Eighties Hairstyles
Remember the 80s eighties hairstyles? You may not, but the fashions of this daring, extravagant decade have made an impression, and some people are even bringing them back. Sure, they are a little bit cheesy, but they can also be a lot of glamorous fun if you do them right, and for some of us, they are even a walk down memory lane. However, getting your style to look right for a retro 80s look can be pretty tricky if you did not know how to do it back then, or if it has been a while. Let us take a look at some favorites from the 80s.
Androgynous Styles
Short, sculpted cuts with a lot of height and feathering was in for men and women alike, and some of them didn’t differ much between the two. Men wore perms for the first time, and variations on the mullet (long in the back and short in the front) were common. Of course, some of these looks worked better than others. Androgynous 80s looks do best on slim people with narrow faces and high cheekbones, and aren’t so flattering on the rest of us.
Most of these styles were pretty high maintenance, and would be hard to maintain today unless you found a stylist with a long memory. They’d also require a special cut, so they’re not a great choice for that retro dance or party unless you’re planning to get your hair restyled again afterward, or you feel like wearing yours permanently.
Big Hair
Women especially wore their hair bouffant and curly in the 80s. It took a lot of maintenance and a lot of AquaNet! From puffy perms to styles with bangs sprayed up high, hair was just plain big. This is a style you can fake for the evening, especially if you’re willing to stand a little bit of damage. Bangs can be curled with a curling iron and backcombed to stand up high. Set the rest of your hair in curlers with a lot of gel, and don’t go easy on the hair spray.
Some women even sprayed their hair before curling it to make it even stiffer. You’d never feel the wind through your hair – it wasn’t going anywhere. Downsides of this type of style include heat damage, dryness and split ends from backcombing, and a long prep time. Afterward, wash your hair gently and condition heavily to help deal with the damage. Variations on big hair can get you anything from the Dallas look to graveyard chic.
Accessories
Hair accessories were big for women, too – both in popularity and sheer size. Large bows on clips, wide headbands, banana clips and side ponytails bound with big bright holders were all very popular. Partial updos were common, especially for women with longer hair. If you miss bright colors and have a 80s themed special event to go to, take the opportunity to go nuts. Lime green, turquoise and hot pink are all completely acceptable, and you can even use them together!
We might not be going back to the 80s entirely, but there are a lot of retro looks out there now that have a little bit of loud 80s flair, plus there are plenty of costume opportunities out there. Next time you’re thinking about going to a themed party, consider a 80s look and hairstyle. It can be a lot of fun.
Oh my God….The Eighties Hairstyles are so memorable and couldn’t be forgotten.
One very popular hairdo in the 1980s was the shag. It was simple, short hair everywhere except in the back on the neck, so it was very close to a mullet.
In fact I heard a saying about the shag hairdo the other day. Someone told me that it was a “Blackman‘s mullet“ because it was seen mostly on black males in the 80s. Interesting, Isn’t it?