Ah, the 80s. The time of big hair, synth music, and shoulder pads. From the trailer footage and marketing that we have already seen, the team behind the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 is certainly prepared to take us on a blast to the past with a classic 1980s aesthetic. Steve Trevor rocks a fanny pack and parachute pants, New Order’s “Blue Monday” gives the promise of a stellar soundtrack, we have some big fight scenes at the local shopping mall, and the bright neon posters and logos are totally tubular. Here are ten other 80s trends and happenings we definitely want to see make an appearance in Wonder Woman’s latest adventure.
1. Aqua Net
Barbara Minerva has a definite 80s style with (as expected) all of her animal print, but 1984 wasn’t just about the clothes. It was just as much about the extreme hair. As Barbara, Kristen Wiig sports some luscious curly locks, and what better way to get that all-day hold that will last through a fight with an Amazon than with a whole can of everyone’s favorite 80s hairspray with its iconic scent?
Mmm, I can smell this movie already – and I’m not talking about the popcorn.
2. Preppy Power Suit Business Fashion
While we love the 80s for its bright and loud (okay, and sometimes obnoxious) fashion statements, not everything was spandex and leg warmers. Plus, let’s face it, sweatbands and leotards just don’t seem sophisticated enough for the Princess of the Amazons. And it’s impossible to talk 80s fashion without talking about Princess Diana, one of the most beloved women of the time. Lady Di’s iconic 80’s preppy fashion choices created must-have looks for women back then, and she continues to inspire modern women everywhere, including celebrities like Rihanna. And, as seems to be the case, superheroes with a very similar name.
3. Lace
Diana and Barbara might be just a little too mature for some of the crazier fashion trends of the 1980s, but one that we want to see either one of them (or both!) decked out in is lace. Back when MTV still played music videos, Madonna of course was the one to popularize this look at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards. Lace tops, fishnets, and big chunky jewelry inspired by the Queen of Pop is a look we know Cheetah would absolutely rock. Plus, with Madonna’s biopic right around the corner, we can’t think of a better time to bring back this trend.
4. Vinyl Records
Okay, yes, they were around way before 1984, but hear us out. The 80s saw tons of music trends: from the boombox, to the Walkman, to the very beginnings of the CD, but vinyl record sales still dominated the market until the mid 1980s, then cassette sales took the lead. But Diana Prince goes back to 1918, and with her history, it’s easy to believe that records would be most familiar and comforting to her. So, we’ll leave the Walkman to Peter Quill and Guardians of the Galaxy, and instead, we’re hoping to see a turntable or two spinning Prince’s Purple Rain or Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
5. Orange Julius
Not just any shopping mall food court staple will do the trick here. With her fascination for ice cream in the first Wonder Woman movie, we know Diana can have a bit of a sweet tooth, and what better way to satisfy that craving in 1984 than with the classic orange and vanilla frothy treat? Eagle-eyed fans may have already spotted the Hot Dog on a Stick and Waldenbooks in the trailers, so here’s hoping we get some refreshing drinks to go along with our shopping adventures.
6. ‘Splash’
1984 saw the release of some of our most beloved movies, including Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Gremlins. But another 1984 fictional couple we love is Madison and Allen, played by Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks in Touchstone Pictures’ Splash. It’s a fish out of water love story – literally – between an otherworldly mermaid and the man she saves from drowning. Sound familiar? Yeah, we thought so, too. Ownership rights might make this Eater Egg a little tricky, but we can still dream.
7. Polaroid Cameras
Diana has saved pictures dating all the way back to World War I – back when getting your picture taken was a huge ordeal – so we know she would adore having a Polaroid instant camera. Her photographs would be artistic, capturing the architecture of the time, as well as the plentiful neon. You might even find a photograph of her and Barbara, and of course, a sickeningly sweet one of her and Steve after the two are reunited.
8. Oversized Graphic Tees With Rolled Sleeves
Okay, yes, we did just say that Diana does have a chicer sense of fashion than the loud neon and animal print that characterized the 1980s, but we’re still hoping to see her in at least one casual outfit. The 1980s were booming with graphic tees of all kinds, from slogan tees to concert tees, and it’s hard not to picture George Michael’s bold CHOOSE LIFE shirt from the 1984 “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” music video. We have our fingers crossed for a nice, bold (easily marketable) t-shirt to be Diana’s choice of pajamas or loungewear.
9. Slice Soda
We got the juice! PepsiCo first introduced Slice in 1984, with a lemon-lime flavor that boasted of containing 10% fruit juice – so kids everywhere could claim that it checked off the fruits section on their food pyramid. A diet version would later be introduced, along with flavors like apple, mandarin orange, and cherry cola. We can totally see Wonder Woman sipping down on one of these to rehydrate. Sierra Mist would end up nearly fizzing out Slice entirely by the early 2000s, and the fruity soda wouldn’t be reintroduced until 2018 – this time as a sparkling water. They just don’t make it like they used to.
10. A Random Musical Number
This might make more sense in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, but Patty Jenkins is awesome enough that she could totally make it work. Most of the time, they seem to be thrown into the movie for no apparent reason, but they usually make for some of our favorite moments in 1980s flicks. Who doesn’t love Tom Cruise sliding into the room in his socks in Risky Business, or the gang jamming through detention in The Breakfast Club, or even a possessed group dance in Beetlejuice? And it wouldn’t be totally out of the realm for Diana – she does dance (or sway) in the first movie, after all. But, hey, let’s have a random Ferris Bueller’s Day Off-style musical moment for absolutely no reason at all. Because it’s 1984 and superheroes deserve to have a little fun, too. After all, 1989’s Batman did.
Bonus: The Invisible Jet
Okay, this isn’t technically a 1984 throwback since the jet made its first debut in the Sensation Comics #1 in 1942, but good luck convincing us that Diana and Steve aren’t flying in the Invisible Jet here. While it may be visible in the trailers, we still have our fingers crossed that Wonder Woman will finally take to the skies with pilot Steve Trevor in her famous veiled plane (and have a happier ending for both of them).
What 1980s trends are you hoping to spot in Wonder Woman 1984? See what makes the cut in theaters on December 25!
