Help me make 2 new wave costumes.

April 15, 2008 1:46 PM

I want to throw together 2 costumes (1 guy, 1 girl) that would scream 80's new wave high schooler. I need pictures to help us not end up too emo. "New wave" means different things to different people, so please read inside.

I want the kind of "new wave" outfit that a teenager who was a fan of Depeche Mode, the Cure, and Love and Rockets would have worn circa 1988. I don't particularly want to look like I'm actually IN Depeche Mode or Love and Rockets because that would make me look like an unemployed European waiter, or something.

I was 15 in 1988, but I'm having a hard time remembering exact things that people were wearing. I remember lots of black, muted tones, clunky shoes, etcetcetc, but I'm having a hard time tying it all together. Can you point me towards pictures of guys and girls that show the kind of outfit I'm talking about? Bonus points if the picture isn't a costume but what someone was actually wearing 20 years ago.

posted by 23skidoo to clothing, beauty, & fashion (17 comments total)

Check dersin's profile page.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:52 PM on April 15, 2008

Oh, that is so very very good. More please.
posted by 23skidoo at 1:54 PM on April 15, 2008

The guy in the foreground to the left may be a useful reference.
posted by subtle-t at 2:07 PM on April 15, 2008

80's 1337ness?
posted by saxamo at 2:09 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I wasn't very sentient in the 80s, but what about girls like these ones?

Or these incredible specimens?

Heck, just browse this Flickr pool. Incredible stuff.
posted by muddgirl at 2:10 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Is 'waitin' for Boy George' some kind of euphemism?
posted by box at 2:28 PM on April 15, 2008

Extra-large collared shirt worn A) with top button fastened, and B) under an even larger cardigan or jacket? Check.
posted by scody at 2:30 PM on April 15, 2008

(Oh, and in the event you want to go more to the jangly/psychedelic guitar side of the new wave spectrum, make sure that the extra-large shirt buttoned all the way to your neck is paisley. Otherwise lots of black/white!)
posted by scody at 2:33 PM on April 15, 2008

It might not be exact, but would Duckie from Pretty in Pink work? Plenty of videos on YouTube to peruse.
posted by mhum at 3:31 PM on April 15, 2008

The guy in the foreground to the left may be a useful reference.

He and the girl next to him completely remind me of Ducky and whatserface from Pretty in Pink, which is what I was going to suggest.
posted by LionIndex at 3:32 PM on April 15, 2008

Goddammit.
posted by LionIndex at 3:33 PM on April 15, 2008

Ducky is way too much of the "Elvis Costello meets the b-52's"-style of New Wave. I'm not looking to model my costumes after that.
posted by 23skidoo at 3:38 PM on April 15, 2008

My experience with the older cool kids in 1988: striped stockings, black tunic dress thing, very short asymmetrical haircut or half your head shaved, a million ear piercings, doc martens. Possible small braids in your hair. Lots of black eyeliner, maybe Cleopatra style. Depeche Mode 101 shirts. Oversize blazers, black leggings, and combat boots. Military jackets. Motorcycle jackets. Cool random Flickr photo 1, cool random Flickr photo 2.
posted by alicetiara at 3:58 PM on April 15, 2008

There was also a definite trend of black plus neon (for girls) around 1983-84: black sweatshirt with neon (pink, green, blue, yellow, etc) leggings or miniskirt, plus neon gummi bracelets, neon mesh hairtie, neon floppy socks with black or white keds.

If you can find a paisley shirt, buttoned up to the top, with pinstripe jeans for guys, or floral leggings for girls - that's not going to look too emo, but definitely was hot in 1986-87.
posted by chr1sb0y at 4:28 PM on April 15, 2008

I want the kind of "new wave" outfit that a teenager who was a fan of Depeche Mode, the Cure, and Love and Rockets would have worn circa 1988.

You are describing me - though I was going to school in New Hampshire so was more a voyeur than a participant. Though I have to say that when I think of New Wave, I think of bands like OMD or Modern English, with a look that was cleaner, brighter, more angular.

The Cure fans that I saw/knew were darker and more goth. When I remember the look, I remember black over black over black over black. They rocked the inverted triangle silhouette but in a slouchy way - big oversized t-shirts, caridgans, blazers, biker jackets (painted, though not necessarily studded in a punk rock way), over leggings or super tight, straight jeans. Necklines slashed, holes cut in cuffs (for your fingers), torn stockings over more stockings. All over black pointy shoes - bonus points for those witchy ones, maybe with a little princess heel and some studs. Asymmetric hair, lots and lots of eyeliner (Cleopatra was good - extra curlicue under the eye even better). All topped with a copious amount of accessories - big gobs of jewelry in silver and black, long scarves, gloves (sometimes layered).

Sigh....
posted by suki at 4:31 PM on April 15, 2008

black pointy shoes

Yes! (This type of shoe/boot is often known as a winklepicker or pike.) Also in the footwear category, don't forget creepers.
posted by scody at 5:09 PM on April 15, 2008

Update: For the curious, here is what the costumes ended up looking like several weeks ago. Thanks for all the help!
posted by 23skidoo at 7:35 AM on June 6, 2008