A new AI photo trend is spreading across Instagram, where girls and women are turning recent selfies into portraits inspired by the 1980s. Users upload a clear photo to ChatGPT, then ask for specific fashion, lighting and film details from the period.

The strongest results do not come from a simple request to “make this photo look old.” A useful prompt should protect the person’s face, skin tone and expression, while naming the hairstyle, clothing, jewellery, makeup, setting and camera look.

Here are five prompts suited to different 1980s-inspired looks.

1. Bollywood heroine portrait

“Transform my uploaded photo into a glamorous 1980s Bollywood heroine portrait. Keep my facial features, identity, expression and natural skin tone recognisable. Give me softly curled voluminous hair, a colourful saree, statement earrings and classic Indian makeup from the 1980s. Use warm studio lighting, soft focus and subtle analogue film grain. Make it look like an authentic Bollywood publicity photograph from the 1980s.”

2. Indian fashion magazine portrait

“Reimagine my uploaded photo as a stylish 1980s Indian fashion magazine portrait. Keep my face, expression and skin tone natural and recognisable. Give me an elegant retro hairstyle, bold period-appropriate clothing, statement jewellery and refined makeup. Use dramatic studio lighting, a simple vintage backdrop, soft focus and realistic analogue film grain. Create the feel of an Indian fashion editorial photographed during the 1980s.”

3. Vintage wedding album photograph

“Turn my uploaded photo into a realistic Indian wedding photograph from the 1980s. Keep my face and expression recognisable. Dress me in a traditional vintage saree with classic jewellery and an authentic 1980s hairstyle. Add a simple wedding-stage backdrop, warm lighting, natural colours and slight analogue film grain. Make it feel like a genuine photograph from an old family wedding album.”

4. Late-1980s disco portrait

“Transform my uploaded photo into a glamorous late-1980s disco portrait. Keep my facial features, identity and natural skin tone unchanged. Give me voluminous retro hair, a bold colourful outfit, statement earrings and 1980s-inspired makeup. Add colourful studio lights, a subtle disco background, soft focus and analogue film grain. Keep the image realistic and photographic, without an artificial filter effect.”

5. Classic family studio portrait

“Recreate my uploaded photo as an authentic Indian family-studio portrait from the mid-1980s. Keep my face, expression and natural skin tone recognisable. Add period-appropriate clothing, a classic hairstyle and simple jewellery. Use a modest indoor studio setting, soft flash lighting, slightly faded colours and natural analogue film grain. Make it look like a real photograph found in a family album.”

For better results, upload a photo with a clear face, balanced light and no heavy beauty filters. Mention whether you want a saree, salwar kameez, western outfit or bridal dress. You can also specify the city-studio setting, background colour and hair style.

If ChatGPT changes the face too much, add this line at the end of the prompt: “Do not alter my face shape, eye shape, nose, skin tone or identifiable features.”