1980s Fashion Coats

The punk rock movement in the 1980s influenced the design of leather jackets.punk guy in london image by Jerome Dancette from Fotolia.com

Economic advancements in 1980s United States significantly influenced the fashion trends at the time. It was a decade that favored new technology and young ideas in the fashion world. Pop culture and celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Madonna also influenced the popular trends. While the 1980s fashion trends spanned all types of clothing items and textiles, there were several specific coats and jacket styles that were fashionable in the decade.

Members Only Jacket

The Members Only jacket may be one of the most emblematic coats of the 1980s. The jacket and the brand were must haves for any fashionable person in the decade. It was made from a signature cotton outer textile with a nylon lining. The coats varied in color, but they all had elastic wristbands, elastic waistbands, and breast pockets. The coats also had snaps on the tops of both shoulders and a collar closure that snapped closed near to the neck. The Members Only logo was featured above the left lapel of each coat.

Leather jackets saw a resurgence of popularity in the '80s, especially because of certain pop culture icons such as Michael Jackson and rock groups like Guns & Roses. Leather jackets and blue denim jeans were essential parts of casual clothing, especially for young people. The 1980s also gave birth to punk fashion industry, which included wearing sleeveless leather jackets and the full-sleeved leather MCs worn by many punk rock icons. The 1980s was the first to see major designers, such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood create collections around the punk design. Nontraditional designs were also popular in 1980s leather coats, such as off-centered zipper and flap pockets. Leather was also used for customized blazers.

At the end of the 1980s, acid-washed denim clothing was extremely trendy for both women and men. Many individuals made their own acid-washed denim coats by soaking a regular denim jacket in a bleach solution. But even without a home treatment, all types of designers and stores sold acid-washed denim jackets. Navy denim jackets were most frequently acid washed, but toward the end of the decade, other colors, such as black and even neons, became trendy as denim jackets.