Clothes of the Eighties, Clothes Beginning with W

The eighties saw a wider variety and quicker change in clothing styles than currently. That's why I thought this list would be fun for others to read and add to, so feel free to send me any suggestions. Years are approximated, since some fashions tended to last longer in some regions opposed to other regions.

This page currently edited by: Dagwood. Past editor: Banasy

Clothes beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]
 
Name Sex What When Description
Wallabys Unisex Moccasin-looking, Ankle-high Suede Casuals 81-86 (Possible Late 70's Origin) Only the cool wore these (mostly rockers), in Northern California. *MUST BE BLACK* (although a tan color was available.) Girl's "Wallabys" had a matching fringe around the top. Were also sold under the name "Suburbans". Started to appear in the earliest part of the decade and began to fall out of use in the mid-to-late 80's. I still wear them and the closest match I can find today are/were produced by Fubu for $65/pair.
The Waver Look Female Style 1985-86 For girls: Hair was bobbed, asymmetrical, somewhat permed, sometimes streaked. Heavy black eyeliner, dangly metallic earrings (multiple pierced ears). Shirt buttoned up to neck, ornate brooch pin at neck, oversized blazer or cardigan, stirrup pants, Fluevogs. Lots of bangles. This look was cooler if black was the predominant color.
The Waver look ? Clothing 198? ?
Wearing a sweater tied around your neck Both Clothing 198? Often worn over an Izod button down oxford, over an Izod polo shirt with the collar turned up
Wedding dress/leather jacket women clothes 80s A wedding skirt with a jean (black)jacket w/ a white wife beater under. Black working slippers with your hair to the side and crimped
White Boots Female Shoes 80's White (or denim) boots with skinny half heels, often with decorative metal ringed eyelets; wear these with your tight high-water jeans or denim/white eyelet skirt
White Collared-Shirts Male Dress Shirts 1980s Classic 80s business look, really made popular again after Michael Douglas wore his in 'Wall Street'. The white collared shirt is a shirt with a white collar and different coloured body, typically blue. It may also have white double cuffs.
White Jazz Shoes Unisex Shoes 1982-85 White loafer-style shoes with a split-leather or suede sole and a 1/4 inch heel. Worn with all colors of clothing, year-round in all weather, preferably without socks. Originally designed for dancers, Duran Duran popularized the style beginning in 1982 with their album, "RIO." They came in other colors (black, grey and even pink) but the white was the color to have, because it was the preferred color of Duran Duran!
White Shirt with Large Neon-Color Face & Hair Female Shirt Mid-'80s A white T-shirt, short and long-sleeved, with a large side view of a female face that took up the whole shirt front. The face was painted to look like very heavy bright-colored makeup, and the painted hair was wild, spiky, and usually in rainbow colors, sometimes neon colors. Also sometimes sprinkled with iridescent glitter to highlight key areas of face or hair. Very popular at my New York City junior high school in 1987.
White boots with fringe female boots mid 80's these boots were worn with denim skirts/dresses jeans etc... had fringe. I personally wore these ugly boots with a denim dress with rhinestones all over it. Permed hair was a must with this look.
White shirts with long colored sleeves and iron-ons Both Clothing 198? ?
White, braided sailor bracelets Female Accessories 198? ?
Wicker Pickers Unisex Boots 1982 Winkle Picker boots: extremely pointy which had a zip up the front of the foot and two or three straps from ankle to instep. Mainly black and made of suede but I've seen blue and red ones. Quite popular with the goth set.
Wide belts Female Accessory Late 80s Wide hanging belts, or wide belts a couple of smaller belts wrapped around it
Wide whale cords Female cord pants often with whale or frog motifs early 1980's Preppy wide-whale cord pants came in navy blue, kelly green, hot pink and other colors, and often had whale, frog, sailboat or other motifs all over the pants. Were popular with the preppy look in the early 80's and worn with matching crewneck sweaters or button-down shirts, ribbon belts with gold matching motif belt buckles and penny loafers or LL Bean shoes.
WigWams Female Socks mid to late 80's Baggy socks worn by females in the 80's....the brand to have was called WigWam. Most girls layered them, cut them and combined colors.
Wild Pair High Heel Pumps Female shoes 1985-1989 Wild Pair made the sexiest high heels from the 1980s. Most popular was the 5" high stiletto in black. They can still be seen on old videos and for sale on Ebay. Many thanks all the women out there that wore them!!!
Williwear male clothing mid 80s Shirts, pants, suits. Good looking (for then), hip, quality clothes at a reasonable price. The brand of the late designer Willi Smith.
Wimzee's shoes Female Shoes Mid 80's Canvas ballerina type shoes with slight wedge heel and a string that tied into a bow.
Windbreaker Female Clothes mid 80's These came in all colors...they were lighter than the ones of today and could be folded up into the big front pocket and then carried like a bag.
Wino's Male Shoes Late 70's to 80's Black canvas shoes with tan rubber soles and 3 pairs of eyelets. Made in China and sold at local drug stores and some grocery stores. Simple shoes that where worn by the "vatos and cholos" with Khaki pants, web belts and pressed T-shirts. These would also be accompanied by a hairnet, and on cold days, a "Derby" jacket.
Worthy basketball sneakers Male Shoes 198? Black and white sneaks named after James Worthy
Wrangler or Tough Skins jeans Male Clothes 198? ?
Wrap Around Belts Female Accessories 1979-81 It is a regular lenth belt with a tiny ring connecting another lenght of belt,that wrapped around the waist -then around the thigh or hip-then it went in between your crouch/inner thigh area
Wrap Arounds Female Clothes late 80's Pants that were baggy at the top and somewhat tapered at the bottom. There were two flaps at the top that would button in the middle. All colors
Wrestling Shoes Both (mainly male) Shoes 198? Worn like sneakers. They rise above the ankle. Probably inspired by movie Vision Quest w/ Matthew Muldune or by BANANARAMA's "Cruel Summer" video. Worn with the top holes unlaced.


Clothes beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]

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