Whether you seek gym inspiration from the 1980s fitness and aerobics craze, get physical like Olivia Newton-John, or want to channel Jane Fonda’s sweat style, we got you covered.
In this article, I’ll introduce you to the 80s’ most iconic workout clothing, the staples of the Jazzercise glory days.
From Flashdance-style off-shoulder sweatshirts to spandex suits in eyesore colors, fun leotards, bright tights, leg warmers, stretchy cropped tops, Dolfin shorts, and neon sweatbands, here’s everything you need to complete your 80s-style fitness costume.
Without delay, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to the era of aerobics and colorful workout clothes and dig out the 15 coolest retro activewear styles of the 80s.
1. Leotards
If you’ve been glued to your screen watching “Glow,” you’re not alone, honey!
The Netflix original series about a group of misfit actresses-turned-wrestlers in mid-80s LA is a real hoot.
It’s funny, heartwarming, and way more empowering than you’d expect for a show about women in spandex!
But let’s talk about the real star of the show – the wardrobe! Oh, the leotards!
So, if you’re looking for maximum movement and flexibility during exercise – or channel your inner wrestler – this is the 80s-inspired workout clothing style you want!
Leotards With Sheer Tights
Leotards and sheer tights are ideal for a stylish and elegant look. Yet, it is critical to match color and fabric; cotton, spandex, and lycra.
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Neon Leotards With Leggings
For the ‘leotards and leggings’ combo, choose stretchy and form-fitting materials that complement the leotard’s fabric.
Also, go for matching colors to create a seamless look.
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80s Leotards & Legwarmers Set
Pairing leotards with leg warmers are a great way to add a fun and stylish touch to your look while staying comfortable and warm.
Made from spandex or lycra and paired with leg warmers, this one-piece body-hugging garment was a staple of 80s workout gear.
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2. Shell Suits
As one of the must-have workout clothes of the decade, if you lived in the 80s, you must have had a shell suit.
You see, casual athletic clothing was already a thing towards the end of the 70s fashion era.
Yet, the 80s saw a surge in people’s desire to get fit, and that’s when synthetic fiber shell suits in bright colors and sparkly details became all the rage.
Before synthetic fiber shell suits came along, tracksuits were basic, comprised of a pair of sweatpants and a zip-up sweater jacket, as the one Sylvester Stallone wore in the Rocky movies.
Neon Shell Suits
The neon shell suit is famous again thanks to nostalgia for 80s fashion styles, the emergence of retro fashion, and streetwear adoption seeing a deep desire to make strong fashion statements.
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Shell Suits With Shorts
Embraced by streetwear enthusiasts who enjoy the daring style of the 80s and 90s decades, the shell suit Delfin shorts combo is an excellent choice for sports and casual events.
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Shell Suits With Skirt
Another excellent way to showcase your love for women’s 80s retro styles is to combine a neon shell suit with a skirt in the same color.
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3. Spandex Leggings
Made from a form-fitting, stretchy material that allowed for freedom of movement during physical activity, Spandex leggings were a massive trend in the 80s.
The look was popularized by the aerobics craze that swept the nation in the 80s and fitness icons of the era, such as Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John.
Paired with leg warmers, oversized tops, and sweatbands, 80s spandex leggings were worn not just for dancing or exercising but also as stylish casual wear – a fashion statement in its own right.
Spandex Leggings With Leotards
Shiny spandex leggings in wild colors and leotards were popularized by Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John during the aerobics craze that swept the nation in the 80s.
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Neon Spandex Leggings With Oversized Tops
If you want a fun and trendy look, wear neon spandex leggings and oversized tops with a boxy cut and loose, flowy shoulders.
Color-wise, coordination is critical – with the top, shoes, and accessories.
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Metallic Spandex Leggings With Cropped Tops
Another popular fitness look of the 80s (with women and men) was matching metallic leggings made of spandex with cropped tops.
For a perfect look, the cropped top must hit the right spot on your waistline.
A too-short cropped top might look indecent, while a too-long one will detract from the leggings’ metallic shine.
