In 1987, the neon glow and big hair of the ‘80s were still peaking, but you could already see hints of the ’90s emerging. MTV was shaping music and style, everyone was obsessed with their Walkmans, and shoulder pads weren’t just a fashion choice; they were a power statement. Here are 30 vintage photos from 1987 that capture the quirks and energy of a year that feels both familiar and distant.
1. Retro Tech and Big Hair: Two High School Students Work on a Project Using a Dot-Matrix Printer
2. Paramount Pictures Stars Gather For the Studio’s 75th Anniversary
3. ‘My Parents in 1987’
4. A Sony Walkman Ad Promoting Music on the Go
5. ‘My Crew, Circa 1987’
Trending on Wealth Gang
6. Big Hair Days Did Not Play Around
7. ‘Spring Break in Daytona, Florida’
8. ‘My Mom With Her Students’
Sign up for our newsletter
Subscribe to Wealth Gang and get exclusive tips, top deals, and money-saving ideas sent directly to you.
9. An Unlikely Toast: Pope John Paul II Shares a Drink With George H. W. Bush and Someone’s Patriotic Grandpa
10. Ah Yes, the Neon Ski ‘Fit of the ’80s on Full Display
11. A Young Joe Biden Meets Then-US President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office
12. ‘The Fashion Page in a 1987 High School Yearbook From Hawaii’
13. Mullets for the Win: ‘My Dad as a Senior, Circa 1987’
14. Class Photo Day at an Elementary School in Boston
15. Shoulder Pads Were ALL the Rage
16. Mike Tyson Poses Next to His Rolls Royce in New York During the Height of His Career
17. A 13-Year-Old Christian Bale
18. ‘My Dad in a 1987 Magazine Ad’
19. Actress Katharine Hepburn Does Some Journaling
20. ‘Stealing a Drink of Wine at a Wedding While My Mom (Behind Me) Isn’t Looking, 1987’
21. A Mother in Hungary Keeps Her Baby Close While Shopping
22. ‘Brigitte Nielsen and Then-Husband Sylvester Stallone at the Premiere of ‘Beverly Hills Cop II,’ on May 20, 1987′
23. ‘My Father With One of His Prized Catches, 1987’
24. An Itty Bitty LeBron James Gets a Basketball Hoop for Christmas
25. Barry and Glodean White Pictured in Their Full-Velvet Living Room
26. There’s a Whole Lot of Cool Going on in This Photo
27. A Young Rachel Weisz in a Bunny Costume
28. Siblings Jason and Justine Bateman at the 1987 Emmy Awards
29. Proud Dad Moment: Rick Astley’s Father Ossie Celebrates ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ Hitting #1 in the UK
30. ‘Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall on Their Wedding Day in 1987’
In the mood for more ’80s content?
There’s plenty to explore, from 15 Iconic Photos of 1980s Hair Bands in Their Prime to 20 High School Photos That Perfectly Sum Up the 1980s Teen Experience. Be sure to check out 33 Vintage Photos That Define the 1980s, too.
