80's Dancewear

Tweet

Imagine having a time machine and you are wondering about 80's dancewear. You want to go back to a dance class in 1985, so you key in the year and you land smack dab in a dance studio. What clothes do you see on the dancers? How would they accentuate their dancing? If I were to have a time machine and traveled back to the class that took place that year, I'll see more than just leotards and legwarmers (the items you'll think of when I mention the dancewear of the time as well as the activewear of the time, regarding the era of aerobics). Dance trunks, or dance briefs - garments that look like panties and come in many styles like French-cut/high-leg - are not just for undergarments for a skirt or dance costume. They are all over the place as outerwear. Just take a look at movies of the 80's like Stayin' Alive (1983) or A Chorus Line (1985), for instance. Dancers wore those panty-like garments over unitards, pretty much like what some comic book protagonist heroes wore. They also wore them over tights (both ballet-standard as well as ankle leggings), paired with tops that show their midriffs, like bra tops. I am fascinated by the dancewear nowadays, with booty shorts, cami/tank tops, and bra tops galore. But that of the 80's fascinated me even more deeply, not because it's more modest. But I love how tacky, yet interesting a pair of dance trunks looked on ankle tights paired with a crop top! What do you think of the decade's practice dance attire? How does it compare with that of recent times?