How can you tell that the 80's are back?

If it's not comics, tv, or movies, this is the place! Talk about anything and everything else right here!
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

For me, aside from all the fashion blunders returning (legwarmers ect...shudder...and all the tops that manage to make a women that is 20 pounds underweight look fat) the big tip off that the 80's are back in force were air plants.

For those of you unfamiliar with air plants they are these kind of spiky plants that kind of look like the babies that spider plants have, but they don't require soil. In the 80's the little beggars were everywhere - glued on everything from drift wood to plastic figurines. All you had to do was mist them occassionally (mind you I kill everything that is green so mine lasted a whole two weeks - then I was left with a shell with a blob of hot glue with a little shrivled brown thing attached to it).

I am sure that you could have found them still in the plant isle or at certain stores in the time between now and then - but while walking away from the checkout in Walmart what did I spy but these poorly painted pink flamingo fake ceramic/plastic "decorations" with an air plant springing from the middle of them. I just about fell over laughing (which doesn't help keeping the appearance of being sane up). I can not imagine who would buy these things (apologies now to those of you who may covet or own a flamingo/air plant combo).

That cemented it for me...the 80's are back. Please let the polka dots stay dead though.

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
Angelique
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 2882
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:27 am
Location: sailing under the Jolly Wagner

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Angelique »

I actually have a couple of air plants. But they're tastefully accompanied by seashells. No flamingos, big shirts (unless they're flannel- I'm hopelessly early '90's!), overly synthesized pop music, or big hair for me, thankyouverymuch! :)
Meddle not with the heartstrings of fans, for we are powerful and hold your pursestrings.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6 ... &ref=share

www.heroesfallenstudiosinc.webs.com

http://hubpages.com/hub/characterdriven
Shadow_Dancer
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 411
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:06 am
Location: Seventh Heaven

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Shadow_Dancer »

I live in Florida. Air plants grow everywhere for the taking down here, and they still sell them in giftshops and yes, even Walmarts.

I don't think they ever went out of vogue in this state. ;)


I think you're right about the 80's. I hear Rubik Cubes are back. Next we'll be seeing parachute pants, pac man and roller disco's.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream." Mark Twain

Shadow Dancer's Fanfic Archive Image
User avatar
NachtcGleiskette
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 3173
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:45 am
Title: The Ragin' Cajun
Location: NY

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

Roller disco's are pretty 70's, but god damn, I want one!! We used to have a roller rink around town and when i was a kid, we'd roll to CeCe Penniston and Real McCoy.....omg good times...

But I really want one of those crazy old roller discos. Give me Donna Summers! Give me KC and the Sunshine band! Give me DISCO!
"If you live your life to please everyone else, you will continue to feel frustrated and powerless. This is because what others want may not be good for you. You are not being mean when you say NO to unreasonable demands or when you express your ideas, feelings, and opinions, even if they differ from those of others.â€
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Well, if you count all the toys that have come back - yes the rubix cube, as well there are my little ponies, strawberry shortcake, care bears, glo worms and a ton of others...my kids seem to discover a "new" (recycled 80's) toy every month. Its kind of like reliving my childhood again...and makes me glad that I saved the origional my little ponies that I had for them.

As for roller skating rinks bring them back baby! I adored skating around in them - they were warm, played great music, and you got tons of great exercize - what is not to like? (excepting the horrid chicken dance or doing the boogie woogie in roller skates and falling on your butt)

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
Blue_Demon94
Lookout
Lookout
Posts: 931
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:58 am

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Blue_Demon94 »

Pacman out?! Since when?! I love Pacman (Ms. Pacman to be exact) and as a matter of fact, I just got a pair of Pacman boxers the other day.. I think parachute pants (or something like them) came back among the gothic children:rolleyes I had some pants similar to them, but they were reversable and pretty heavy because of that fact..:shifty
Image
User avatar
NachtcGleiskette
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 3173
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:45 am
Title: The Ragin' Cajun
Location: NY

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

On the Pacman note, does anyone else here have a MySpace? Whenever they take it down for maintenence, they put Pacman in its place. It's like they know alot of MySpacers kill tons of time there and leave them something to do..

