Fashion in the 1980s

Casual Wear

In the 1980s and continuing through the mid 1990s casual wear became a fashion trend. Leggings were a big part of this trend. They were usually worn with oversized sweaters and sweatshirts in the cooler months and with oversized tee shirts in the warmers months. It was also popular to wear slouch socks and sneakers with leggings. Plaid skirts with leggings were also worn with sneakers and slouch socks or with flats or boat shoes as part of the preppy look.
Also bike shorts were popular under baby doll dresses and short dresses with sneakers and no socks or sneakers with slouch socks. Many girls in every Grade K through 12 for gym class would wear black leggings with white slouch socks, athletic sneakers or sneakers and oversized tee shirts. Many women also wore this style as exercise wear. Many college girls wore the leggings and slouch socks with sneakers and the dresses with shorts to classes and around campus. It was also not uncommon to see Moms dressed right along with their daughters in the slouch socks worn over leggings or sweatpants, oversized shirt or sweater and sports shoes.

Soccer shorts were popular to be worn by kids and teenagers in the mid 1980s through the mid 1990s. From the late 1980s through the late 1990s shortalls, a version of overalls in which the legs of the garment resemble those of shorts, were popular.Champion sweatshirts became popular for guys and girls to wear in the late 1980s through 1997. In colder weather the sweatshirts were worn over a colourful turtle-neck.Leotards, body suits and body shirts also became popular in the late 1980s through to 1997 and 1998. They were worn as tops with jeans and skirts.

Opaque tights were very popular in the late 1980s through the mid 1990s and could be worn as part of casual wear or formal wear. A common outfit was to wear a skirt or baby doll dress or short dress with black opaque tights, white slouch socks and white sneakers. Others colors of opaque tights such as all shades of blue from sky blue to navy and purple were hot with all females from kids and teens to adults. Opaque tights were also popular worn under dress shorts. Dress shorts were like regular shorts except they were dressier and could be worn in the winter with the tights.

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