How to Relive the 1980s

Last Updated: December 25, 2022 References

The 1980s might conjure up memories of disco parties, neon clothing, and retro video consoles. There were also quite a few events that happened during this decade, like the AIDS epidemic that started way back in 1981, and spread throughout the 80s, 90s, and future decades. It was also a time of simple arcade games such as Pac-Man, Frogger, and Space Invaders, which were played by kids all over the world in arcades. Big tech companies that are well-known today like Microsoft and Apple were in their infancy. Overall, the 1980s were a decade of rich pop culture and trends. If you want to relive the "Excellence Eighties", veg out and check this article!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Dressing Like Someone from the 1980s

1
Research 1980s celebrities. 1980s celebrities wear 1980s fashion, so researching them on the web will make your 1980s look more accurate. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Michael Jackson had a very successful career in the 80s.
- Tom Cruise starred in many movies in the 1980s.
- Eddie Murphy acted in the 1980s.
- Brooke Shields is still an actor today, but she first acted as a model during her childhood years in the 1980s.
- Barbra Streisand has a career spanning 5-6 decades, including the 80s.
2
Put on athletic clothing. This can be any athletic clothing of your choice, including tank tops, sweatpants, and sports bras. These were very popular in the 1980s and lasted until the 1990s and the early 2000s. People began to wear more formal and fashionable clothing in the 2010s.
- You could also consider wearing leotards or body suits, which were part of the athletic look.
- Put on tights. Not just any tights, though - people in the 80s wore Lycra or Spandex ones. These may be difficult to put on, so if you can't put on Spandex or Lycra tights, try normal tights instead.
Advertisement
3
Wear padded shoulder dresses. These were dresses that had padded sleeves on them, which would make them larger. Celebrities like Diana, Princess of Wales and Dolly Parton wore them outdoors.
4
Put on a t-shirt with words on it. Not just any t-shirt with words, though - it should be one with a slogan or important message. Shirts that advertised products like Pepsi, and shirts that had crucial messages like SAVE THE WORLD on them were really popular in the 80s. They were a nice marketing tactic, and they helped spread important messages about war, drugs, and politics.
- Wear a mini skirt. These were popular to pair with tights , t-shirts, and leather jackets.
- Put on jeans. These were very popular from the 80s to the 2000s.
5
Wear asymmetric clothing. Some celebrities wore clothing that had colorful patterns on them. They also wore clothing that wasn't symmetrical. For example, some people wore a skirt that had one side which was longer, or a shirt with one sleeve missing. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
6
Wear disco tops. These were sparkly or shiny tops that people wore when going to disco parties and other fun events.
- Wear harem pants. These were originally called harem skirts in the 1910s. In the 80s, harem pants were full of neon colors and cool patterns.
7
Wear 1980s accessories. Accessories were very common during the 1980s.
- Put on large glasses. Glasses with exaggerated frames were worn by many people in the 80s.
- Wear a fanny pack. These fanny packs were usually in bright, neon colors.
- Wear elastic hairbands. Put these in your hair and on your wrist. You should also get these in neon colors like red, yellow, bright green, bright blue, and orange.
- Wear leg warmers. Leg warmers were fashionable during the 80s. They were part of the athletic gym look during this time period. Put these on top of your tights.
- Put on sweatbands. These were also a part of the athletic gym look of the 80s.
- Wear shutter shades. These were plastic neon glasses that had rectangular slots in them and were "striped". They served no purpose, but were a fashionable accessory.
8
Wear 1980s hairstyles. 80s hairstyles were all about the size. Large, poofy hairstyles were popular during this decade. Hair styling products like Aqua Net were also used quite often.
- Wear a mullet.
- Make your hair poofy.
- Make a high ponytail.
- Use a lot of mousse in your hair. Males often put excessive amounts of mousse in their hair to keep their hair shaped nicely.
- Wear designer stubble if you have facial hair.
- Wear a quiff.
9
Wear clothing inspired by youth subcultures in the 1980s. There were many youth subcultures in the 1980s that had their own unique clothing.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Viewing Media from the 1980s

