Neon Tights and Big Laughs: Why Were The 1980s Mostly Great?
There was a lot to love about the 1980s, besides the fact I was born. It was a decade defined by big hair, outrageous fashions, movies like "E.T." and "The Empire Strikes Back," the "Brat Pack" and fanny packs. It was a 'totally tubular time.'
Today, shows like "Stranger Things" and other '80s throwbacks make us nostalgic for a time when everyone was wearing spandex and lace gloves, working out with Jane Fonda and wondering who shot J.R.
The 90s may have been my decade, but here are the things I wished I was old enough to experience some in from the '80s.
Scratch-and-Sniff Stickers:
Smell that? It's the scent of acing a math test and earning the right to visit McDonald's after school for a Happy Meal and an hour in the Play Place.
These scented stickers didn't always smell good, but they were cool all the same.
Mini China Tea Sets That Were Actually Fancy:
Kids these days still have tea sets, I think? But the types you get from Walmart today are cheap, plastic junk. They're just as expensive as the ones we had as kids, but they don't look or feel nearly as nice. They can't be great to drink out of, either.
The old china versions felt so much more top tier. Is it possible the paint was laced with lead? Totally. Felt fancy all the same.
Mixtapes:
Chances are, you could be caught on a Friday night listening to your favorite jams on your boombox just waiting for the perfect moment to tap the record button in order to catch the best ones on a mixtape. Life was just cooler when you could gift someone a mixtape and let the music say what you were too shy to say out loud.
Movie Rentals:
Epic! Going to the video store on a weekend to stock up on the newest movie releases. There had to have been inexplicable excitement about going to pick out new movies, fun to gathering the family or friends around the television to watch the newest blockbuster.
Break Dancing:
Didn't everyone wanna learn how to break-dance in the ‘80s?! Not everyone could cut it, though! Envious of moves like the Windmill and the Head Slide? If you could do it the rest may be still practicing on the sidelines attempting to perfect some Robot moves.
Boomboxes:
Who cares that now we have the power and technology to hold the entire catalog of music in our hands to access whenever we want? Boomboxes were it in the 80s. A group of teenagers walking down the street with one kid holding a boombox, up on their shoulders, blasting a killer jam? As cool as it gets.
Punk Rock:
Okay, so punk rock was really born in the ‘70s. However, it really hit its stride in the ‘80s. It wasn’t just about the music, however. In the ‘80s punk rock-influenced ideologies, fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film. Punk was an entire lifestyle that eventually influenced heavy metal, alternative, and countless other genres of music.
The Clapper:
Hilarious, 'The Clapper.' The mode of ultra laziness of the ’80s. Sure, now we can click buttons on our phones or speak to Google or Alexa to get our electrical items to turn on or off, but in the ’80s, if you had a clapper all you had to do was clap your hands twice to turn on or off your electrical appliances. I mean, who needs to reach over to grab a smartphone?
The Original NES:
Now, I even remember this! The 'rents bought this some years after it came out. Up until 1983, the only video game that some families had at home was an Atari, which was super fun— that is, until we saw the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1983. The graphics were amazing, the controller was super complicated with its three play buttons, and it came with so many games!
Princess Diana:
The world watched in fascination on July 29, 1981, when Lady Diana Spencer, an elementary school teacher, married Prince Charles, the heir to England’s throne. She became one of the most respected and influential people of the 1980s. And then the world mourned, heartbroken, and shocked when she died on August 31, 1997.
The Breakfast Cereals:
Most ’80s breakfast cereals were pure sugar and a hodgepodge of odd flavors mixed together. Throw in a free toy, celebrity athlete on the box cover and a whole day’s worth of mazes, word scramble and other games on the back, and kids everywhere demanded their bowls be filled with this sweet stuff.
Is it any wonder parents gave their kids these foods before telling them to do their chores?
Lite Brite:
In the ’80s, screen time meant spending hours in front of a Lite Brite, where you used colorful light-up pegs to build your own creation or let pre-made templates do the designing for you.
Even though it was released by Hasbro in the late 1960s, the Lite Brite’s popularity lit up in the ’80s when the company paired it with templates from “Star Wars,” “My Little Pony” and other favorite movies and television shows.
The Awesome Cartoons:
It was easy to fill your days with cartoons in the ’80s. Saturdays mornings were a marathon of hits like “The Care Bears,” “The Smurfs” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” while can’t-miss afterschool shows included “He-Man” and the “Masters of the Universe,” “She-Ra: Princess of Power,” “Ducktales,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” , "SuperFriends" and more.
The Arcade:
They were dark, noisy and who knows if those neon-circled carpets were ever actually cleaned, but there were few places in the world that an ’80s kid would rather be than the arcade. Friday nights meant you were scrounging for quarters and joining your friends in a place filled with pinball machines and video games, where your only care in the world was to become the high scorer in “Pac-Man,” “Donkey Kong” or “Rampage.”
There are still arcades today. They just aren't as cool.
Music Television:
Yes, MTV is still on the air, but there was something special about the days when music television was a thing. When the network hit the airwaves in 1981 with its first music video.
(The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star”), the music industry was forever changed.
Teenagers went rabid for music videos from Madonna, Duran Duran, Prince and other artists, but like other networks, MTV has now become more focused on reality television.
Sitcoms:
Must See-TV. TGIF. NBC Saturday Night. In the '80s, it often seemed like all anyone did was sit home and watch sitcoms. Not that we can blame them since there were so many good ones!
You had “Different Strokes,” “The Love Boat,” “The Golden Girls,’ “Facts of Life,” “Family Ties,” “Night Court”, “Cheers,” "Newhart", "Three's Company", "The Jeffersons" and more.
Star Wars:
The success of science fiction and fantasy movies in the 1980s and beyond owes much to Star Wars. Second, in addition to reviving the genre, Star Wars fundamentally changed how licensed toys and memorabilia were created and marketed.
Star Wars, with its groundbreaking storytelling, innovative visual effects, and epic universe, not only captured the hearts of millions but also left an indelible mark on the art of filmmaking. Star Wars pioneered the concept of the summer blockbuster, forever altering the release strategy of Hollywood studios.
In short, the value of the Star Wars franchise owes to the consumers—young and old—who pay to escape to “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”
Where is Doc Brown when you need them? 'Cause take me back, let me watch this in the theatre, when it was new, the moment it first graced the big screen .
The 1980s were a remarkable decade because of several factors. There was an explosion of pop culture, including music, movies, and television shows. This was also the decade of the rise of the personal computer, which led to significant advancements in technology and communication. The 80s saw significant political and social changes, including the end of the Cold War and the rise of globalization.
The 1980s were a vibrant era known for its bold colors, voluminous hairstyles, and aspirational spirit. It was a period of palpable transformation and liberation, resonating through all walks of life. The distinctive music that filled the airwaves encouraged free-spirited dancing, while daring fashion trends promoted individuality, making the ’80s a great decade.
Minus acid-wash, hair that harmed the ozone layer and Michael Jackson, that is.
I was just born ten years too late. Totally!
Awesome! 80's had the best tv shows, movies, toys and music! Delicious cereals, my favorite was pacman and strawberry shortcake. I was young in the 80's as well, remember the 90's much more, but I absolutely remember my cabbage patch kid and watching wicked Saturday morning cartoons. I think we got our nes in the 90's. I remember my uncle playing his Atari, and seeing the neighborhood teens carrying their boombox listening to M.J. Good memories.