The eighties were big. Big hair, big jewelery, big neon colour, big amounts of spandex, big bold makeup, big everything. While most decades tend to be easily defined, the noughties seem to be preoccupied with throwbacks to the all those fabulous decades gone before them. However, the 80's often get overlooked for their gaudiness. They could easily be defined as the era of tacky... but they were a time to be unapologetically bold and fabulous too. Madonna was like a virgin, Spandau Ballet were gold, Olivia Newton-John was getting physical and Cyndi Lauper just wanted to have fun.


Photo by Kekka.

Whether or not you experienced it first hand, the 80's were a decade not likely to be forgotten. Let us celebrate them in all their colourful, gaudy exuberance!

How To Pay Tribute To The 80's:

Crimp your hair and tease it up nice and big.

Throw on some leg warmers and a headband and dance along with Jennifer Beals in Flashdance.

Jump on Youtube and revisit the Care Bears.

Hunt ebay for a vintage scratch & sniff tshirt.

Do it like Madonna: layers of pears, lacy stockings and big blonde teased hair.

Work it in spandex leggings for some ultra 80's glam.

Channel Boy George with bold makeup. Bright eyeshadow! Red Lips! Blush! Extra points: grab yourself some sequinned tails and find somewhere fabulous to party.

Dust off the Spandau Ballet records & get lip-synching to Gold & True.

Shoulder pads belong to the 80's, but the noughties brought a resurgence in this trend

Do the Nutbush.

Aerobics it up in a hi-cut leotard over neon bike shorts

Have Molly Ringwald movie marathon: Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985) and Pretty In Pink (1985).

Grab your friends for an 80's slumber party or if you're feeling brave, rock out 80's style and go public with your throw back love affair.


Now this list is just getting started on how you could pay tribute to the 1980's, that's where you come in - whats your favourite part of 80's style? What 80's music gets you going? How would you celebrate the 80's?