Why, why, why are young African Americans wearing 80’s hip hop fashions? I’m seeing this look all over Washington, DC. Bright colors, throwback hip hop t-shirts from Urban Outfitters…what’s next Jams and Short sets? It wasn’t that cute back in 1984. Gold chains (thick rope chains), plaid pants, ill fitting Adidas track suits (i.e. tight like LL Cool J back in the day…he looked good though), asymmetrical hair (men and women…looking like Kwame)…what is all of this. I happened upon the Jeantrix Myspace profile and was like DAYUM…they bringin 80s back, yeah! I’m not going to be buying into this trend. Maybe some retro pumas or old school Adidas joints…but no Yay. No puffy paint, frosted jeans, or huge mega bamboo earrings…NO Yes, yes, yes.
Sorry, I changed my mind…80s fever got me. I just went back to the jeantrix myspace…that sh** is so FRESH! LOL LOL Oh I want one of the hoodies.
Update: Click here for the follow up article – 80s fashion essentials
58 Comments
December 1, 2007 at 11:43 pm
Eww.this is so Ugly I am a 16 year old and i would never wear nothing like this.Why would you want to bring something back? its plain stupid and ugly..really that style is not cute.it looks tacky && very colorful altogether but what ever makes them happy.
December 5, 2007 at 9:31 am
fashion always does a 360. we’re so unoriginal that we look to the past to dress ourselves in the present. no, i’m kidding. eras have always influenced fashion, i remember when bellbottoms came back and i was the proud owner of 5 or 6 pairs of them joints. its fun emulating a time from the past, and although some people do go full throttle, most of us throw in a vintage peice here & there just to compliment our look, or modernize the look to a level noone has thought of before. i love fashion because its what you make it, you make it fly.
December 6, 2007 at 11:12 pm
yall are DEFINITELY some haters.their clothes are the “IT”. They’re young, Doing something positive with theirselves and remember yall are focused ON THEM! they’re obviously doing something right!
December 16, 2007 at 4:34 am
Style is never original it’s always, imitated from a previous time period. I think that even though people may look at these styles and think that they are ugly it will slowly but surely make it’s way into your closet piece by piece. I love me some big hoop earring with a cute little sweater, skinny jeans and some peek toe shoes simple but definately from another time like the 70’s. I was born in the 80’s and I don’t know anything about that fashion era but I bet I will soon! it’s all about having fun.
December 19, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I love the 80s. bring it back bring it back
M.I.A. be doin it too
December 20, 2007 at 2:30 am
daMn tHee fiTz r lYke sUpa fLyy!!!!
fUck waT tH3m haTaz iZ saYin!!!
iM 0n daT 80′z tiP riGht n0w & yaLL iz tRuLyy w0rkin iT…
r3al taLk…
lUvin tHee sTylE…
December 29, 2007 at 7:19 pm
tHiiS StYL3 iIS S0 KrAzZii!!!!! iiM 4rM DE Nd iiTz S0 WaK R0UND H3R3 ERrB0Dii D0iiN Da SaM3 tHiiNg……iiM HaViiN a 80′Z ThEmE PaRtY Nd iiM MaKiiN aN 3NTrAnC3 Nd Th3S3 PiiX iiZ R3L3 H3LPiiN M3 0Ut G3T MaH Dr3Ss 2G3ThA …HaTaZ St0P HaTiiN WaT yAlL D0iiN iiZ MaDD K00L….!!!!!!!!!
January 2, 2008 at 11:55 pm
THAT STYL3 iiZ OH SO FLY! ii LiiK3 TH3 R3TRO LOOK…ii LiK3 HOW TH3Y AR3 BRiiNGiiNG TH3 80’s BACK
January 3, 2008 at 6:20 am
See its all about your swagg… i think the 80s thing i hell-a kool. Only people with true fashion since will be able to understand the beauty in this trend. Fashion is art and and art is nothing but an expression… so fc*k those haters. we are just expressing our selves.
