Ah, the 1980s. The decade that gave us The Breakfast Club, Miami Vice, and A-ha's "Take on Me." Not everything that came out of the '80s ended up a classic, however. In fact, we can think of more than a few fashion trends from the neon-filled decade that we hope never resurface. Yes, headbands worn over mullets, we're talking about you.
The '80s offered bold, brightly colored fashions that didn't all withstand the test of time. Here's a look at some of those oh-so-fashionable trends you will probably never want to rock again.
Image via Yann Arthus-Bertrand/Corbis
Popped Collars
Let's face it. Any trend hottie Rob Lowe sported was bound to be popular, even popped collars. Preppies unite!
Stirrup Pants
The concept behind stirrup pants was and still is awesome. The look of stirrup pants? Not nearly as great as it was 30 years ago. Boo.
Shoulder Pads
Princess Diana made shoulder pads seem royally awesome in the '80s. Heck, some men even embraced the boxy shoulder look. (We're looking at you, Prince!) Nowadays, we'd rather show off our toned arms.
Oversized Earrings
Big earrings = big style back in the 1980s. Everybody from teen pop princess Tiffany to envelope-pushing Madonna opted for the oversized adornments.
More from The Stir: The Brat Pack Then & Now — Find Out What They've Been Up to Since the '80s (PHOTOS)
Head-to-Toe Esprit
The neon colors, the super-baggy fit, the essential tote bag — Esprit totally ruled the '80s. We also loved the brand's ahead-of-its-time 'real people' campaign, eschewing models in favor of regular folks.
Bucket Hats
Hip hop artist LL Cool J was "doin it" for us back in the '80s for sure. He was so smooth he even made bucket hats look cool. Thankfully, the still-hot NCIS: Los Angeles star has since ditched the dated toppers.
Fanny Packs
Purses? Backpacks? Puh-lease! Give those arms a break! Smart '80s trendsetters loaded their stuff into fanny packs instead.
Dookie Chains
Run DMC and other hip hop groups blinged it '80s style with large, braided gold chains around their necks. So far, dookie chains have not withstood the test of time.
More from The Stir: 18 Male Pop Stars From The '80s — All The Details You Didn't Know (PHOTOS)
Mullets
Yes, there was a time when mullets were more than just a punchline. In fact, tennis ace Andre Agassi made the business-in-the-front-party-in-the-back 'do downright hot back in the day. Technically it's a hairstyle and not a piece of fashion, but when paired with a headband, wowza! Instant '80s style!
Members Only Jackets
We aren't part of the club anymore, but back in the '80s, Members Only jackets were the epitome of cool. The racer jackets came in just about every color.
Acid Wash Denim
If you were going to wear denim in the '80s, it had to be acid wash. The cool kids — and the not-so-cool kids — all sported the beat-up finish on jeans, jackets, hats, hair bows, and more.
Pastel Suits
Pastel suits were anything but a vice back when Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas rocked them on hit show Miami Vice. Women swooned and their husbands rushed to copy the look.
More from The Stir: 17 Hair Products & Accessories From the '80s You Couldn't Live Without (PHOTOS)
Patterned Shirts
When men weren't wearing pastel suits, they were embracing geometric patterned shirts — the busier the better. Even a young Tom Cruise tried the trend.
Headbands
Girls just wanna have … headbands? They did in the '80s, thanks in part to Cyndi Lauper's wild style. Some male rockers even jumped on board the headband bandwagon.
Leg Warmers
Cold ankles were definitely not a problem in the '80s. Leg warmers kept us stylish and warm at the same time. Especially if they were neon!
Parachute Pants
Guys gravitated toward nylon parachute pants in the '80s. The high-flying trend, popularized by breakdancing, was even a hit among wallflowers.
More from The Stir: 18 Favorite Cartoons of the '80s We Wish Would Come Back (PHOTOS)
Animal Prints
We didn't just do animal prints in the '80s — we overdid them. Zebras, tigers, cobras, you name it. Nicolas Cage helped the trend look good.
