80s Party Costume Idea: Mall Rat

Think the opening scenes of Valley Girl when the group of girls is shopping at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in, like, the real Valley. This is your mission. This costume includes all the standard 80s fashion elements and is only limited in execution by your imagination.

80s mall rat costume idea for girls

This great costume is a user-submitted picture of her daughter dressed up for 80s day at school. Lots of great elements here: big hoop earrings, leggings under a skirt, bangles, frizzy hair, blue eye shadow and bright lips. Go Alexis!

  Here are some essential elements:

Tops

  • huge top option #1: a big button down with shoulder pads in a bright color or pattern with the color up
  • huge top option #2: sweatshirt or other knit with the neck of the top so it hangs off one shoulder
  • brightly colored tank top underneath showing
  • belted low with a big belt

Bottoms

Shoes / Socks

Hair & Accessories

  • crimped hair put it in a high side pony tail with a bright colorful hair scrunchie
  • blue eye shadow with blue or teal or purple eyeliner (worn on the inside!)
  • bright lipstick (brand: wet n’ wild)
  • lots of bangles on both arms

 

Author: Pia Sooney

Just a little obsessed with all things 80s, Pia still has her Swatch, her cassette tape collection, and her Converse Chucks. When not making friendship pins or listening to Depeche Mode, she runs a web design business.

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