January 4, 2008 at 11:55 am
Retro clothing is the bomb! My favorite place to find it is Goodwill or any thrift store. Ebay is also a great place to find what you are looking for.
January 4, 2008 at 1:19 pm
i love this style i actully dress like this now,i think it’s very cute and at the school i go to nobody is really on it yet so i fell diffrent and unique and lots of people like it.
January 10, 2008 at 1:46 am
Oh, god. I was just saying to a friend that I want to bring back the bamboo earrings (at least two pair.) I was too bourgie back in the day to wear them; can a 35 year old woman rock them with style? Damn skippy!!
January 18, 2008 at 10:32 pm
It’s kinda ironic that i came upin this cause i just hopped off of jeantrix’s myspace. . i personally love the 80’s style b4 it became popular i was the one who culdnt wait for decades day durin spirit week to rock the 80’s look . . . .i love neon colors n jeantrix is doin thier thing whoevers hatin can hop off cause they’re makin their money
January 19, 2008 at 4:49 am
i rock mah 80’s outfit like no bodies business. i love bamboo earrings. usually wear the large cause it brings out mah face. im a 90’s child but 80’s are sexy. bright color = bomb. shoot who want to wear dull dark colors…..nah im straight. i love to stand out with mah kicks to mah cloths. and YUP i got jockers on mah ass
— kimster
January 22, 2008 at 1:45 am
this is ridiculous, fashion does do a 360 whether anyone likes it or not. if you don’t you need to losen up! have fun with your clothing its all about style. Fashion doesn’t only concentrate on one thing it goes all around. this isn’t only being prejudiced but racist so hype down, theres more to this than you see:]
January 23, 2008 at 3:13 pm
The 80s fashion era is definitely it! I’ve always been in love with that era even before it made it’s way back the way it did now….the bright colors, retro kicks, leg warmers, tutu skirts…I love it all….like someone said here, only people with true fashion sense will really appreciate this because in the end, fashion is an artform…..I personally take my favorite pieces from each era (50s to the 90s) and create my own look but I am definitely living in an loving the 80s right now (even tho I’m a child of the 90s)….Jeantrix, f*** all the haters, you all are definitely doing your thing…..and when your line drops in stores, I will be rocking it…
January 25, 2008 at 6:22 pm
80s, 90s hip hop golden era is where it’s at. neon is what’s gewd.
January 29, 2008 at 11:34 am
Anything is better than the “look at my draws” look we have now. If they are pulling their pants up I am for it. Retro or not
January 30, 2008 at 3:59 pm
They dumb nice. they are about to do my fashion show cant wait to see the final outcome
February 1, 2008 at 12:56 pm
i thinK da 80’s looK iS seRious… so HateRz stop HatiN’!!!
February 9, 2008 at 10:54 am
I would rock some of the 80’s fashion. I just am not into the leggings and leg warmers..
February 21, 2008 at 12:50 pm
MYSPACE.COM/THERETROKIDZ
THEY BROUGHT THE 80S BACK
THEY MADE IT KOOL
I LOVE THEM 4 BEING SO BRAVE LOL
February 23, 2008 at 12:57 am
OKAY OKAY !WHATEVER THE 80′S LOOK IS APART OF FASHION AND OBVIOUSLY THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND HAVE NO LOVE FOR FASHION,FASHION CAN BE CRAZY, NORMAL, FUN, UNIQUE, CLASSY, TRASHY,ORIGINAL,ETC AND MANY OF THE COMMENTS PEOPLE POSTED DON’T UNDERSTAND! THE LOOK IS CUTE! IF I SAW A PERSON IN A PAIR OF COW BOY BOOTS AND HOODY WE CAN WORK ON IT! I LOVE FASHION-LOL
February 23, 2008 at 1:52 pm
no the 80’s style was better then this century cuz you know it was more colourfull nice cutures,everything the Adidas style the big hoop earings i just loved it…now the style of todays world change completely from people releasing new clothing lines,but we shall never for get our 1980’s style cuz we will always need it some day for remebrence so we shall not hate on that….do all of you agree with me right?
