Big hair, bright colors, hair bands, and some of the greatest movies ever made; the 1980s were a great time. Nostalgia plays a big role in our lives. Any time you start doom-scrolling social media, you are hit with everything from AI videos reimagining the time of our childhoods, younger people discovering Guns N Roses for the first time, and the reviews of a Back to the Future rewatch. Of course, every decade has its version of the same telling aspects like music, movies, and culture, but there is one aspect of every decade that sets it apart from every other quickly: fashion. Men’s fashion in the 80s was known for acid-wash jeans, neon colors, and cropped shirts. But as with every decade, there are trends that come back, and you should be ready to revisit old times with these 80s men’s fashion trends that are making a comeback.
I am a huge fan of a good comeback trend, and Will Giddon, director of brand at Rothmans NYC, shares the sentiment and loves some of the trends he sees on the comeback trail. “I love that the fashion of the 1980s is making a comeback in modern men’s wardrobes. It adds a bit of a nostalgia factor and gives some extra personality to the way men are dressing.”
Before you start dusting off your old gear, the first thing to remember is that it isn’t just a rehashing of the old looks. It is a reimagining or a revision. Each of these old styles has a new way of being relevant today. The more updated modern version takes inspiration from its predecessor. That said, these are the five 80s men’s fashion trends that are screaming back into your contemporary style.
Double-breasted power suits with pleated plants
Suits have always been a great way to identify the time. You can always look at the style and fit of the suit and know if it is a Depression-era, mid-century, or Y2K version. The Gordon Gecko style defined the 1980s. The big Wall Street looks of broad shoulder pads, pin-stripes, pleated pants, cuffed hems, and double-breasted. The 80s power suit made popular by some of the most influential in the world is back this year, but here is how you make it modern.
First things first, ditch the big shoulder pads. While the 80s suit is coming back, the shoulder pads stay where they belong in the past. However, keeping the fit looser and embracing the pleats on the pants is a little show of elegance. The cuffs on the pants will help set you to the ground and give your look a nice base.
Sportswear inspired athleisure
Athleisure is having a meteoric splash in the men’s fashion world. Maybe it is the holdover from when we were all stuck in the house due to COVID, and we worked in our comfiest comfies. Perhaps it is the result of the complete casualization of the world. Either way, now that we have seen this trend rise, the return of the 80s tracksuit was only a matter of time.
The new version is less of a sweat suit, as you saw Reebok and Nike throw out in the 80s and 90s. Now, more luxury brands like Lululemon are entering the space and creating elevated versions of the kind you saw Michael Jordan wear in the arena. While these are now back in style, that doesn’t mean you should wear them anywhere other than in casual situations.
Oversized sweaters
The ’80s and the ’90s were defined by baggy looks and reached from Cliff Huxtable to Dawson Leery; we enjoyed 20 years of sweaters that fit better the bigger you got. However, by the middle of the ’00s, the world got a whole lot tighter, and the sweaters started slimming up. Thanks to the entire industry beginning to loosen up, our favorite baggy sweaters from the 80s are returning.
There is a middle ground here with the fit of this sweater. You no longer need to buy them big enough that you can fit a family of five in them, but they can absolutely loosen them from the slim fits of the last 15 years. We may have finally found that middle ground thanks to the return of the 80s-style trends.
This is one of Giddon’s favorites as well, “Comfortable and relaxed, they give an effortless vibe to outfits while still something you want to wear,” he said.
Bomber jackets
There isn’t a more iconic look from the 80s than that of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) in Top Gun wearing his stylish flight jacket. He was the epitome of cool and will always be one of the most legendary heroes of the decade. His jacket is one of the only stylish garments from that movie (you should definitely choose to wear that with the white tee instead of the flight suit), and now it is back in style.
This is one of the more classic looks. And this is the first and only one on the list where we will say, don’t change a thing. The older, the more worn in, and the more mid-century it is, the better. If you can find one tucked deep in your grandfather’s closet, that is the one you want to wear.
High-tops
Is there a more iconic theme song from the 1980s than MacGyver’s jingle? We don’t think so. The guy who hates guns and can solve any problem with a paperclip and a piece of chewed gum had one other thing he excelled at: sporting some sweet kicks. When Mac was seen in his off time, he almost always wore his jeans and high-tops. A new version of these is in again, and that should make all you sneakerheads happy.
These shoes will be similar to what Mac wore; no need to overthink these as they were stylish then and are stylish now. The silhouettes will be a little slimmer, and you may want to think about going with Converse or P.F. Flyers instead of Nike and Reebok to keep them from looking too bulky and 80s-ish.
