
Other stars of the day, like Cyndi Lauper and Pat Benatar, embraced elements of dancewear, including leotards and leggings, used pops of lace, hip-grazing chain belts and sassed things up with jumbles of layered jewelry, inspiring countless fans to have more fun with with their wardrobes. Madonna’s signature style: lace gloves, a sexy bustier top and loads of funky jewelry (1985) Herb Ritts/Orion/Kobal/Shutterstock

Rather, the look of the day was feminine power with a twist - women in rock weren’t afraid to mix sex appeal with creativity, as embodied by Madonna‘s iconic blend of lace bustiers and layered rosary necklaces. Women’s rock fashion wasn’t about trying to be like the male musicians of the time, with leather jackets and ripped jeans. Rock fashion in the ’80s pulled from a wide range of influences, from the underground punk and DIY scene to the hodgepodge offerings of thrift shops. So whether you’re going to an 80s-themed party, a Halloween get-together, or you just want to give your wardrobe a nostalgic burst of energy, we’ve gathered ’80s looks inspired by rock, hip-hop and punk legends that are totally bodacious. They decked themselves in lace, leather, neon and super-sized accessories, and drove the vibrant trends forward - and their legacies are helping revive the looks today for a new generation.


Fashion is truly cyclical, and for much of the 2000s and beyond, everything ’80s has made a comeback… even the aerobics videos! 80s women fashion is bold and playful - which makes it a perfect antidote to dreary, stressful times.īut some of the biggest influencers in fab 80s fashion were the women in music, and they took a completely opposite approach to the line-backer shouldered power suits.
