Guide to Miami Vice Women’s Fashion

Let’s have a throwback to the 80s, a decade of glamor and bold dressing. Women fashion revolutionized in the 80s and much change was there due to the Miami Vice fashion introduced for both men and women. Different models and celebrities were promoting it which is why it is still considered as an idea for the costume parties even now. Getting the classic Miami Vice look today might require some careful search. The following article will provide you a complete overview of the Miami Vice Women’s Fashion.

The Change of the 80s

Since this was a decade where women were also starting to work, a formal dressing in the form of a pant suit for women was introduced. Other important changes were because of the celebrities and musicians being an important fashion icon that were being followed by a large audience. Inspiration came from popular singers such as Madonna or actresses such as Saundra Santiago.

The Miami Vice style became popular after the famous TV show “Miami Vice”. Dynasty was also a show that got popular for the range of fashion tried by the actors and actresses.

About the TV Show – Miami Vice

80s was a time when the television series and film industry of America were growing. Many of the Oscar winning films have been produced in this growing time period while shows were also becoming a source of casual entertainment. Miami Vice was a crime drama television show which was produced by Michael Mann for NBC. Stars of the series included Don Johnson as James “Sonny” Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs.

The entire show was based on crime and investigation with the help of Metro Dade Police Department detectives in the city of Miami. The show was first aired on September 16, 1984 and ended on January 25, 1990. The show was based on the New Wave culture and became popular for the featuring music as well as the visuals. The dress up in the show became quite popular and was worn by celebrities of the time such as Joan Collins. According to the People Magazine, the Miami Vice was the first show to look new and different ever since the color TV was invented.

Further promotion of the TV series took place when a film was created on the show and was released on July 28, 2006.

Logo for the television series, Miami Vice.

Dresses

Most of the dresses featured throughout the decade were the ones which were more open for women. The concept of sheer tights as well as tight clothes was seen in the Miami Vice show as well. Most dresses were brightly colored and also in the shiniest fabric such as silk. Joan Collins has been known to wear such dresses during her shoots. One of the most common casual wears was a t-shirt with an off shoulder in bright colors. This was also considered as a party dress for many if it was designed in a fancier way.

A few adult women were more interested in having a poufy dress that was a bit above the knee with a large belt on the waist. The shoulders were either cut or were in a puffy style. The wide shoulders were often padded for functions and events. A preppy look was observed with a simple jean mini skirt and a polo shirt for women. Some of the most common dresses include The Power Suit, The Lame, The Jump Suit, and similar others as well.

If you want to follow the typical style, we suggest you find a bright colored dress that goes well with a big belt and you have an allowance for one shoulder to be left naked. That way, you could become the perfect Madonna of the 80s and have all the attention from the party.

Famous Actor Joan Collins with fellow Sophia Loren 

Pants

The wide legged pants were one of the most popular outfits of the era. Majority of the dresses were made in a way such that the wide legged pants were an essential part of them. The number of working women increased which indicated the fact that a much more professional dressing for women was also needed. This is a time when the Pant Suit was invented.

There was a suit jacket that the women used to wear above a formal shirt. This was followed by the oversized shoulder pads which gave a little bit of designing from the typical 80s fashion as well. For women who were more interested in the glam, they used to wear a bright colored blouse with glitzy buttons as well. This gave an attractive look to the women which is why it became readily popular. In other cases, a silky camisole was worn underneath.

In case the women wanted to go somewhere casual, the Z Cavaricci pants were worn. Finding them today could be difficult but we are sure you might be able to find one at Amazon.com or perhaps a nearby thrift store. The Z Cavaricci Pants were special ones that were complemented with a tight waist along with a button belt.

With a baggy middle and tapered leg, it gave the perfect dressing for the evenings. Fancy blouses such as those made out of silk or the ones that had a batwing sleeve were worn underneath. Compare that with today and you will see how women ‘s fashion has totally changed.

Accessories

Accessories have been a part of women’s fashion for quite a long time. In fact, in the typical Miami Vice style, they were considered essential. Women used to wear tens of bracelets on each arm to bring up the fancy style. Bracelets have always been favourites of women. Now also best friend bracelets are so popular among teenagers and even adults. To add more to the cool look, glasses, preferably in a golden frame were popular. Ray ban was one of the most popular brands for glasses during the 80s.

Mascara was an important element of the women’s makeup. It was the decade of the 80s where colored eyelids were first getting common. Heavily overstated makeup was not considered odd rather it was considered as a sign of royalty at that time. This also included wearing a very bright colored lipstick such as shocking pink, light red, and other kinds of lipstick mainly in the shiny element.  In addition to that, the clear lip gloss was used as an add on if it still didn’t give the women enough glam. Although, blush on was not common but was still a part of the Miami Vice Style.

The shoes were no less than anything special and fancy. Mostly, the high heels were worn in casual parties while in some formal events low heels were also common. In addition to that, for very casual occasions such as evenings with friends, the jelly shoes were a part of the fashion and these were made out of PVC Plastic.

Decade of 80s was to Go Bold or Go Home.

Hairstyle

The hairstyle was as important as the overall dressing or the accessories in the Miami Vice Style. Scrunchies were very popular and were often seen in the actresses of the Miami Vice television show. The ponytails hang to one side giving a typical look of the time. Bandannas were also quite popular. One could roll them over either in the form of a headband with a bow or use it over their forehead as an extra. The entire idea was based on giving the hair a funky look along with a big puff.

Getting this big puff is not quite easy for the stylists. Therefore, even if you are trying to get one, chances are you might fail. The best way to do so is to use a curl-scrunch spray on the top of your head and then blow dry your hair. Once this is done, the ladies should tilt their head and dry the hair with a diffuser. Just before flipping the hair upright, the hair spray should be used underneath. This will give your hair the perfect pop that you have been missing. Make sure to follow the directions exactly and try doing so right after you have taken a bath and shampooed your hair.

Make sure that in no way should your hair be appearing as shiny or sleek as it was not common in the Miami Vice style. Just focus on getting the big hair and focus on showing off the volume of your hair.

Overview

In a nutshell, the Miami Vice style is the one which is focused on giving an aggressive look since the show it is based on was on the element of crime. Many additions have been made to the Miami Vice style even after the show ended. This includes chains and show off hats as well. Long hair is also a popular element within the style of men that follow the specific Miami Vice Style that may give a girly but cool look.  If you are looking for Miami Vice men style, you should visit this link.

Conclusion

The fashion trends have evolved and changed by a major extent since the 1980s. However, the famous styles such as the Miami Vice have remained popular among the people for a long time. In a nutshell, the Miami Vice style was to “go bold or go home”. If you want to get your outfit like the Miami Vice style, all the guidelines are in the above article. Share it with others to help them dress up as the perfect Miami Vice girl.