Subcultures of the 80s
Posted by Accentillia@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 124 comments
Hello Gen X! Id like to start by saying that im from the very late end of Gen Z and Im about to finish high school. My school organizes whats called "La semaine des Rhetos", which I guess id translate into "Senior week". Basically, we decide on a prompt for each day for an upcoming week, and for that week we dress up as the prompts. I have my ideas for most other prompts but there is one I really cant wrap my head around what to do. Wednesday is "Return to the past (1980s)". As you can guess I was very much Not Alive during that time, and while I already did a bit of research, I thought itd be nice to ask the people who were teenagers or young adults during that time for some help.
Like, what were the prevalent subcultures? Any tips? Maybe ideas on what to do that could be nice? Idk, anything you could tell me would be awesome!
Spank_Cakes@reddit
You can start by going off the Ferris Bueller's Day Off list of subcultures, then expand from there:
Oh, he's very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude.
Gerald_the_Dog@reddit
I can't help but to read that in Edie McClurg's voice.
EddieKroman@reddit
Punk rock and heavy metal immediately come to mind. Later 80’s would also be hip-hop.
Chance-Arugula-2998@reddit
Goths, band kids, computer nerds, jocks, valley girls, punks, skaters, preppies. Christ, I can go on. Jesus freak kids!
RealtorRVACity@reddit
US was Punk, "Madonnaesque, New Wave, blue collar kids, and preppy. Popular preppy brands were Izod, Le Tigre and Polo. We had a lot of LL Bean kids in New England, also Land's End. Hard Rock Tshirts were a craze as was Guess Jeans and Vuarnet
dadsyrhinowhite@reddit
In the UK there were Skinheads, Mods, Goths, New Romantics, Metalheads,Punks, Casuals.
Constant_Coconut7562@reddit
Chola
Mededitor@reddit
Wear two or three polo shirts with popped collars over a pair of khakis and penny loafers and you’re good. Personally I’d wear a parka with a Union Jack lining and pull up on a vespa.
ancientastronaut2@reddit
Preppies, punks, mods, new romantics, metalheads, rockabillies, b-boys/breakdancers...
redrumham707@reddit
Preppy would be the easiest outfit to make. A sweater or sweatshirt with a polo type shirt underneath, pop the polo shirt ‘s collar up from beneath the sweater, and throw on a pair of khaki pants.
ancientastronaut2@reddit
Has to be Izod and pastel colors!
redrumham707@reddit
Yep! Colllar popped under a Harvard sweatshirt would do the trick.
Overall-Avocado-7673@reddit
Bugle Boys
MeowMeowCollyer@reddit
Preppies
Stoners
Jocks
Punks
New Romantics
Bilbaw_Baggins@reddit
Is everyone just going to ignore the metalheads?
foppishmanabouttown@reddit
And the Ropers. In Texas at least.
PitoChueco@reddit
Nerds
Kickers
Skaters
Zzeellddaa@reddit
Suburbia 1983 movie has a great soundtrack and more subculture
Available-Bison-9222@reddit
Neon . All the neon colour with blue eyeshadow and iridescent pink lipstick.
WeirdRip2834@reddit
MTV was new and huge in the 1980s. Sub cultures were roughly broken down into what music you were into. At least this was my experience as a 1987 high school grad.
Break dancing. Run DMC is an excellent but not very early example.
Metal. Look at images of Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen. Metal is much more than this but this band was really fun.
American Top 40. Wholesome-ish, sporty, football players and cheerleaders. Beer.
New Wave. Hair like Flock of Seagulls or Wang Chung. Lots of queer people and assorted oddballs here. Music from Great Britain.
Punk was almost a product at this point - Billy Idol was getting many hits.
Madonna and Michael Jackson were icons.
