Do You Remember These ’80s Fads?
Half the enjoyment of living through a decade is looking back at it later, whether it’s with a nostalgic or jaundiced eye, and the ’80s provided their fair share of fodder. Yes, there were important advances in medicine and technology. There were global shake-ups, losses, and victories. But if we’re honest, much of the fun lies in remembering the cultural milestones embodied in less momentous matters, such as …
How we looked
Eighties fashion was all about BIG, baby! The teased and feathered hair towering skyward. The big tops — T-shirts, sweatshirts and sweaters accented with big, gaudy belts. The shoulder pads that symbolized girl, er, woman power. (Well, didn’t they? What other purpose could they have possibly served?) The bold eye shadows (baby blue, anyone?) that stretched to the eyebrow. The bright clunky jewelry, from oversized hoop earrings, jelly bracelets and bangle bracelets to loads and loads of necklaces.
How we decorated
Not a bedroom wall was left bare! Girls and boys plastered their rooms with posters of their favorite bands, heartthrobs, idols, athletes, dream cars, and inspirational images ripped straight from the pages of their favorite teen magazines. (Anyone else have a 1980s Patrick Nagel print hanging up?)
How we smelled
A whiff of scent is such an innocent thing, isn’t it? But sometimes it’s advertising that smells of scandal, like that for Calvin Klein’s “Obsession,” which featured suggestive nudity. Or Jovan’s “Musk,” a brand name that the Rolling Stones allowed to be imprinted on their 1981 “Tattoo You” tour tickets, to the open derision of at least one rock critic. Or that iconic gold-and-white-striped box for Giorgio Beverly Hills.
How we drank
Remember New Coke? Also known as “Epic Fail,” yet somehow responsible for bringing Coca-Cola Classic roaring back to store shelves. Then there was Capri Sun, the tangy lunchbox staple every kid fought over at recess, and New York Seltzer, the crystal-clear soda that came in every wild flavor imaginable.
As for cocktails, the ’80s bar menu was a glorious sugar rush. Order us a fuzzy navel (extra schnapps, please), a sloe gin fizz, or, if we were really feeling adventurous, a Long Island iced tea strong enough to knock out a cassette player. Wine coolers like Bartles & Jaymes were everywhere, too, turning backyard parties, beach trips, and suburban get-togethers into instant happy hours.
How we played
Did a doll once really incite riots? Amazingly, yes. Both adorable and a little odd-looking, Cabbage Patch Kids became so wildly popular that understocked toy stores didn’t stand a chance against hordes of desperate shoppers, some reportedly even wielding baseball bats in the scramble to grab one before Christmas morning.
On the gentler side of the toy aisle, girls who dreamed of owning their own horse found the next best thing in My Little Pony, the colorful herd of plastic ponies with brushable manes and tails that quickly galloped into bedrooms everywhere. Boys, meanwhile, had the Power of Grayskull with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, or the endlessly cool Transformers, those tiny cars, trucks, and jets that magically transformed into world-saving robots.
And, of course, every kid eventually stepped on at least one of them barefoot in the middle of the night.
How we kept fit
Everett Collection
What did expanding boomers do to stay in shape? Huff and puff to celebrity workouts in color-coordinated leotards, sweatbands, and leg warmers, of course — thanks largely to the example set by Jane Fonda. Just as important was the soundtrack. Olivia Newton-John might have wanted to get physical, but most of us knew she wasn’t talking about exercise, no matter what moves she demonstrated in her hit song’s video.
This ran in a 2017 Print Edition of ReMIND and was written by Luciee M Winbore and updated by Barb Oates.
Remind 
1980s Music Videos
March 2026
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