80s Outfits for Men. Copy One Real Look, Not the Whole Decade

Gekko’s wardrobe is unusually well documented.

The Rake reported in 2018 that the costume designer Ellen Mirojnick asked the menswear designer Alan Flusser to create Gekko’s clothes, which used almost a fifth of the film’s wardrobe budget.

According to The Rake, the outfits included a dozen suits and twice as many custom shirts, several with boldly striped bodies and white contrast collars and cuffs, aggressively pleated trousers, and slight padding in the shoulders of the shirts.

BAMF Style credits the shirts to the shirtmaker Alex Kabbaz and reports that Martin Greenfield’s workroom tailored the suits worn on screen.

The pictured shirtsleeve outfit is the version most people copy. BAMF Style describes it as a sky-blue shirt with a white spread contrast collar, navy braces, a burgundy patterned silk tie with a tie clip and dark grey windowpane trousers with double forward pleats.

Braces rather than a belt are central to the look, and Flusser told People magazine in 1988 that Douglas needed them to keep his trousers up.

Party version. A blue or striped shirt with a white collar, braces worn over the shirt, a wide patterned tie with a tie bar, and pleated grey or pinstripe trousers; add a strong-shouldered suit jacket and slick your hair back.

Skip the belt, because braces and a belt together give away a rushed costume.

Wardrobe version. Take one garment, such as a contrast-collar shirt under a plain navy or charcoal suit, or braces with pleated trousers and a plain shirt.

The photograph above is a present-day recreation with the same shirt, braces and pleated trouser combination.

Buying tip. Contrast-collar shirts are widely made, and pinstripe suits are common second-hand, so you rarely need a costume-shop version.

The pastel palette was a production rule rather than an accident.

Season-one costume designer Jodie Tillen told Emmy magazine in 2024 that executive producer Michael Mann’s instruction was “No earth tones, no red.”

Tillen also said the show gave men who were wary of pastels permission to wear them, and that Johnson was initially uncomfortable in the pastel wardrobe.

In the same feature, Johnson recalls pushing up his jacket sleeves and dropping belts and socks because of the Miami heat.

The Rake describes the look as white and pastel linen suits from labels such as Hugo Boss, Nino Cerruti, Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani, worn with T-shirts and espadrilles without socks.

The photographs show a cream linen suit over a turquoise T-shirt with tan slip-on shoes, and a pale striped unstructured jacket over a white vest with white trousers.

Party version. A soft, unlined jacket in cream, pale pink or powder blue, a white or pastel T-shirt, pale pleated trousers and loafers or espadrilles without socks, with the sleeves pushed up.

A stiff, fully lined, padded pastel blazer looks more like a school prom than Crockett, so look for a soft jacket.

Wardrobe version. An unstructured cream or pale linen jacket over a white T-shirt with trousers of an ordinary width is a comfortable summer outfit that needs little adjustment.

Buying tip. Second-hand linen and cotton jackets from the period are often softer than new, more structured blazers.

Maverick’s jacket is a G-1, the US Navy’s leather flight jacket, with a mouton fur collar, as BAMF Style describes in detail.

Its back patch reads FAR EAST CRUISE 63-4, which in the film suggests the jacket belonged to Maverick’s father.

BAMF Style lists a white crew-neck T-shirt with a breast pocket, medium-blue Levi’s 501 jeans, multicoloured cowboy boots and Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses (model RB3025) as the rest of the outfit.

The photographs show the patched jacket with straight jeans and colourful cowboy boots.

Party version. The patches are what make the jacket recognisable, so add a patch set, which can be pinned rather than sewn, and wear it with a white T-shirt, straight jeans and aviators.

Wardrobe version. A plain G-1 or similar leather flight jacket with a fur collar, worn over a white T-shirt with straight jeans and boots, is a practical winter outfit with no costume signal.

Buying tip. Licensed reproductions, military surplus and second-hand jackets are all available; check the leather, lining and collar condition rather than relying on the label.

These two photographs show two ways of dressing a suit down.

In the first, a loose dark pinstripe suit is worn with a plain white crew-neck T-shirt instead of a shirt and tie.

In the second, a blue and black checked blazer is worn with black trousers, a white open-collared shirt and white trainers, so the jacket and trousers do not match.

Party version. A boxy, second-hand 1980s suit with a white T-shirt, or a checked jacket with plain dark trousers and white trainers; go larger in the jacket than you normally would.

Wardrobe version. An odd jacket, plain trousers, a T-shirt or open-collared shirt and clean white trainers is ordinary smart-casual today, so you may own everything already.

Our guide to styling by occasion and location covers where a jacket with trainers works and where it does not.

Springsteen’s 1980s image was built on working clothes, and the cover of Born in the U.S.A. (1984) shows him in jeans with a red cap in the back pocket.

The photographs here show a short-sleeved mid-blue denim shirt, a white vest underneath, a red bandana knotted at the neck and blue jeans with a leather belt.

Party version. A denim shirt or jacket with rolled sleeves, a white vest or T-shirt, a red bandana at the neck, straight jeans and boots.

Wardrobe version. Double denim looks more deliberate when the two washes are clearly different and something plain, such as a white T-shirt, sits between them.

Keep the jeans straight rather than tapered and the boots plain.

The best-known Schwarzenegger jacket of the decade is the one in The Terminator (1984).