Sorry for brief overviews.
skunkyskunked@reddit
Nobody wore their hair like the guy from AFOS lol
WeirdRip2834@reddit
Let’s bring that look back! 🤣
Top-Nose2659@reddit
We were skate punks
skunkyskunked@reddit
I spent most of the eighties just wearing black and grey (new waver ) Baggy pants, worn with doc Martens (or winklepicker boots = goth ), black oversized t-shirt or sweatshirt . Or oversized button up shirt, buttoned up all the way to the top. And hair lie Robert Smith . Oh, and those grey long tweed coats
Actual_Friendship802@reddit
Big hair, flock of seagulls, synth pop, mtv beginnings (mostly music). In terms of fashion, Louis Vuitton, guess fashion wear, and of course, pop-glam metal with spandex.
skunkyskunked@reddit
Funny that AFOS became such a trademark for 80s hairdo, I didn’t know anybody who wore their hair like that ! Robert Smith hair , or Terry Hall (the Specials) hair wasn’t uncommon for guys though
Medium_Suggestion433@reddit
You can do this basic band tshirt ie AC⚡️DC LED Zeppelin etc with pegged jeans slouchy white socks and a pair of keds
regdunlop08@reddit
Led Zep shirts are to Gen X what Nirvana shirts are to Gen Z
EnjoyingTheRide-0606@reddit
New wavers, hard rockers, punkers, cheerleaders and jocks, band members, nerds, outcasts, skaters, surfers.
Try wearing a toga with a crown of leaves costume. Easy and you have the stuff at home. Greek toga parties were popular in college movies during the 80’s. The National Lampoon/Animal House movies show the type of parties.
Piscivore_67@reddit
Animal House is a 1978 movie about college in the early '60s. Nobody in the '80s was doing toga parties.
You want to know how kids dressed in the '80s, all you need is Wargames and Fast Times.
EnjoyingTheRide-0606@reddit
We had two toga dances annually.
larissaorlarissa024@reddit
Prepsters- LaCoste shirts, double layered polos with the collars popped, white /colored belts, pink and green together, legwarmers, tall white socks scrunched over your jeans, comb in the back pocket, no backpacks, girls carried their books cradled in their arms, boys carried books and their Trapper down by their side/thigh. Members Only. Chess King.
SubstanceNo1544@reddit
Bugle boy gear, guess jeans.
Also I might suggest a pair of osh gosh bgosh overalls with only one of the shoulders linked.
larissaorlarissa024@reddit
Ooooh, LA Gear, good flashback
Western-Calendar-352@reddit
Subcultures in the 80s?
Go watch The Breakfast Club and take your pick.
gchance1@reddit
Even better, Fast Times At Risgemont High, which goes out of its way to point out the subcultures early on.
Katiecake80@reddit
You could address in Adidas track pants with jacket and add a Kangol bucket hat if you’re into that look
Acid wash jeans
Bubble skirts
Google search popular 80’s high school fashion. And look for the old looking pictures lol
RickyDontLoseThat@reddit
Jocks, Nerds, Stoners, Metalheads and Deadheads
mps_1969@reddit
Keep seeing this but how about the early 2600 gamers and d&d nerds.
IAmDaBadMan@reddit
Break dancing in the early 1980's was popular among teenagers in the more urban areas. Parachute pants was the clothing of choice. You had the fashionable Blitz kids which was heavy on the make-up. There was also the New Wave fashion with the likes of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper.
maroongrad@reddit
Guess and Jordache jeans, Guess shirts. Lots of shirts with ties (for girls); small ties. CocaCola and BatMan everything.
Historical_Nail7271@reddit
Watch, The Breakfast Club - or.................Pretty in Pink.............. Have fun!
Historical_Nail7271@reddit
Duckie!!
Astronaut6735@reddit
He later went on to become a Chiropractor and single dad, and lived with his rich brother.
skwigi@reddit
Hi, u/Accentillia!
I propose that this delightful youngster is now the official mascot of the GenX subreddit. Who's with me?
BokChoyJr@reddit
T-shirt and jeans. Flannel shirt, work boots or combat boots. Timeless.
sziklai-pair@reddit
The subcultures themselves haven't changed that much, more the styles and music associated with them. What are you in to now? Favorite music style(s)? Jock, academic, stoner, artist? With a little info about you, I (and I'm sure others) can give you some classic 80s movie roles/musicians/styles that fit your personality, rather than just a catch all cookie cutter approach to the 80s.
sobuffalo@reddit
Rivers Edge
All 80s metal wasn’t hair bands
Leather jacket or Jean jacket? Why not both?
