What Fashion Trend Did Miami Vice Help Make Popular?

Did you know retail sales are expected to grow to $3 trillion by 2030? There are about 300 different fashion shows in Parish each year. A designer can make about $83,500 per year.

Fashion is a huge industry with over 1.8 million employees. It's also expected to continue to grow by 5% each year.

Fashion is part of the cultural landscape, especially the fashion of beloved TV classics. There are many cop shows on TV today but nothing can top the impact left by Miami Vice in terms of fashion.

What fashion trend did Miami Vice help make popular? Keep reading to find out.

Wearing Shoes Without Socks

Miami Vice was a popular 80s show about undercover cops in Miami. Throughout its 5 seasons, the characters made some unique fashion choices that are still popular today.

Although the main characters in the show wore high-end suits and dress shoes, you never saw them wearing socks. While it might have seemed strange at the time, wearing formal wear without socks is now the look you'll see on red carpets and runways.

The Use of Pastel Colors

The pastel color esthetic is something made popular by the wardrobe on the show. Not only were pastel colors iconic to the world of the show but the use of pastels in the fashion world become popular in the 1980s because of the show.

You can see the influence of this show in fashion, TV, and movies of today as well. The use of pastels captured the vibrant and bold city of Miami and the essence of the show as well. You can check out how this esthetic has influenced women's fashion on our blog.

The Double Breasted Blazer Look

Another iconic fashion trend created by the wardrobe of the show was the double-breasted blazer look made popular by the character Ricardo Tubbs played by actor Phillip Michael Thomas.

On the show, the characters usually wore this kind of slim-fitting blazer with matching trousers. The way to wear it in the 80s was by rolling the sleeves up to your elbows.

These kinds of blazers are still fashionable today and you can incorporate them into your look whether you're a woman or a man.

Wayfarer Sunglasses

This list of Miami Vice fashion can't continue without mentioning Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. These glasses elevated every outfit on the show. The majority of episodes featured the now-infamous style of glasses.

These sunglasses were the most stylish thing to wear in the Miami sun and they became so popular that they're still some of the most sought-after glasses to this day.

The V-Neck Trend Came From This Popular Show

You probably own a few pairs of V-neck t-shirts, they're so common today that you don't think about when they first became popular. This is another trend that came from the fashion of Miami Vice.

The signature look the main characters wore included the blazer, trousers, and a V-neck t-shirt. The shirt was worn tucked into the front side of the trousers. With a blazer or on its own, this laidback t-shirt outfit captured the vibe of Miami perfectly.

All the Shoulder Pads

When you think about 80s clothing and outdated fashion trends the first thing that might come to mind is the shoulder pads. This is a quintessential part of what makes the 80s so iconic.

It was all about making big statements with the clothes you wore. Nothing made a big statement more than shoulder pads to make a blazer or jacket pop. Shoulder pads were popular throughout the 80s and were featured in lots of TV shows and movies but they were a character of their own in Miami Vice.

Hoop Earrings

Hoop earrings are a big part of the fashion world. They've always been in style and continue to be in style. Small to large hoops come in a variety of colors, metals, and shapes.

The characters played by Saundra Santiago and Olivia Brown popularized many fashion trends at the time and one of them that continues to be seen today is wearing hoop earrings with every kind of outfit.

The Rolex Brand

A brand is sometimes more valuable than the piece of clothing or accessory itself. The right brand creates an image that attracts people and that's exactly what Rolex did.

This luxury brand watch was first created in the early 1900s but become the brand for the young and attractive in the 1980s when it was worn by Don Johnson's character on the show.

The power of the brand still attracts people to this watchmaker, wearing it on you're wrist is a sign of success. The way that Miami Vice was able to elevate the popularity and power of this brand is what makes them pop culture icons.

Showing More Skin

Miami attracts young and attractive people so it's no surprise the show featured a lot more skin. Backless and strapless dresses are the norm in the Miami heat and humidity and this was definitely featured on the show.

Short Hair Became a New Trend

Pop culture has taught women that long and luscious hair is the way to go. The women on Miami Vice were a bit bolder with their hairstyles. Short hair and curls were common hairstyles for the female characters on the show.

This trend extended into the real world making short hair a staple of 80s fashion for women.