Stranger Things season 4 recently hit audiences via Netflix, and with it, it brought its signature ’80s nostalgia. From a great soundtrack of tunes to numerous ’80s pop culture references, Stranger Things works hard to immerse the audience in the time period.
Last season, fans couldn’t stop recreating their favorite looks on the show, with some clothing brands even releasing recreations. Sweatbands, leg warmers, vests, and classic ’80s prints have all made appearances on the show and this season was no different, featuring some great ’80s looks that fans will undoubtedly want to replicate.
Mrs. Wheeler’s Sweatband Look
Karen Wheeler has had some of the best outfits when it comes to the ’80s mom aesthetic on the show. Most notably, she had an iconic swimsuit scene that fans loved. She continues, in season 4, to have some of the Hallmarks of classic 1980s fashion and sets the benchmark for ’80s mom looks.
Last season, she had fluffy curls and chunky jewelry as her statement accents. This season, she’s worn a variety of athleisure looks featuring jazzercise-esque braided sweatbands of various colors and patterns. This is representative of the huge Jazzercise movement of the ’80s and how women were bringing the “just exercised” look into their daily lives.
Argyle’s Printed Pants And Hat
Argyle, Jonathan’s new California friend, has the signature surfer boy in the ’80s look. He wears several different prints together–whether they match or not–and completes his outfits with an up-turned baseball hat. Mixing and matching bright hues and patterns is the quintessential trademark of the ’80s.
Argyle is a Stranger Things side character that has major main character energy, and he communicates a lot of his charm through his clothes, making them even more iconic, as they match his colorful personality. His persona is just as bright as his printed pants.
Angela’s Classroom Look
With a large scrunchie that’s very characteristic of the time period and a pair of statement earrings with a matching necklace, Angela is a vision in pink when she gives her presentation on Hellen Keller. She gives off major “it girl” energy and her outfits communicate her confidence.
Angela may be the token mean girl, one of the 80s pop culture references, but she shows from her very first appearance that she can pull off the height of 1980s fashion, and she continues to put effortlessly chic looks together in the rest of the episode.
Angela And Friends At Rink-O-Mania
Angela’s not the only one of El and Will’s new classmates who dress to impress. When Angela and her friends visit Rink-O-Mania, they’re all dressed in classically cool ’80s garb. They are the representative cool clique of the show, and the way that they coordinate shows that they’re a close group—especially in contrast with El’s more muted tones and boxier shaped dress.
Acid wash denim jackets with neon printed shirts all go perfectly with the vibrant ’80s vibe of the roller rink, and the group almost glows with their outfit color schemes, wearing a lot of turquoise blue, pink, and neon green, bringing attention to themselves and the way that El looks up to them.
Mike’s California Outfit
Mike definitely doesn’t usually wear anything like he did while he visits El and the Byers in California. Some Redditors may think that Mike and El don’t belong together, but he clearly wanted to impress her with some West Coast fashion.
He has a vibrantly-printed visor with a sunshine yellow button-down and finishes the look off with some white sunglasses. There’s still a little hint of Hawkins, though, as the under-layer of Mike’s outfit remains on the plainer side, acting as a metaphor of the disconnect that their two worlds are having.
Eddie’s Hellfire Club Outfit
Filling the rock-icon-cool-guy void left by Billy is a new character, Eddie. On the outside, Eddie looks like the epitome of the ’80s rocker grunge–but on the inside, he is a kind soul and has some of the best friendships of the season. As the episodes go on, he takes off layers of his looks to reveal a more stripped-down, vulnerable version of himself.
The Hellfire Club shirts alone are a cool ode to the D&D culture of the show, but Eddie adds edge to his outfit with a jean jacket adorned with pins and chains. He has rings on almost every finger and cuffs on his wrists to finish it off.
Nancy And Robin’s Matching Outfits
One of the more comedic moments of an otherwise pretty serious season was when Nancy develops a plan for her and Robin to interview Victor Creel by posing as college students working on a project.
In order to appear more professional and official–much to Robin’s chagrin, Nancy gives Robin an outfit of her own for the interview. They’re both classically ’80s, with pink and blue pastels, florals, and frills. Robin’s discomfort with the look comes from her being unable to express herself, which speaks to her character arc on the show and her journey with her sexuality.
Steve Wearing Eddie’s Vest
When Steve gets stuck after going through the opening to the Upside Down at the bottom of the lake, he’s shirtless from previously being underwater.
Luckily, Eddie is wearing several layers, and he lends Steve his vest as a layer of protection against potential attacks from bat-like creatures that are flying around the Upside Down. The resulting look matches Steve’s courage he shows in fighting them off, as well as acting as a token of friendship between the two characters.
Erica At The Hellfire Club Meeting
Some Redditors may not think that Vecna is an exciting villain, but his introduction by way of a D&D game was a great moment in the season premiere. What made it even better was the addition of Erica as a replacement player for Lucas.
Erica may be small, but she’s tough enough to play with the boys and her outfit oozed confidence. She had a bright blue printed sweater and bright bubble jewelry. The cherry on top was the American flag that she used as a cape, showing that she can make herself at home in any situation using what’s around her.
Eden’s Edgy All-Black Look
Channeling ’80s grungey rock icons like Madonna and even leaning into what would become early ’90s grunge is Suzie’s sister, Eden, with whom Argyle is almost immediately infatuated.
Her all-black attire is accessorized with silver chime earrings and quite a few necklaces and bracelets, featuring things like keyholes and pointed diamonds. It completely matches up with the disconnect between what the characters think Suzie’s house will be like, and what it actually ends up being.
