The 80s were supposedly all about looking sharp and being cool, but for those of us who grew up in the raddest decade of them all looking trendy often took a backseat to having fun with friends.
However, plenty of teens did try to stay on top of clothing trends, imitating shows like Miami Vice or Knight Rider by wearing cool duds that made them feel like their favorite characters.
But these teens were far from the norm, despite what shows set in the 80s would have you believe, and young people typically dressed for comfort rather than flash.
Many teens used their choice of wardrobe to say something about the crowd they ran with, and whether they preferred the company of preps, nerds or rockers.
And by the late 1980s boy bands were driving girls (and a few guys) wild, so teen girls started using their "unique" sense of style to share their passions with the world. NKOTB 4 LIFE!!
See 80's Young Fashion: Color Photos Of U.S. Teen Girls During The 1980s here