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4. Short Shorts
Named after the Dolfin brand, the manufacturers of the style, Dolfin (delphin) shorts were a popular clothing piece in the 1980s fashion for men and women.
The style was popular among swimmers, sunbathers, and beachgoers but was also worn as a statement piece rather than just functional swimwear.
Dolphin Shorts With Cropped T-shirt
Short shorts with cropped and belly-baring tops are an excellent way of showing off those toned abs.
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Short Shorts With Tank Top
Made of lightweight, breathable fabrics and characterized by a loose, tank top-style design in bright colors, jogging or track tank tops were a popular style of athletic wear in the 80s.
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5. Sheer tights
The 80s were about women’s empowerment, and sheer tights fit all the other fashion statements women made.
As everyone was donning a pair, from celebrities to politicians, sheer tights became a staple in every gal’s wardrobe.
Perfect for jazzing up any outfit, aerobics, lounging at the beach, or just trying to add a touch of sophistication to your look, 80s sheer tights came in all sorts of fun colors.
Ballet Sheer Tights with Leg Warmers
Wearing leg warmers with 80s-style ballet sheer tights is not just super stylish but keeps your feet warm and ready for the next rehearsal.
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Sheer Tights Leggings
Sheer-tight leggings are ideal for a unique combination of a “sexy look” with warmth, comfort, and style, especially when paired with chunky sneakers.
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6. Stirrup Pants
The stirrup pant – what a ride it’s been!
From helping women’s horseback riders in the 20s to becoming a staple in skiing events at the 1936 Olympics to their comeback in the 80s as aerobics wear – paired with shoulder-padded jackets and patterned sweaters – this simple piece of sportswear has some history to share.
Along the way, stirrup pants made their way into the mix with classic workwear pieces; roomy blazers, flowy blouses, and crisp button-up shirts – cinched with belts and slipped over chic heels, sturdy boots, or sleek loafers.
Spandex Stirrup Leggings
Wearing spandex stirrup leggings will create an elongated and sleek silhouette while keeping the ankles warm.
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Stirrup Pants With Vertical Lines
Striped stirrup pants are the thicker and warmer version of the classic spandex stirrups, ideal with cropped tops and athleisure wear.
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7. Zubaz Pants
Launched at the end of the 80s as a special kind of shorts for weightlifting men, Zubas workout pants had a comfortable, loose-fitting design with an elastic waistband.
Despite being marketed for weightlifters, it didn’t take long for Zubaz pants to become a huge fashion hit.
Zubaz pants are tapered at the ankle, with the outer leg longer than the inner leg, and have an elastic waistband for easy movement.
Early models had a bold zebra print that soon evolved into several eye-catching patterns in bright, bold, statement colors.
Zubaz Pants With Windbreakers
One of the trendiest styles of the 80s was wearing striped Zubaz pants with windbreakers and shell suit jackets in matching colors.
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8. Bodysuits
Men’s 80s athletic body suits were known as unitards, a one-piece garment covering the torso and legs.
The style became popular in the 80s thanks partly to the 1983 TV show “Flashdance” and “Jane Fonda’s Workout” series that popularized the use of unitards for men in dance and fitness culture.
Wrestling Bodysuits
While conferring the wearer freedom of movement, the 80s male singlets were designed to be sensual and revealing.
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Full-body Spandex Bodysuits
Full-body spandex bodysuits are made of stretchy, form-fitting materials like spandex and designed to cover the entire body.
Great for yoga and fitness activities, this versatile piece of athletic wear can be paired with leg warmers in contrasting colors and worn with or without shoes.
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9. Cropped Tees
Back in the day, even the manliest men were rockin’ these things to catch the ladies’ eye, ya know?
Cutoff shirts, crop tops, belly-baring tops – call them what you want – these tops were all about showin’ off your toned abs.
And it wasn’t just some random trend; nope, it was all over TV and movies.
Marky Mark, Johnny Depp, and the Fresh Prince had their moment in the crop top spotlight.
Cropped Tops With Dolphin Shorts
Dolphin shorts and cropped and belly-baring tops are excellent for showing off your muscular body and toned abs.