Mediocre-Proposal686@reddit
Oh my gosh, I was in high school in 85 through 89 and they were so many backyard death metal bands. I remember seeing all of the famous death metal bands at backyard parties back then because I lived in LA slayer I mean you name it I’m trying to think mI can’t think of all the names (I was goth) but anyway you name it. We saw them at backyard parties. I’m talking lame. Lame backyard parties with like 40 people tops and a keg 😂😂
Myfreakinglyfe@reddit
Another place to see true 80s subculture is the show “Freaks and Geeks.” There was an entire stoner/deadhead culture that was around in the 80s. Baggy jeans or overalls. Big tshirts. Lots of hemp braided bracelets. Smelled like patchouli.
Fritzo2162@reddit
Go watch 4 or 5 episodes of Miami Vice. Get a pastel suit, don't wear socks, slick back your hair, get some Ray Bans, and listen to this song list: https://www.reddit.com/r/MiamiVice/comments/12bq3tl/miami_vice_soundtrack/#lightbox
POOF! You're in the mid-late 80s.
yodaniel77@reddit
Or East London 2008
WinterExisting5076@reddit
Watch breakfast club and pretty in pink
Historical_Nail7271@reddit
We were separated at birth!
aharryh@reddit
Tinyberzerker@reddit
Come back and let us know how it went and what you chose!
Accentillia@reddit (OP)
Ofc!
MaleficentMousse7473@reddit
1) Slashed off the shoulder sweatshirt with bows (upcycling is a new word but not a new idea), big hair, huge metal geometric earrings in primary colors, very tight bleached jeans or miniskirt. Blue mascara, bright pink cheeks and lips.
2) black everything. Long coat.
ER_Support_Plant17@reddit
Gonna need hairspray and a comb
1questions@reddit
And neon. So glad neon never made a comeback, thought it was ugly enough the first time around.
Aromatic_Revolution4@reddit
If you'd like to see caricatures of 1980s American high school subcultures, the film Fast Times At Ridgemont High pretty much nails it.
You'll see exaggerations - but honest and accurate exaggerations - of jocks, stoners, cheerleaders, preppies, mall rats, and nerds.
It was the 80s - and while there are a couple of scenes I'd probably find cringe-inducing today - I think most of it would hold up pretty well and it would still be considered pretty funny today.
Enjoy your spirit week!
octavioletdub@reddit
Best. Movie. Ever.
Gloomy-Athlete701@reddit
I still have my OFFICIAL PREPPY HANDBOOK ❤️
Accentillia@reddit (OP)
Thanks everyone for the informative replies no matter how brief! I have read them all and will look into what to do 😊
Oh and to clarify, I'm gen Z, I absolutely know how Google works and how to use it! I just like having conversations with other humans, especially in this new era where AI has took over everything I love X), I'm sorry if I seemed annoying or lazy, but I figured there would be a bunch of people happy to reminisce over their childhoods (and there were!)
Once again a big thank you to everyone who replied!
NopeThisTrope@reddit
Why are so many replies rude? Aren’t we all on Reddit to interact with others on some level? So enough with the Google is your friend or find the search button, you can do it. Some of you probably have kids or siblings OP’s age. Do better.
Accentillia@reddit (OP)
Thank you and I agree, I just genuinely like having real human sources!
Fair-Wishbone-1190@reddit
A jean jacket with band name patches on them. Big hair, Guess Jeans, Swatch Watches, Coca-Cola shirts, Black sunglasses. 😎
WeirdRip2834@reddit
My jean jacket had pins of all my favorite bands - no patches.
Sad-Corner-9972@reddit
Preppy Handbook. It was supposed to be satire, but many early GenX took it as a style manual.
Jmazoso@reddit
Please don’t bring rat tails back
WeirdRip2834@reddit
That look was never in the Preppy Handbook. Gag me with a spoon!
thatotterone@reddit
subcultures at my school were: Rockers/metal heads, Goths & Punks, Preppies. . . Do a search for 1980s and any of these terms and you'll see some really different styles
Hope that helps you find something unique and interesting to you!
