Style Inspiration: 80s Dancers

Fame

Fame. Flashdance. Footloose. The 80s were full of dance-themed movies, and with the movies came dance-themed outfits. I confess to a secret fondness for these sometimes silly, sometimes cheesy, always drum-machine-accompanied tales of people being saved and redeemed by pulling on a leotard and some legwarmers.

Flashdance

I've always wanted to be a dancer, but as a kid I was too shy to take dance classes and risk looking silly because I wasn't good enough. Recently I've started taking dance classes and when I can't be dancing, I'm looking for dance-related media. The way dancers dress fascinates me. The aesthetic is an especially pleasing combination of function and style.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

The Look:

(Please excuse me making a very silly face in this one)

The Specs:
Shirt: Goodwill, a gift from a friend, cut up by me
Cami: Costco, dyed pink by me with Jacquard iDye

Shorts: Homemade cutoffs from Goodwill jeans
Tights: Body Wrappers stirrup tights, bought from discountdance.com
White legwarmers: Foot Traffic Super-Long Ribbed Leg Warmers in ivory, bought from Sock Dreams (I'll do a post about them soon)
Grey legwarmers: From a free pile, chenille socks with the feet cut off
Shoes: Rocket Dog, sadly discontinued
Laces: Sourpuss, also sadly discontinued
Bandanna: Free pile
Collar: Rivithead

Tuck in your cami for a leotard-under-shorts look, and for bonus 80s points, tie a bandanna around your head for a Madonna-like bow. Put on your best bored teenager face and you're ready for spontaneous choreographed dance numbers accompanied by drum machines and synthesizers.