As for games of the 80s.....Paperboy, Zelda and Rampage. Those were my games.
"If you live your life to please everyone else, you will continue to feel frustrated and powerless. This is because what others want may not be good for you. You are not being mean when you say NO to unreasonable demands or when you express your ideas, feelings, and opinions, even if they differ from those of others.â€
Bamfette
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 3278
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2002 9:41 pm
Location: Calgary
Contact:

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Bamfette »

the new My Little Ponies bother me, they redid the sculpt and they're jsut not the same. (well. obviously) the heads are too big then: http://dreamvalley-mlp.com/2nd_edition_ponies.html now: http://dreamvalley-mlp.com/2003ponies_acc.html

and, okay, while looking for those pics i came across the FIRST My Little Pony, and I am glad they haven't gone in that direction... http://dreamvalley-mlp.com/my_pretty_pony.html


(is it sad that i look at these pictures and i still know which ones were the ones i owned? Glory was my favorite...)
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Originally posted by Bamfette
(is it sad that i look at these pictures and i still know which ones were the ones i owned? Glory was my favorite...)
No - its sad when you still own them, and the stable, and all the little friggin outfits. (they are for my kids - honest :whistle).

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
User avatar
NachtcGleiskette
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 3173
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:45 am
Title: The Ragin' Cajun
Location: NY

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

lol!!

I still have mine...I think....somewhere...

Anyone remember Sea Wees?? Or Sweet Secrets? Sea Wees were the little mermaid dolls and each came with a baby. I frikken loved those.

Sweet Secrets, as much as my mother claims I had tons, I never really had. They were amazing little stealth dolls. Oh, you think its a ring? Open it, BAM! A head and limbs. I LOVED those so much. I can recall this one girl I knew who had every goddamn sweet secret you could own...
"If you live your life to please everyone else, you will continue to feel frustrated and powerless. This is because what others want may not be good for you. You are not being mean when you say NO to unreasonable demands or when you express your ideas, feelings, and opinions, even if they differ from those of others.â€
Bamfette
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 3278
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2002 9:41 pm
Location: Calgary
Contact:

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Bamfette »

I WISH I still owned them.... not sure what happened to them, I guess my parents threw them out or donated them at some point....


And I don't remember those, but I do remember Popples. i loved Popples. http://www.angelfire.com/in/luvwiththe80s/popples.html

and the Wuzzles http://www.angelfire.com/in/luvwiththe8 ... epage.html

the only toy I still own from the 80's is my Wrinkles dog... and moose, and elephant....


[Edited on 21/1/06 by Bamfette]
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

I had forgotten about Popples! My sister had one. How about pound puppies - I have seen those in the store too lately, and I had one of those.

And lets not forget those creepy troll dolls, who are also back (my BIL got one in his Christmas cracker).

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
Tyros
Shoulder Parrot
Shoulder Parrot
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:41 pm
Location: Vienna
Contact:

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Tyros »

I loved My Little Ponies when I was a kid! I also had tons of Pound Kitties and She-Ra toys!
CurlyyHairGirl
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Posts: 1503
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 4:52 pm
Location: San Jose State University

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by CurlyyHairGirl »

I don't know how much say I have here since I was born in the late 80's, but I can confirm some of the returns of certain fashions or toys.
Rubik cubes are back, we have a club at our high school for that.
There is a huge display of air plants at our Walmart. No Flamingos, parrots and fish. They're pretty cool.
No parachute pants yet, but I always wanted a pair since I saw the one episode of Clarissa Explains it All, and her friend Sam had a pair...nevermind.LOL
Originally posted by Blue_Domon94
I think parachute pants (or something like them) came back among the gothic children
Really!? Hmm...They tend to wear overly tight pants here..interesting.

I remember watching the Carebears...reruns I think and I had one My little pony doll ages ago.

Does anybody remember that cartoon, I think It was called Gnomes but I can't remember. It had Gnomes and trolls and all the gnomes looked exactly like yard gnomes with variations and lived in trees? I loved that show when I was little.
one name: Bruce Campbell
Blue_Demon94
Lookout
Lookout
Posts: 931
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:58 am

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Blue_Demon94 »

Originally posted by NachtcGleiskette
On the Pacman note, does anyone else here have a MySpace? Whenever they take it down for maintenence, they put Pacman in its place. It's like they know alot of MySpacers kill tons of time there and leave them something to do..

As for games of the 80s.....Paperboy, Zelda and Rampage. Those were my games.
Pacman and Tetris are the games to play when you're bored (I have Tetris in my Gameboy right now.. still never got a rocket:yell)
I got The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for Christmas last year (though it may have been from the 90's) and my cousin has a Pacman game that you hook into your TV (with a joystick and everything.. I think they came out last year, but they're like twenty bucks)
Image
LadyErin
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:05 am
Location: Limbo
Contact:

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by LadyErin »

Originally posted by CurlyyHairGirl
Does anybody remember that cartoon, I think It was called Gnomes but I can't remember. It had Gnomes and trolls and all the gnomes looked exactly like yard gnomes with variations and lived in trees? I loved that show when I was little.
DAVID THE GNOME!
Oh...Um...sorry...Just glad I wasn't the only one who loved that show.
http://lady_erin.livejournal.com
:magneto
What do you mean, you "don't believe in homosexuality?" It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary. ~~Lea DeLaria
Want to IM me? U2U me for the screenname.
chicory
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:50 pm

