5 Ugliest WWE Attires From The 1980s (And The 5 Best)

Looking back at it today, some 80s WWE attires were questionable, at best.

Ah, the 80s. The extravagant decade of big hair, loud clothes, and over-the-top personalities. Not to mention, larger-than-life pro wrestling characters. In WWE, the 80s signaled a turning point in both financial success and creative approach. At the time, performers were doing everything they could to stand out.

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This included making fashion statements with their ring attire. Looking back at it today, some 80s WWE attires were questionable, at best. However, the attires weren't all bad during the decade. In fact, the 80s also featured some iconic ring attires that have stood the test of time and have become beloved by many fans.

If there was ever a decade when bright colors were all the rage, it was the 80s. However, that didn't apply to everyone. Andre The Giant was one of those people who couldn't get away with wearing every color in the rainbow. When most modern-day wrestling fans think of Andre, they picture him in a black singlet.

While Andre certainly had more looks than that, his yellow attire wasn't exactly his most flattering. Perhaps he was just too big to wear all yellow. Perhaps subconsciously, fans already associated Hulk Hogan with yellow trunks, making it look weird when Andre wore them too. Whatever the case, Andre in all yellow was definitely a fashion don't.

Today, younger wrestling fans don't seem to understand just how over Honky Tonk Man was as a heel in the 80s. At the time, Elvis Presley was still a huge part of American pop culture. So, having an obnoxious Elvis impersonator as an antagonist was a brilliant idea. To Honky Tonk Man's credit, he fully embraced the gimmick. Aside from the hair and mannerisms, Honky also mimicked Elvis' fashion sense. He would often come to the ring wearing an Elvis-inspired jumpsuit. Regardless of how fans felt about Honky, there was no denying the elegance of the jumpsuits. "The King" himself would've worn those bad boys proudly.

Sometimes, specific characters require a specific look or a specific ring attire to help bring their gimmick to life. Honky Tonk Man was a great example of a gimmick dictating attire. Kamala was another great example of that. However, "The Ugandan Giant" didn't get the break Honky got with his jumpsuits. Instead, the Kamala gimmick required more of an uncivilized savage look. That's where the loin cloth came into play. While the loin cloth fit the character to a tee, it was a bit of an unflattering look. There's no way Kamala felt comfortable while wearing it.

Anyone who thinks Bobby "The Brain" Heenan wasn't one of the most fashionable on-screen personalities of the 80s, needs to go back and revisit the 80s. At the time, Heenan wore some pretty snazzy threads. The weasel suit notwithstanding, Heenan was arguably the best-dressed manager of the era. RELATED: 10 Things Fans Didn't Know About Bobby "The Brain" Heenan While Jimmy Hart might've had the more eye-catching suits, Heenan was a lot more elegant. His tracksuits were always on point during this time. On top of that, Heenan had the most memorable attire ever worn by a manager at ​​​​WrestleMania 3 when he rocked an unforgettable white suit with gold trim.

Oh, poor Terry Taylor. All he wanted was to be taken seriously as a performer. Unfortunately, upon arriving in WWE, he was given a gimmick that was never going to be taken seriously, no matter how hard he tried. As The Red Rooster, Taylor seemed to be the victim of some cruel practical joke.

Sure, the gimmick wasn't terribly outlandish compared to some of the other WWE characters that had been, and would be, greenlit but it was still bad. The really silly part about the whole Red Rooster look was the ridiculous hairstyle Taylor had to sport while portraying the role. Perhaps without the silly red comb on top of his head, the character would've had a better shot at succeeding.

Sometimes in fashion, the best look is a simple one. Mr. Perfect's ring attire is a great example of that. Conceptually, the Mr. Perfect look is almost boring. However, a very small tweak took Curt Hennig's look from basic to one-of-a-kind. Initially, Mr. Perfect debuted in WWE wearing plain trunks. This didn't necessarily hurt his character, but it also didn't contribute anything.

Eventually, Hennig would switch to a singlet. That switch alone wouldn't have made his attire iconic though. What took it to the next level was the touch of black that went from the back part of his shoulder straps to his backside. That simple adjustment made Mr. Perfect's look unique and unforgettable.

One thing about fashion is, it's subjective. What looks good to one person might look hideous to another. Still, it's hard to imagine anyone looking at Demolition's ring attire in the 80s and thinking "That's a great look." To be fair, Ax and Smash owned the look and made it their own.

That doesn't change the fact that it was a questionable choice. Their black, leather getups were certainly attention grabbers, but they also made the duo look like long-lost members of the Average Joe's Dodgeball Team. Demolition reached legendary status despite the ugly attire. Just imagine how much more iconic they could've been though with a different, more appropriate look.

"Ravishing" Rick Rude might not have invented airbrushing designs on wrestling tights but he might as well have. Rude was one of the first high-profile wrestling stars to add a unique airbrushing to his attire. Furthermore, Rude always had a knack for picking designs that would get him noticed. RELATED: 10 Things You Should Know About Rick Rude's Wrestling Career In The 1980s

Whether it was airbrushing his opponent's likeness on his backside, or Jake Roberts' wife on his crotch, Rude's looks generated a lot of attention. Perhaps his most iconic ring gear came when he had the WWE Intercontinental Championship airbrushed on his gear. Rude did that on a couple of occasions, giving fans the look in both pink and yellow.

Whether WWE loyalists will ever admit it or not, Vince McMahon has been notoriously petty throughout his entire reign atop pro wrestling. The greatest example of this was not only Dusty Rhodes' booking during his time in WWE, but his terrible ring attire. Some casual fans might not understand what's wrong with Dusty's WWE look.

Those fans might not be aware of just how important Dusty Rhodes was to the wrestling business outside of WWE. Dusty was the driving creative force behind Jim Crockett Promotions in the 80s. When Dusty arrived in WWE in 1989 though, Vince McMahon decided to throw ridiculous polka-dots on him and turn him into a caricature of his former self. If that's not petty, I don't know what is.

During the 80s, "Macho Man" Randy Savage was "the cream of the crop" in more ways than one. From an in-ring standpoint, no main-event competitor in WWE could touch Savage. From a presentation standpoint, there were few performers in all wrestling history who ever cared about every last detail the way Savage did. His iconic three-star trunks were all part of a carefully thought-out look that Savage was aiming for in the 80s. Pair those iconic trunks with Savage's majestic entrance robes and you get the best-dressed performer of his era. There's a reason why Savage is still regarded as one of the most fashionable performers in WWE history.

Wesly Avendano is a writer from a small town in southern California. A Life long pro wrestling, Los Angeles Lakers, and Philadelphia Eagles fan. He's a writer, podcast host, and runs the @flashbackwrestling account on Instagram.