1980s Sitcom Costume Ideas
The 1980s was one of television's golden ages. This was the era of the sitcom, shows with little or no value outside of the funny "situations" the main characters find themselves in. Though 80s sitcoms occasionally tiptoed into the realm of serious television (especially in Very Special Episodes), they were mostly an opportunity to dress men up in women's clothes or make fart jokes.
Okay, so some 1980s sitcoms were better than others. Not every television comedy in the 80s relied on cheap laughs. When considering Halloween costume ideas from 1980s sitcoms, think about our favorite shows from the 1980s. Many of them have very memorable characters (in easy to reproduce clothes) that are perfect for Halloween costumes.
Night Court -- The obvious choice for a male costume from Night Court is the gigantic bald bailiff Nostradamus "Bull" Shelton. Pretty much any bailiff or old school police uniform can work for Bull, with a few adjustments. A bald cap must be worn to complete the look. As for women from Night Court, you could go for a parody of the essentially 80s actress Markie Post as Christine Sullivan. Any 80s power suit and blond wig could work well for a Christine costume.
Family Ties -- You can get a great male or female costume from the popular sitcom Family Ties. Guys will want to be the Michael J. Fox character Alex P. Keaton. Any ugly men's suit and tie combination from the 80s (bonus points for padded shoulders) will work great for an Alex P. Keaton Halloween costume, as long as you get that perfect Michael J. Fox wave in your hair. Anything goes for women who want a Family Ties Halloween costume -- none of the female characters are particularly memorable for their fashion. Meredith Baxter, who played Elyse Keaton, often wore generic 80s female dress.
Cheers -- There are two costumes that stand out from the much loved 80s sitcom Cheers: Cliff Clavin, the know it all mailman, and mild mannered mostly moronic Woody Boyd. An authentic Cliff Clavin Halloween costume would necessitate a period mailman costume, while anyone with a bad 80s sweater and a sport coat can be "Woody" for the night.
As we move farther and farther away from the 1980s, Halloween costumes from classic 1980s sitcoms become more and more common. A trip to your local Salvation Army or other resale or vintage store yields dozens of costumes that would work perfectly in replicating the "look" of your favorite sitcom stars from the 80s. If done accurately, a good 80s sitcom costume is a shoe-in for a "best costume" award.