February 25, 2008 at 4:12 pm
umm…I’m not a fan
high tops & cross colors need to stay in House Party
February 28, 2008 at 8:08 pm
I LOVE this!!!!!!! the bold colors are awsome!!!!
i would dress like this everyday!!!! BEST CLOTHES EVER!!!!!!!!!
March 6, 2008 at 4:09 pm
weLL iiM ToTaLLy diGgiiN da 80″s CoMebaCk..
I’m thROwiiNg an 8os OLd schOol paRty. And ThaT shIts Gonna Be suPa FLy.. ha.I <33 The FUnKy coLors and RaNdoM tEe”S And OfcouRse You goTta roCk the FuNky DuNks.. && fruiTy kicks.. Word.
I tHink tHat u truLy need To add Yo oWn flaVa” to did sTyLe .. lIke I do… [=
you aLwaYs goTta stay UniQue && FuNky Freshh..
LubbiN iT!!
.YuMs.
March 8, 2008 at 12:10 am
What y’all takin bout? They all look so WRONG! It was bad then, and it’s even worse now. The only thing positive they could be doing with themselves, is if they go and burn those clothes! Big hoop earings? There are hoe’s still wearing those today. I call them ankle rests. And what’s with the Tu-Tu? I’d be so embarrassed to walk out dressed like that, I’d pull my wig down all over my face. WRONG WRONG WRONG.
Rule number one of fashion: less is more
March 24, 2008 at 5:22 am
eh iono at first i was like oh thats cool but if you really think about it when this all passes your gona look back and go wow i looked reaaaaaly stupid.
just like kids from 80s said haha
it looks like u just bought everything neon and dint care if it went and just put it all together to get attention and look like a idiot
March 25, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Young African Americans…does this exclude young blacks that are not AA (West Indian) like me?
Lol, sorry I just feel left out when people say ‘African American’.
April 10, 2008 at 1:55 pm
yo yall style is krazy i would like yall 2 send mi up dates on yalll newest out fitz or any of that stuff >>80’s babii<<
k3lly
April 16, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Is that Ja Rule in the first pic, on the right side.
Damn fifty hit that guy hard, I was wondering what he was up to.
April 21, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I am way over my teen years, but the 80’s fashion was one of the best, as we took from every decade before and what you got is what you got. I hung on to a few key pieces, and wish my daughter would rock them.
April 23, 2008 at 4:56 pm
DAMN THE 80Sz As You Can See, Is The Style Right Now =] So Haters Drink Some Of THAT Style. :] And Btw Their Style Is FRESH Unlike Some Ppl With No Shxt.
“How Can You Call It a LifeStyle When You Dont Live Ya Life In Style?” TO THE HATERS !
April 24, 2008 at 1:18 pm
thats shit is hot killmoe i from d.c. and thats 80’s baby we back
April 26, 2008 at 3:02 pm
yeahh im all into the fad too
me and my friend Breanna
be rockin dat swagg at skool
and aint nobody doin it YET
but we got some bitterz but u kno
its allll about havin fun with ya closet
and fashion defiantly is just a circle
its gonna go around all lifetime
April 29, 2008 at 9:25 am
I like it! =] It’s funky.
April 30, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Kendra stop hatin’ the eighties is comin BACK SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 1, 2008 at 11:50 am
i jus wantd to know were tou get your 80’s theme cloths at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14, 2008 at 10:42 am
i want 2 be a 80s kid
May 20, 2008 at 6:11 pm
i lub dha 80’s real wrap!
i THINK iT (wILL) b bACK…
fASHION iS RECYCLED FROM DHA neW 2 dhA olD——-THE OLD TO dhA NEw every tHING iS rECYCLED eVEN suM OF dHA oLD DANCEs IS cOMMiN back now!
May 21, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Aha , too jokes, but hey this website is wackk yeoo : ) .. Yeah 80’s ownnned i loved. the DUE’S
aha , so sexxxxed moofooo ! 
