Costume Ideas: 1980s Fashion

• Big hair--1980s style. Dick Luria/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Whether you consider it absurd or inspired, 1980s fashion makes for a great costume. With big hair, bright colors, ripped jeans and countless trinkets, the 1980s reinvented style in a way that's hard to forget. Pay tribute to your favorite '80s pop culture icon or fashion style at your next costume party.

1980s Hair

• Get your '80s hair right and the rest of your costume will follow. One of the most distinctive and easiest styles is the "business up front, party in the back" look: the mullet. Take a long straight haired wig and cut the hair up front short so it just comes over your ears and forehead, while leaving the back full length.

  For ladies, there are plenty of other options, including big hair teased out and making a pony tail sideways near the top of your head. For guys, parting your hair aggressively or using lots of mousse for the wet look are both options.

  Using a curly wig to look like a perm is an option for both men and women. For a more dangerous look, go 1980s punk; rat your hair and hold it up with hairspray, simply spike it or put it into a Mohawk.

1980s Pants

• From Hammer to Hair metal, '80s subcultures were largely defined by their pants. Put on your faded, ripped jeans to get an '80s rocker look (especially combined with long hair.) Sport some Hammer pants along with a warm-up jacket to memorialize an unforgettable moment in '80s hip hop.

  Or, wear a normal pair of jeans, but peg them '80s style: pinch your pants on the inside of your ankle to form a flap. Fold the flap forward and roll up your cuffs to hold them in place.

1980s Accessories

• Even the basic jeans and T-shirt can be transformed into an

  '80s costume with the right accessories. Headbands and legwarmers, particularly in bright colors will give you a peppy, '80s workout look. Alternately, get a bit funkier with headbands and bandanas. Big, bright hoop earrings work for women, while a single gold stud in the left ear will transform any man into an '80s heartthrob.

  Unmatched neon socks work well for either punk rock or Punky Brewster, and fingerless gloves (opera or leather) add a bit of danger to your look. Don't forget charm bracelets, friendship bracelets and snap bracelet. Finish it off with a

  calculator watch for the nerdy look or a Swatch for a hipper '80s edge.