I Just Binged Stranger Things—Suddenly I Want to Wear These '80s Trends Again

Even in its fourth season, Stranger Things has as much of a pull on the media as it did when it first came out and took the entertainment world by storm. Right now, my social media feed continues to be filled with either songs from the show (Kate Bush is top tier) or outfit videos inspired by the '80s ensembles seen on the show. We've been talking about '90s and early-2000s fashion quite a bit on Who What Wear, but watching Stranger Things made me realize the '80s deserve more attention.

The majority of my focus on the show stayed on the characters' suspenseful adventures, although I couldn't help but be intrigued by each character's technicolored ensembles. Whether it's Steve Harrington's double-denim and Nike moments or Nancy Wheeler's exaggerated collars, I wouldn't mind adding a few '80s-inspired trends to my wardrobe. There are a lot of trends I wouldn't bring back (I'm looking at you, acid-wash denim and puffy bangs), but I've listed five below that I'm planning on wearing again in 2022.

While you wait for Part 2 of the show to air, (It comes to Netflix on July 2) keep scrolling and get your own '80s style dose.

Double Denim

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(Image credit: Netflix)

While I won't be copying the acid-wash aspect of the denim look above, I'm inputting a mental note to wear a simple double-denim look next time I'm going out. Instead of pairing the denim pieces with punchy colors, I'd stick to a more simple look with a crisp white T-shirt and black accessories. 

Punchy Hues

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(Image credit: Netflix)

Saturated shades are the trend WWW editors can't stop talking about, and among all the color possibilities, the punchy neon hues that were extremely popular during the '80s have been catching my eye.

Multicolored Stripes

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(Image credit: Netflix)

It is the '80s I'm talking about here, so one colorful trend wouldn't be just enough. I consistently saw T-shirts with colorful stripes on the show, but I'm also interested in seeing the print on button-downs for a 2022 upgrade.

Boxy Blazers

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(Image credit: Netflix)

I often like thrifting my blazers because I love to find ones that have strong shoulders. It may not be everyone's favorite, but I love the strong touch it adds to the structure of a blazer.

Graphic T-Shirts

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(Image credit: Netflix)

Graphic tees became widely loved in the '80s with people wearing everything from Coca-Cola to Mickey Mouse on their chests. Although I have quite a bit of a collection of graphic tops, seeing characters like Dustin and Eddie rock theirs reminded me to give mine a little bit more love. Not only are they cooler than your average T-shirt, but they also show a bit of your personality.

Exaggerated Collars

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(Image credit: Netflix)

A collared poplin top is a must-have for the summertime, and after I finished the latest Stranger Things episode, I hit purchase on a Ganni top that's been sitting in my cart for days.

Next, We're Calling It: This Grandpa-Inspired Print Trend Will Be Huge This Summer

Associate Fashion Editor
Yusra Siddiqui is an editor who resides in New Jersey but bounces between the suburbs and NYC. (She's a Jersey girl at heart.) After interning at Who What Wear in 2019, she found her way to the team after graduating from LIM College in 2022 with a fashion media degree. She's also spent time writing and working for publications such as Fashionista, Coveteur, and Nylon, but she always knew that Who What Wear was where she was meant to be. When she's on the job, she's perusing runway shows, analyzing the latest thing fellow Gen Zers are up to on the internet, and sharing what she can about the modest-fashion market. You can also catch her dabbling in entertainment, talking about the costume choices of the latest Netflix series or diving deeper into how the plotline affects the viewers in a myriad of ways. Lastly, she likes to create content for Who What Wear's TikTok. Her personal time is spent doing similar but also different things—deep diving into almost every new TV show (Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls, and Stranger Things are favorites), planning her next local getaway (whenever that may be), and reading the latest Emily Henry or Sally Rooney novel in one sitting.