13 Popular Products From the 1980s
The 1980s: A decade of excess, neon, and some of the most iconic pop culture trends to ever exist. From puzzle toys that tested our patience to fashion choices that made no practical sense (but looked undeniably cool), the ’80s were a time when bigger was always better. This era delivered endless nostalgia, and these 1980s products ruled the decade.
1. Rubik’s Cubes
Although the Rubik’s Cube came out in 1974, its reach exploded during the 1980s, and almost every kid had the puzzle toy. Almost every kid also experimented with trying to scrape the stickers off and rearrange them out of frustration.
2. Atari 2600
From Space Invaders to Frogger, kids spent countless hours playing video games on their Ataris during the 1980s. After they went to bed, their parents lit up the living room with the flashing and whirring of aliens being blasted out of the sky.
3. Slap Bracelets
Who didn’t love abusing their own wrist in the name of fashion? Invented in 1983, slap bracelets were oddly satisfying.
4. Trapper Keepers
Trapper Keepers were our backpacks’ best friends in the 1980s. These binder-folder situations were perfect for keeping track of assignments and handouts from class, and the fun pictures and prints on the outside were the biggest draw of all.
5. Water Beds
Sleep Number, psh. Purple mattresses, no thanks. Tempur-Pedic, BLAH. Bring back water beds. There was nothing like sloshing around while sleeping.
6. Swatches
If you didn’t have Rolex money in the 1980s and you wanted something more bright and fun, Swatches were the way to go. These colorful, funky watches were elite.
7. Jelly Shoes
Jelly shoes walked so Crocs could run. Whether you had the strappy kind as a little kid or you rocked the slip-ons in high school, colorful jelly shoes ruled the ’80s.
8. Teddy Ruxpin
Our favorite talking teddy bear! This animatronic stuffed animal was on every kid’s wish list in the 1980s, with his moving eyes and mouth and cassette player built into his back.
9. Hi-C Ecto Coolers
Released alongside the “Ghostbusters” movie, Hi-C’s Ecto Cooler was the color of toxic waste and the flavor of citrus sent straight from heaven above. Sure, it was marketed toward children, but everyone could go for a cold one of these bad boys in the 1980s.
10. Scratch ‘n Sniff Stickers
If your teacher put one of these Scratch ‘n Sniff stickers on your test, you were doing alright. From the cute graphics to the fun smells, these stickers scratched our sniffers the same way those fruity-smelling Mr. Sketch markers did.
11. Big League Chew
You didn’t have to be a ball player to buy bags of Big League Chew, grabbing bundles of shredded gum out of the pack and stuffing it in your mouth to chew it into a solid piece. This stuff was beloved by the masses.
12. Leg Warmers
Sure, if it was chilly out, leg warmers made sense. But they also made sense at aerobics, the mall, school, the roller skating rink, and everywhere else during the 1980s. They were a fashion staple.
13. Aqua Net Hairspray
Big hair was a big deal in the 1980s, and it might has well have been brought to us by Aqua Net, the Queen of Hairspray.