Even we admit that bike shorts are pretty out there. While fashion girls all over Instagram can be found embracing them at full force, the fact is that the spandex shorts are not the easiest of 2018 trends to style. But before you write them off as yet another polarizing style made for the Instagram age, let me remind you that they're not a total invention of the modern-day trend cycle. Well before the internet even existed, celebrities and It girls were wearing bike shorts in the '80s—and their outfits were pretty good if you ask me.
Most notably was Princess Diana, whose plethora of sporty bike shorts outfits have made her into a modern-day athleisure icon. She was constantly spotted heading to and from the gym in an array of pastel pink, orange, and even white shorts, which she usually styled with oversize sweatshirts, crew socks, and chunky-soled sneakers—a combo I've definitely worn on an aimless Saturday. But celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker, Madonna, and Demi Moore were also fans of the style, and the following '80s bike shorts outfits prove that, just like today, they were both dressed up and down back then.
Keep reading to get inspired by the best '80s bike shorts outfits we could find and then shop the coolest pairs on the market.
WHO: Princess Diana
Style Notes: Though your first instinct might be to test out the tricky trend with a plain black pair, Princess Di's pastel-colored look offers a fresh take on wearing bike shorts.
WHO: Sarah Jessica Parker
Style Notes: Today's fashion girls have narrowed in on one outfit combo in particular—oversize blazers with bike shorts—but it appears SJP was wearing the trending look decades ago.
WHO: Madonna
Style Notes: Between the baseball hat, the windbreaker, and the bright jewel tones, we don't know what's more '80s about Madonna's jogging outfit.
WHO: Princess Diana
Style Notes: Another winning bike shorts ensemble that proves sometimes the simplest combos are often the best. Here, Princess Diana's oversize crewneck sweatshirt, tube socks, and chunky-soled sneakers may be coming from the gym, but we'd gladly wear them together to lounge or run errands on the weekend, too.
WHO: Demi Moore
Style Notes: Moore's striking red carpet ensemble throws the athleisure connotation with the shorts right out the window, making us seriously consider whether bustier tops won't be the trendy way to wear the shorts come spring and summer.
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