t looked at the same way. A more acceptable style for men’s pants today would be bootcut or straight leg. Even when men wear cargo pants in 2024, they’re more formfitting than pants styles of the 80s.

Polka Dots

Polka dot patterns were considered cute in the 80s, but polka dots aren’t as common of a design anymore. This pattern helped people showcase individualism and self-expression back then. There are many new and creative ways for self-expression to occur now, so there’s no use in bringing polka dots back in the near future. Instead of rocking polka dot patterns today, you’ll catch people wearing solid colors, shimmery fabrics, sheer materials, and fringe.

Acid Wash Jeans

Acid wash jeans have been trying to make a comeback recently. However, most people are still more comfortable wearing regular pairs of jeans instead of the acid wash style. While there’s nothing wrong with this style at all, it doesn’t feel right to continue trying to bring back a trend that was exiled for so long after the 1980s.

Jeans are some of the most versatile pieces of clothing society has. They can be worn in fashion shows, at social events, on family vacations, and more. The acid look distracts from the top-notch standard jeans naturally offer.

Leg Warmers

There’s no legitimate reason to wear a leg warmers these days. Sure, they cover up your lower legs to provide added warmth. However, they look a bit random and ill-placed when added to a typical outfit in 2024. The leg warmer look is widely associated with roller skating, which was one of the most popular activities in the 1980s.

As of now, leg warmers are only popular during the Halloween season. If fashionistas are going to bring a fashion trend back from the grave, it’s best to avoid trends that are usually attached to costumes. The 1980s was an unforgettable era filled with vivacious clothing styles people can look back on as the years press on. For insight into more fashion trends from recent years, click here to read about the 13 that helped define 2023 the most.