80s fancy dress

March 8, 2008 4:43 AM

Has anyone got any ideas about what I could wear to an 80s themed disco night? The outfit should be cheap and easy. Oh, I'm a man, man.
posted by mooreeasyvibe to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 comments total)

Ideally, you'd get the parachute pants with striped sailor shirt ensemble, a la Sting or Andy from the Police.

Or you could go all New Romantic like ABC; closely-cut Italian suit, preferably sharkskin, with heavy eye-liner and a beauty mark next to your coke-encrusted nostrils.

Barring a time-machine and unlimited funds, hit the Thrift Shops!
posted by Dizzy at 4:54 AM on March 8

If you can find a couple of willing lady accomplices, you could go as Robert Palmer in Addicted to Love (YT)
posted by Jakey at 5:02 AM on March 8

Or, if you have the hair, Robert Smith of The Cure.
posted by Jakey at 5:09 AM on March 8

Pleated pants from a thrift store, preferably light-colored: white, cream, or flax. Sherbert colored T-shirt, light colored blazer, a la Miami Vice. Picture.
posted by LoriFLA at 5:29 AM on March 8

That Hugh Grant movie Music and Lyric had some funny re-done 80's looks. Anything similar to that video could be good. Dizzy's Police suggestion is really good too. Don Johnson circa Miami Vice could be fun too. Or you could go as Lloyd from Say Anything, every once in a while striking that pose. Picking an 80's movie character to mock could be a fun party conversational tool.
posted by dog food sugar at 5:29 AM on March 8

Not meaning to sound glib, but I think this is an occasion when going to Walmart might be a good idea. Go for layers of bright pastels, and a lovely white jacket.

Pants are easy. Pleats and a belt that raises them up to your waist.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 8:26 AM on March 8

Disco Sucks
posted by Bonzai at 9:27 AM on March 8

Make sure you pull the cuffs of your jacket up to your elbows, and flip your collar up. I was trying to find a online image of how Steve Buscemi looked in the Sopranos when he attends his welcome home party after being in jail for twenty years, but can't find one showing his cuffs.
posted by thomas144 at 10:47 AM on March 8

This year at my neighborhood disco (yeah, we have about one a year) there was a lot of supersized afro wigs, for some reason.
Easy idea is a three-piece suit (of course you have a white one??) and a shirt (biggest lapels you got) open to your navel.
posted by MtDewd at 12:15 PM on March 8

The shirt that guy in the middle of this photo has on, with the skinny necktie. Also, ripped jeans (pegged at the bottom, natch) with a bandanna tied around the leg.

Or, the Don Johnson light colored suit with a t-shirt.
posted by ctmf at 12:39 PM on March 8

Oh, totally this.
posted by ctmf at 12:41 PM on March 8

Or maybe the punk thing is more your style. Or try a google images search for some guys that were stars in the 80s, such as Kirk Cameron.
posted by ctmf at 12:49 PM on March 8