GrandPriapus@reddit
Coca Cola rugby shirt, Levi’s acid washed jeans, Reebok high-tops with the tongue hanging out, all topped off with a Swatch or two.
plywood747@reddit
In the mid-late '80s in my high school we had mods, goths, jocks, paisley underground, metal, hardcore punk, hip-hop/breakers. If you're never heard of paisley underground, it was basically dressing like summer of '67...sandals, beads, paisley shirts, flowers, peace signs. Mods are kids that dressed like mid '60s Brighton and listen to The Who. There were so many little groups. But we all had walkmans...that's what united us!
JaninthePan@reddit
This was def my high school experience as well. A big mix of subcultures with a few folks that traveled between them
Wild_Peach075@reddit
Learn to talk like Oh my god, valley girls! Like gag me with a spoon!
JaninthePan@reddit
Fer shuuuuuuuuuure
JDPierson@reddit
West coast skaters wore Levi's jeans, concert t-shirt, chuck taylors or vans sneakers - We wore Derby jackets or the 60's zip front windbreaker type jacket if needed.
JaninthePan@reddit
Derby jackets will set you back some serious money now. I miss when they were cheap
Tricky_Anybody_4153@reddit
Checkered Vans without socks, loud print board shorts and t&c or Maui and suns T-shirt and you’re good
Existing-Loquat1760@reddit
Add: OP shorts
Tricky_Anybody_4153@reddit
Ooh, good call
NopeThisTrope@reddit
Wear neon (bright, bold) clothing and lots of patterns (geometric, animal, polka dots). If you’re feeling especially wild, pile on the hairspray and give yourself three foot tall bangs. Have fun!
chloe38@reddit
Very tight jeans. WORN ON YOUR WAIST. 🤣. Hair bands, not for your hair but muisic. 🤘spandex, huge hair, bandanas, scrunchies, slouch socks, neon colors. High top runners. Watch a Jon Hayes movie and you will find something.
Emotional-Writer-766@reddit
I was a preppie and a metal head. Izod and Ozzy jerseys.
maythemetalbewithyou@reddit
Google PE uniforms and you're set.
SamHandwich0@reddit
This is the correct answer
lewisfairchild@reddit
John Hughes did a good job trying to capture this.
Braincloud@reddit
Some subcultures when I was a teenager were “headbangers” (listened to heavy metal, guys and girls both had long hair, lots of denim jackets with band patches on them); “jocks” (sports guys, especially American football players, wore team jackets, often the popular guys); punks (self explanatory); “Madonna wanna-bes” (dressed like Madonna, lace gloves and leggings, wearing visible bras as tops, teased hair, rubber bracelets); dead heads (hippy types, wore tie die, often dropped out of school to follow the Greatful Dead around or took off for the summer to follow music festivals etc); nerds (mostly self explanatory).
fizzylove@reddit
Y’all missed a huge opportunity not calling them Madonna-bes
Braincloud@reddit
lol you’re right, and in 40+ years that’s never occurred to me! 🤪 To be fair, I think it was the boomer news folks doing stories on the Madonna phenomenon that coined the name. They’ve been corny for that long ☺️
FuggaDucker@reddit
The 80s saw a resurgence of the 50s with the Stray Cats reviving Rockabilly.
There was absolutely an 80s Rockabilly subculture.
Rockabilly is cool.
Round_Ad8947@reddit
Hessians. Blue jeans with handmade symbols or band names, jean jacket. Mullet or heavy metal hair. Preferably a wallet with chain to attach to your belt. Maybe tie a handkerchief around your thigh.
Unexpectedly99@reddit
Neon spandex with leg warmers. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
moscowramada@reddit
Be a skateboarder. It peaked as an industry then in terms of popular interest.
Build68@reddit
Rockers, skaters, punks overlapped with skaters, preppies who listened to music like the stuff from Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink movies. Country didn’t have much of a younger audience in my neck of the woods.