1
Listen to songs from the early 1980s. Rock was very popular in the 1980s. Singers like Michael Jackson reached the height of their popularity during this time period. Whitney Houston and Madonna were also popular artists during the 80s. If you were young in the 80s (Gen X or early Millennial), you might've heard of some of these songs.
- Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield) - February 1981
- Endless Love (Lionel Richie and Diana Ross) - June 1981
- The Message (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) - July 1982
- Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) - January 1983
- Beat It (Michael Jackson) - February 1983
- Every Breath You Take (the Police) - May 1983
- Modern Love (David Bowie) - September 1983
- Thriller (Michael Jackson) - November 1983
- Purple Rain (Prince) - September 1984
- Like a Virgin (Madonna) - October 1984
2
Listen to songs from the late 1980s. The late 1980s was a time of changing styles. Grunge started to become popular in the 80s and 90s.
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears) - March 1985
- We Built This City (Starship) - August 1985
- Say You, Say Me (Lionel Richie) - October 1985
- Close to Me (The Cure) - September 1985
- Kiss (Prince) - February 1986
- I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston) - May 1987
- It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (R.E.M.) - November 1987
- Express Yourself (Madonna) - May 1989
- Free Fallin' - (Tom Petty) October 1989
3
Watch some nostalgic 1980s kid's cartoons. If you are a member of the Gen X generation, you probably watched these 1980s cartoons. Specifically, younger Gen X members (1973-1980) are more likely to have watched a lot of them, while older Gen X members have likely watched 1970s cartoons more than 1980s cartoons (unless they were rebooted). You can watch these cartoons to experience your 1980s childhood again. ^{[3]
X
Research source}
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (January 1980-December 1980)
- The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island (January 1981-December 1981)
- The Smurfs (1981-1989)
- Maya the Bee (1982-1983)
- The Incredible Hulk (1982-1983)
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1985)
- Inspector Gadget (1983-1985)
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983-1990)
- Voltron (1984-1985)
- Thomas & Friends (1984-2021)
- M.A.S.K. (1985-1986)
- Scooby's Mystery Funhouse (1985-1986)
- The Berenstain Bears (1985-1987)
- Little Women (January 1987-December 1987)
- DuckTales (1987-1990)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996)
- Fireman Sam (1987-present)
- Garfield and Friends (1988-1994)
- The New Yogi Bear Show (September 1988-November 1988)
- Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996)
4
View some 1980s kids' movies. Animated movies had color, but they were still 2D in the 80s. Disney and Studio Ghibli made lots of popular movies during this time period. You might have even seen some of these movies already. ^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- The Fox and the Hound (1981)
- Annie (1982)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Tron (1982)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
- The Karate Kid (1984)
- Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- Oliver and Company (1988)
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- Back to the Future Part II (1989)
- Batman (1989)
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
5
Take out your 1980s toys. There were many iconic toys that symbolized the 80s decade. Many 80s toys were made during previous decades, but gained popularity in the 1980s. Some of these include: ^{[5]
X
Research source}^{[6]
X
Research source}^{[7]
X
Research source}
- View Master (released 1939)
- Magic 8 Balls (released 1946)
- 1980s Barbie dolls (first released 1959)
- Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots (released 1964)
- Lite Brite (released 1967)
- Rubik's Cube (released 1974)
- Star Wars figurines (released 1978)
- Care Bears teddy bears (1981)
- Cabbage Patch Kids dolls (released 1983)
- Original My Little Pony figures (released 1983)
- Pound Puppies (released 1984)
- Transformers action figures (released 1984)
- Original Calico Critters/Sylvanian Families toys (released 1985)
- Teddy Ruxpin teddy bears (released 1985)
- Micro Machines (released 1987)
6
Play video games from the 1980s. Arcade games were more popular in the 1980s than the 1990s, because home consoles were still in their infancy in the 80s. ^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Pac-Man (released 1980)
- Donkey Kong (released 1981)
- Frogger (released 1981)
- Pole Position (released 1982)
- Robotron: 2084 (released 1982)
- Mario Bros. (released 1983)
- Spy Hunters (released 1983)
- Kung-fu Master (released 1984)
- Tetris (released 1984)
- Gauntlet (released 1985)
- Super Mario Bros. (released 1985)
- The Legend of Zelda (released 1986)
- Maniac Mansion (released 1987)
- Super Mario Bros. 2 (released 1988)
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (released 1988)
7
Use 1980s video game consoles. 1980s video game consoles were basic, but awesome for older millennials and young people in the 80s. Nintendo was also still popular during this time period. You may have played video games using some of these consoles in the 1980s. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Atari 2600 (released 1977)
- Atari 400/800 (released 1979)
- Nintendo Entertainment System (released in 1983 in Japan, released in 1985 in North America, released in Europe in 1986)
- Sega 1000 (released 1985)
- Nintendo Game Boy (released in 1989 in North America and Japan, released in 1990 in Europe)
- Sega Genesis (released 1989)
8
Get your hands on 1980s technology. The 1980s were the start of home computers. Gen X was the first ever generation to have access to home computers. Gen Z'ers and younger generations might think that 80s technology is old and outdated, though the technology was pretty advanced for people during that decade. It may not seem like much nowadays, but it led to modern laptops, Bluetooth, Airpods, and portable smartphones-basically the tech many people use now! Find some 1980s technology in your home. ^{[10]
X
Research source}
- See if you have a Sony Walkman. These came out in 1980, and they are the predecessor to the iPod and other music players. This device was very popular during the 1980s, people around the world wanted one.
- Search for old 1980s CDs in your home. These debuted in 1982, and were the main source of entertainment in the 80s. They also produced higher-quality graphics and sound for video games. Keep in mind that CDs are different than DVDs. DVDs debuted in 1995 and stored much more data than CDs. ^{[11]
  X
  Research source}
- See if you have a Motorola DynaTAC phone. These were large/brick-like and had buttons to call someone. They also had an antenna on top. They were released in 1983.
- Find an old Apple Macintosh desktop computer. These were first sold in 1984. They were clunky, large, and had terrible graphics compared to macOS Big Sur and Monterey (which were released recently). However, desktop computers were really a new invention in the 80s. Previous generations (Generations prior to Gen X) didn't have access to these types of electronics. Not many people keep this old technology these days, so if you have one, you may be seen as unique!
- See if you have an old Microsoft Windows 1.0 desktop computer. It was released in 1985. Compared to Windows 10 and 11 now, Windows 1 seems like ancient technology to teens nowadays. Even though the screen was tiny, the border around it was huge, and the keyboard felt clunky, it was seen as amazing in the 80s. Remember, home computers debuted in the 80s, so previous generations didn't even have computers in their homes prior to the 1980s. Not many people keep this old technology these days, so if you have one, you may be seen as unique!