BAMF Style describes it as a black leather motorcycle jacket in the Perfecto style, with an asymmetric zip, notched lapels with snaps and epaulettes, worn over a grey cut-off shirt with olive combat trousers, harness boots and Gargoyles sunglasses; the costume designer was Hilary Wright.

The photograph above shows a different outfit, a black leather jacket with tooled panels worn over a white shirt and a dark patterned tie.

Party version. For the film look, a black asymmetric-zip leather jacket, a grey T-shirt, olive or dark combat trousers, black boots and dark wraparound sunglasses.

Wardrobe version. A black leather jacket over a plain T-shirt with dark straight jeans and black boots needs no updating; make sure the jacket fits through the shoulders and chest.

Buying tip. Leather quality varies widely at every price, so check the hide, stitching and lining rather than relying on the brand name.

Patricia Norris designed the costumes for Scarface, and Montana wears several loud printed shirts in the film, including a red tiger-print shirt documented by BAMF Style.

The photograph shows a pale blue short-sleeved shirt with a dark printed pattern, worn unbuttoned, with a thin gold chain, a gold watch and grey checked trousers.

Party version. A bold printed short-sleeved shirt unbuttoned further than usual, a thin gold chain, a gold-tone watch, pale or patterned trousers and dark sunglasses, with your hair pushed back.

Wardrobe version. A camp-collar shirt in a smaller print, buttoned, with plain trousers and loafers is an ordinary summer outfit.

Our guide to fashion accessories covers how much a single watch or chain changes a shirt like this.

Buying tip. Second-hand rayon shirts often drape more softly than stiff cotton ones; check the label for fibre and care.

Tubbs was dressed as a contrast to Crockett, and The Rake describes his look as East Coast double-breasted tailoring.

The photographs show a light grey checked double-breasted suit with a dark purple shirt and a patterned tie, and a navy double-breasted jacket with a blue tie and light grey trousers.

Party version. A double-breasted jacket with a strong shoulder, a dark coloured shirt, a bold tie and pale trousers.

Wardrobe version. A navy double-breasted jacket with grey trousers, a plain shirt and a single-colour tie is a classic outfit that works today.

If you are unsure which shirt colours you like on you, our optional seasonal colour quiz for men offers one way to narrow the choice.

The photographs show a black suit with an all-over white dash pattern, worn with a plain white shirt open at the neck and no tie.

The plain shirt is what keeps a loud suit under control.

Party version. A boldly patterned suit, such as a wide chalk stripe or a scribble print, with pleated trousers, a white shirt and no tie.

Wardrobe version. A suit in a quieter pattern, such as a windowpane check, with a plain shirt and a plain tie or no tie.

For how pattern and cut affect the overall line of an outfit, see our guide to dressing for your body shape, one optional framework among several.

The first photographs show a black leather jacket with blue panels and patches over a grey T-shirt, with light blue jeans, white trainers and sunglasses.

The second shows a red varsity jacket with cream sleeves and a large letter patch, worn over a white T-shirt with belted blue jeans.

Both are casual, short jackets worn with jeans, and both suit a “Brat Pack” theme.

Party version. The varsity jacket over a white T-shirt with mid-blue jeans, or a Members Only-style zip jacket, which Complex describes as a cross between a Harrington and a cafe racer jacket.

Wardrobe version. A plain black or brown leather jacket over a grey crew-neck or T-shirt, with straight jeans and boots or trainers.

The photographs show a navy blazer over a white and green striped shirt worn open at the neck, with pleated khaki chinos, a brown belt and brown leather shoes.

The combination sits close to 1980s preppy dressing, which FIT describes as including polo shirts with popped collars and jumpers thrown over the shoulders.

Party version. A navy blazer, a bold striped shirt, pleated chinos, loafers and a jumper knotted over the shoulders.

Wardrobe version. A navy blazer, a plain or striped shirt, straight or relaxed chinos and brown shoes; leave the knotted jumper off unless you want the period reference.

Run-DMC released “My Adidas” on 29 May 1986, according to Guinness World Records.

Guinness records that, at a Madison Square Garden concert on 19 July 1986, the group asked the crowd to hold up their Adidas while an Adidas executive, invited by the group’s co-manager, watched, and that Adidas then signed the group to a deal reported at 1.6 million dollars, the first sneaker endorsement for non-sporting performers.

The photograph shows black leather jackets and trousers, black brimmed hats, gold rope chains and white shell-toe trainers with three stripes.

Complex notes that Adidas Superstars were often worn completely unlaced, a habit the group made famous.

Party version. Black leather or black jeans and jacket, a black hat, a gold rope chain and white shell-toe trainers with the laces taken out.

Wardrobe version. White shell-toe trainers with black jeans and a black jacket carry the reference quietly; lace them for everyday wear.

Buying tip. Leather trousers get little use after a party, so hire or buy them second-hand.

The photograph shows a black leather jacket worn over a grey hoodie, with the hood out over the jacket collar, a white T-shirt, light blue jeans and aviator sunglasses.

Party version. On its own this outfit looks current, so add aviators and high-top trainers to point it towards the 1980s.

Wardrobe version. Wear it as shown, but size the jacket to allow for the hoodie or choose a thinner hoodie, and keep the jeans straight and the shoes plain.