WAstargazer@reddit
Dear OP, Go to the GenX page. Click on the search spyglass. Type "80s fashion " and click near the top on search in GenX. You will find 100s of pictures. Stop bothering your elders. You can do this.
Accentillia@reddit (OP)
Huh, am I bothering you? You dont have to reply if you dont wanna. Its not obligated XD
Braincloud@reddit
Sorry you’re getting such rude replies. I guess some of us should be in bed getting some rest 🥴
Accentillia@reddit (OP)
Haha, it's ok, I'm also getting lots of useful replies to nice and passionate people so I think that makes up for it :)
vistaculo@reddit
I’d like to apologize for u/WAstargazer ‘s very GenX response to your post, but I can’t.
Johnny_2Times@reddit
Hahahaha 😆
WasabiChickpea@reddit
I graduated high school in 1989. I wore what most people associate with the "grunge" look of the 90s. Usually it was tight jeans, a concert shirt from my favorite band, a long-sleeved baggy flannel shirt or jean jacket, and Chuck Taylor sneakers. I would fluff my hair up as much as I could get it and use lots of hairspray to hold it in place. Another outfit I liked was leggings, a tank top, and an oversized sweater that hung off one shoulder. The sweater and the tank top would be opposite colors so like yellow and black or green and pink.
shamashedit@reddit
Just watch The Breakfast club and dress and act like them.
montemason@reddit
Jeans with a concert t-shirt and a flannel, if you're going to wear a leather jacket then tie the flannel around your waist.
Positive_Ad_1751@reddit
This sums it up pretty well. Just add bright colors, off the shoulder sweatshirts with leg warmers and lots of bangles.
VixxSynn@reddit
If you’re a girl, DEFINITELY big hair. Look up 80’s hairstyles in google. We had enormous hair. And watching The Breakfast Club might seriously help get a feel for the clothes.
OneFortyEighthScale@reddit
SMakked@reddit
Google is your friend
VehicleNeat4230@reddit
This has to be AI right? “Prompts”, really?
Braincloud@reddit
“Prompt” has been used for quite a few years before AI came along as a starting off point for writing assignments. It’s like how we were assigned a topic for an essay. The “prompt” might be something like “write an essay/journal entry/short description of what it might have been like being a part of an 80s subculture.”
Accentillia@reddit (OP)
Huh? Is that not the word youd use in english..?
Idk, themes I guess? Monday is pyjama, Tuesday is work outfit, Thursday we dont have school and friday is chic lol
JoelPilgrim@reddit
"Prompts" is totally fine. Just because it is also used in AI doesn't mean we have to stop using it in every other context.
lor7594@reddit
Neon everything and big hair.
SereniteeF@reddit
Madonna, prince, the cure, souixie and the banshees, bananarama, Def Leppard, Van Halen- look up vids (especially live shows) and you’ll see various styles and subcultures
SereniteeF@reddit
My most common outfit was leggings, long cotton shaker sweater with a long man’s button down under it, knee boots, broach, and a large bag. Leather motorcycle jacket or suede fringe jacket. Heavy black eyeliner, bangs (fringe) over one eye and lots of aquanet.
Ghost_of_Syd@reddit
Watch the movie The Breakfast Club for starters. It's a good intro to mid-80s youth culture.
LizardJoeBiden@reddit
Google Images search for Madonna. That's all you need right there.
MaximumJones@reddit
Just dance like this and you will have nailed it
JessieColt@reddit
Miami Vice
Dress up like Don Johnson / Sonny Crockett.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086759/
Coffee_24-7@reddit
Throw a keg party in the woods with a couple dealers choice warm bottles of booze. All the preppies, punks, jocks, drama kings/queens, stoners, grunge and freaks will show up.
PepsiOfWrath@reddit
The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they’d all love this. They’ll think you’re a righteous dude
Pure_Floyd_Smernitch@reddit
Florescent, reversible clothes to start
djr650@reddit
I was not in the US in the 80's. But my daily outfit was jeans, white runners, tshirt, with an open flannel check shirt over top. If you can get a hold of a Walkman, that's bonus points right there.