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Acting Like Someone from the 1980s

1
Use 1980s slang. Each decade has its special phrases and slang, and the 1980s were no different. There were many phrases that people across the internet used. Some of these include: ^{[12]
X
Research source}
- Bag your face - an insult that means to call someone ugly
- Bod - body ^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
- Airhead - stupid/dumb
- Bodacious - excellent or wonderful
- Cheeuh - slang word to indicate that something is true
- Gnarly - cool; badass
- Grody - gross ^{[14]
  X
  Research source}
- Phat - exceptional; unique
- Tubular - perfect
- Valley girl - a stereotypical female that raises her voice while speaking declarative sentences (raising one's voice is usually done with questions, not all sentences) and uses words like "Whatever!", "Totally!", "Like", etc.
- Veg/Veg out - relax
- Where's the beef - used to indicate the quality/purpose of the product; similar to saying "Where's the important part?" (popularized in a 1983 Wendy's ad) ^{[15]
  X
  Research source}
- Word - yes
- Yo - casual greeting (like the word "Hey" or "Hi")
2
Do 1980s trends. Each modern decade has its many trends. Some of these are interesting, whereas some of these are weird or even dangerous. Try to attempt some safe 1980s trends.
- Collect Cabbage Patch Kids. These were a craze in the 1980s. Every kid wanted them and tried to collect as many of these dolls as they could!
- Play with a Hacky Sack. These have existed since ancient times, but were first trademarked in 1972. Hacky Sacks were balls filled with sand or plastic beads. Many 80s kids played with them. ^{[16]
  X
  Research source}
- Wear a "Thriller" jacket. This was first worn by Michael Jackson in his music video for his song Thriller (1983). It then caught on with fans and other celebrities.
- Attempt the moonwalk. This was another trend made popular by Michael Jackson. His iconic moonwalk dance in Billie Jean (1983) was copied by fans across the world! This can be difficult to do at first, so make sure to get lots of practice on a smooth floor.
- Do aerobics. Aerobic exercise strengthens your arm and leg muscles. This became a huge trend in the 80s. It also influenced the fashion of this time period (leg warmers, tights, sneakers, leotards, neon clothing, etc.).
- Play arcade games. These were played all the time in the 80s!
- Try to rap. Rap and hip hop were popular genres of music in the 1980s. You could also listen to rap and hip hop music. The 1980s were the beginning of modern rap music. Previous decades enjoyed rock-and-roll, jazz, folk, or country music.

Warnings

Do not attempt dangerous trends or fads, such as overdosing on club drugs. Even though these were popular during parties in the 1980s-2000s, people have overdosed on them and died because of them. Also, do not train surf, as getting on the outside of an overcrowded train can cause injuries.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0