Top 5 Fashion for Females in the 80s

There were so many over the top, excessive styles to admire that it's almost impossible to narrow down the top 5 fashion for females in the 80s. The decade calls to mind everything from tie-dyed T-shirts to neon colored high top sneakers. Of course, some stood out more than others – and some have even made a comeback in the new millennium!

Neon was, like, totally cool!

To say it was outlandish and bold is a bit of an understatement – one truly had to live and experience the styles of the 1980s in order to truly "get it." Women embraced big hair, eye shadow in every vibrant hue of the rainbow, miniskirts, off-the-shoulder sweat shirts, push-down socks, legwarmers, neon anything and so much more. The list could easily be broken down by year, often with a major actress or pop star guiding the way for the trend's popularity.

The good, the bad…we loved it all. After all, it was those very same notorious, brow-raising fashions that defined the decade. It may not have been the epitome of what is considered stylish today, but it had its share of successful looks that have ingrained themselves in our memories forever. Here are at least some of the top 5 fashion for females in the 80s – those that had a strong impact and still resonate strongly today, either for their notoriety or their beauty!

What do Madonna and Cyndi Lauper have in common? They both spawned a decade's worth of hit songs and fashion trends. The pop princesses easily earn their own category in this list. Madonna brought a number of outrageous clothes and accessories to the mainstream, including fingerless lace gloves; bustiers; capri pants; fishnet stockings; rag headbands; black ankle booties; mesh vests; lacy tops; and much more. Later in the decade, she hung up the youthful apparel in favor of sexy, menswear-inspired suits and cone bras.

Of course, Cyndi Lauper's fashions made some serious waves, too. The quirky singer displayed a penchant for vivid colors, unusual dresses and multitudes of bright jewelry. Her video for Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is strongly representative of the wacky styles she wore throughout the decade.

What a feeling! Movies like Flashdance and videos like Olivia Newton John's Physical gave us all reason to dress like aspiring dancers every day of the week. Legwarmers, brightly colored leotards and off-the-shoulder sweatshirts were the big phenomenons that really took off, thanks in great part to Jennifer Beals' memorable performance in the film. Malls across the country were packed with women of all ages sporting the spunky style with their jeans and white canvas shoes.

These weren't just any old T-shirts. The 80s were rife with strangely imaginative tops. Some changed colors in the light, others were dip dyed in myriad colors and still others were bunched up at the hip and held with a piece of circular plastic. One thing they all had in common was that they were oversized and often worn over leggings or tight, acid-washed jeans.

Never have neon colors been more relevant than during the 80s, when everything from acid green to electric yellow somehow had an acceptable time and place. Fluorescent colors were spotted everywhere from sexy pumps to denim – yes, neon-colored jeans.

The shoulder pad is one of the few remnants from the 80s that still manages to remain occasionally relative in the present day, though it is certainly not as ubiquitous today as it was then! We have the women of Dynasty to thank for the look – Joan Collins and Linda Evans made them mainstays on television, and they eventually translated into workplaces in the "real world." They were highly representative of the power-dressing image that many women adopted as their identities in the workplace grew. Paired with classic pumps and a tailored skirt, the look sent a clear "don't mess with me!" vibe.

Of course, the memorable fashions of the 80s can hardly be summarized in just a few words, but these particular styles stand out even today. There's much more to the decade's fashion history – take a peek at our 80s fashion pictures slideshow for proof!

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