& pluss , i think you should calm down on the swearing parttt : ) thats just a smart idea,nooo ??
May 29, 2008 at 10:43 pm
ThE 80’s Is WhErE iTs At
I LoVE alL Dem ColoRs!!
June 15, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Im a 80’s baby and thats where its at!
July 7, 2008 at 11:22 pm
i like the girls’ fashions a whole lot better than the guys- but then again- at least the guys are wearing their pants up on their butts. it’s all-around cool just for that
July 21, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I’m white nd I love 80s fashion, today it’s very hot and I suppose dat it become VERY popular( dat makes me sad( but anyway I luv 80s
August 15, 2008 at 11:30 pm
WOW! have yall saw their new pics?They actually put TRASH on clothes!!! A real fashion head like me LOVES THIS!!! they’re too creative!
September 26, 2008 at 4:28 pm
why are you such a hater dont blame it on th ekids blame it on tha ppl who make them and personally idt its anything wrong with wat they wear!!!!
September 30, 2008 at 1:22 pm
YALL SOME HATERz..
i L O V E THiS STYLE
MY PARTY’S THE 80′S THEME
SO U KNO iM BOUT TA BE
DRESSED UP REAL CUTE…
BUH YEA LOViN THE FiTS
AND THE STYLE (its d o p e]*
October 3, 2008 at 7:19 pm
DAMN I FUCKIN LUV THIS I WANNA DRESS LIKE DIS ERIE DAY AND DONT LISTEN WAT THEM HATEAZ BE SAYIN
October 5, 2008 at 3:30 am
I’m 21 and I love 80’s fashion, and I listen to nothing but 80’s music, mostly Synthpop, New Wave, Freestyle (not rap freestyle), and Rock, I love these clothes, it’s not ugly it’s creative, and I think we need creativeness back, 60’s and 70’s fashion came back, so should the 80’s, and what I like about 80’s fashion is that there were so many cool styles, people did there thing and no one bothered them, I also love 80’s movies, I actually grew up watching most of em as a kid, for 80’s HipHop, people should check out Beat Street, Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2.
and for the people who are hating, and don’t know much about the 1980’s: for one EVERYTHING in the 80’s wasn’t neon, there was also pastels, and darker colors, everything wasn’t just about color, it was about style and being creative, I think the millenium (00’s) fashion has to be one of the most boring and depressing ever.
October 24, 2008 at 8:57 am
I love these Kats! They are so unique. Not only are they young but they really are working hard for what they want. They have a vision that they want to achive! And plus…………….. THEY ARE MAKING MY PROM DRESS!!!!!!!!!
October 25, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Ok 2 all tha pepole whothink this is “lame” where do u think skinny jeanz came from????? or kanye west glasses ,or graphic t shitrs ,converse ,vans bamboo earringz ,so juust b cuz itz old doeznt mean itz tacky
November 23, 2008 at 5:44 am
80s/70s fasion. r awesome…. 80s rock.. some good music….. most of the fasion we have.. come from u guyss.. and they r razz…
u should see melbourne.. its filled with it…. it rocks.. 80s is come.. “back”.. good times……
December 25, 2008 at 3:42 pm
1 yall wouldnt wear bcuz sum yall white trash and 2 half yall wouldnt luk good in it any wayz
and this is coming from a angry NEGRO
April 29, 2009 at 7:12 pm
i think that is good that yall are coming back with the 80’s look.I think that is what my school is going to do for spirit week…… yall look fly!!
May 22, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Hey I’m 16 right now in 2009. I have to say I absolutely hate my time era. This stuff is not tacky, it is lively. They aren’t trying to be so ‘real’ that their balls are showing. In those days I might have actually liked hip hop, and I know so thanks to the Sugar Hill Gang.
Leggings, Dresses, Overdone makeup, MAKE GIRLS HOT! Without making them sluts or bitches or hoes.
May 27, 2009 at 1:40 am
i dress like this because it gives me a chance to be me…dont have to worry about someone with the same shirt on…i show my true race…AFRICAN AMERICAN this is true FACHION