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Cropped Tees With Jean Shorts
For a more casual look that you can wear outside the gym, pair your cropped tops with denim shorts and converse shoes.
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10. 80s Jogging Tops
Made of lightweight, breathable fabrics and characterized by a loose, tank top-style design in bright colors, jogging or track tank tops were a popular style of athletic wear in the 80s.
Athletes like Michael Jordan, Carl Lewis, and Florence Griffith-Joyner are part of the history of fashion thanks to their track tank tops and athletic-inspired clothing.
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11. Leg Warmers
In the 80s, tube-like fabric accessories worn over leggings or tights – to keep legs warm during workouts – became an absolute fashion statement.
The popularity of leg warmers in the 80s was driven mainly by their association with dance and fitness and by the influence of popular music and fashion icons of the 80s.
Knee High Leg Warmers With Leotards
Knee-high leg warmers and leotards combo is an excellent way to create a stylish look while staying comfortable and warm.
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Ankle Legwarmers With Leggings
Great combo at the gym or while casually shopping at your local store, ankle leg warmers with leggings are one of the best 80s looks coming back in 2023.
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12. Tennis Headbands
The popularity of tennis headbands in the 80s was driven by the rise of tennis as a sport and the visibility of top tennis players, who wore them as part of their uniform.
Some of the most notable tennis players of the 80s known for wearing tennis headbands were:
- Chris Evert – wearing a thin, simple headband to keep her hair in place during matches.
- Bjorn Borg – a distinctive, wide headband that became a signature part of his look.
- John McEnroe – a thin, brightly colored headband, which he used to keep his hair out of his eyes during matches.
- Ivan Lendl – a thick, absorbent headband to help keep sweat from dripping into his eyes.
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13. Aerobic Hairbands
Available in neon colors designed to match the colorful workout clothing popular at the time, aerobic hairbands (or sweatbands) were popular during the 80s fitness craze.
Aerobic hairbands were around the forehead to absorb sweat and keep hair out of the face during intense workout sessions.
As pioneers of the aerobics fitness craze, Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John popularized aerobic hairbands through their workout videos.
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14. Scrunchies
Scrunchies are a hair accessory made of large elastic hair ties covered in fabric, used in the 80s to secure the hair in a ponytail or bun.
The fabric covering the elastic was made of satin, velvet, or silk in bright colors or patterns.
Molly Ringwald, Alyssa Milano, and Jennie Garth popularized scrunchies as fashion accessories in movies and TV shows like ‘The Breakfast Club,’ ‘Who’s the Boss?’ and ‘Beverly Hills 90210.’
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15. Sports High Socks
Knee-high sports socks become popular in America during the 1920s.
In the 1960s fashion, knee-high sports socks became a fashionable accessory that lasted through the 1970s and 1980s.
The trend resurfaced in the late 90s thanks to the movie ‘Clueless’ to become part of many school uniform requirements.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the 80s was a decade of unique fashion choices in aerobics workouts and athletic inspiration.
From crop tops to legwarmers, tennis headbands, sports high socks, scrunchies, leotards, and dolphin shorts, these workout clothes and aerobic costumes were not just functional but statements of good fashion style.
Athletes and celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Carl Lewis, Bjorn Borg, Alyssa Milano, Jane Fonda, and Will Smith helped popularize 80s fitness apparel and cemented their place in 80s pop culture.
So, whether you’re a nostalgic fan of the 80s fitness fashion or looking for a unique workout outfit, these classic pieces will bring retro flair to your fitness routine.
Time to go ahead and rock those neon leotards, legwarmers, and tennis headbands and bring the 80s back to life!
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Now it’s your turn…
Which one of these 80s workout clothes do you like the most and why?
Which workout clothing trends of the 1980s do you think we’ve missed and should include in our next article update?
Please leave your comments below; we always appreciate and use them to learn, improve, and update our articles.
After years of managing hundreds of fashion brands from London's office of a global retailer, Mandy has ventured into freelancing. Connected with several fashion retailers and media platforms in the US, Australia, and the UK, Mandy uses her expertise to consult for emerging fashion brands create top-notch content as an editorial strategist for several online publications.