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by chicory »

Originally posted by LadyErin
Originally posted by CurlyyHairGirl
Does anybody remember that cartoon, I think It was called Gnomes but I can't remember. It had Gnomes and trolls and all the gnomes looked exactly like yard gnomes with variations and lived in trees? I loved that show when I was little.
DAVID THE GNOME!
Oh...Um...sorry...Just glad I wasn't the only one who loved that show.
I remember really liking his voice, and the gnome's way of kissing by touching noses. That was a cute show! Much better than that Lil'bits my sister insisted we watch.

Firefly, Melody, and Moondancer (and Apricot) were the little ponies I had - we got a lot of hand-me-down toys from my cousins, and once there was a purple popple in the box.

I still have Wrinkles, my pound puppy (he's in a box now though)

Why haven't I ever heard of parachute pants? I looked them up but I didn't recognize them :/ I've also never heard of flying plants until now - but it seems like an interesting idea.

My favorite toys growing up were fisherprice little people (the classic ones - not the bigger ones - or the detailed ones they have now (why'd they have to change them?))
For those who believe, no explanation is neccessary. For those who do not, no explanation is possible. ~Gino Dalpiaz
LadyErin
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:05 am
Location: Limbo
Contact:

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by LadyErin »

I liked Lil'bits, but I liked David The Gnome so much better.

And...I have Tenderheart, Lucky, and Baby Hugs bear, a glass Funshine Bear mug, three magnets, Five pound puppies, one pound kitty, Baby Blue Ribbon little pony (unicorn really), three cabbage patch kids, a rubix cube, an NES and games (yes, it still works) and an Artari (still works) and some books....

I only know this becasue I recently moved and had to *pack* them. And my other 90+ bears and stuffed animals...and seventy pounds worth of books...and yeah... Not because I am a geek like that. You believe me right?

*laugh* And I had parachute pants! And yellow zerba stir-up pants...and yeah...totally an 80's child...
http://lady_erin.livejournal.com
:magneto
What do you mean, you "don't believe in homosexuality?" It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary. ~~Lea DeLaria
Want to IM me? U2U me for the screenname.
chicory
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:50 pm

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by chicory »

David the Gnome was *far* better than Lil'bits.

I never had any carebears - but I did see the cartoon movies - so I know who Tenderheart is.

My parents had this Coleco system that continued to work into the early nineties. And absolutely *none* of my classmates had ever heard of one. We had an older nintendo too - games like duck hunt and a racing game with the running pad.

The eighties remind me of rainbows and suspenders (also legwarmers) and now I want to see parachute pants - because I'm still not clear on what they are.
For those who believe, no explanation is neccessary. For those who do not, no explanation is possible. ~Gino Dalpiaz
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Originally posted by chicory
and now I want to see parachute pants - because I'm still not clear on what they are.
Ever see the "u can't touch this" video with MC hammer? Those are parachute pants.

We were the first kids on the block to get an atari and the first to get a VCR...mind you because my parents "invested" in those new devices, we never did get a nintendo, and waited until the 90's to even get a CD player in the house - and of course it was my sisters...teen girls don't share that well. I didn't convert from cassette tape until 1996!

We had a Tandy computer with a dot matrix printer - you could play tetris and those games that you had to type the instructions to get the guy to do the task...someone has to remember those. You had to use the good old commands to work that baby - no mouse, and nothing even approaching windows.

Yep - we were a pretty trendy family for a short while there.

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
LadyErin
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:05 am
Location: Limbo
Contact:

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by LadyErin »

Here's one worse...I bought the Care Bears Movie II - you know, the one with DarkHeart - on DVD last summer. And I watch it. Often.
http://lady_erin.livejournal.com
:magneto
What do you mean, you "don't believe in homosexuality?" It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary. ~~Lea DeLaria
Want to IM me? U2U me for the screenname.
Angelique
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 2882
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:27 am
Location: sailing under the Jolly Wagner

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Angelique »

The only thing really '80's about me- besides the fact that I somehow managed to survive that decade with some semblence of sanity left, is that on occassion, I've been known to talk like Moon Unit Zappa.
Meddle not with the heartstrings of fans, for we are powerful and hold your pursestrings.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6 ... &ref=share

www.heroesfallenstudiosinc.webs.com

http://hubpages.com/hub/characterdriven
chicory
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:50 pm

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by chicory »

Ever see the "u can't touch this" video with MC hammer? Those are parachute pants.
Never saw it. Do you mean these? I didn't know MC Hammer was black - I guess I always attached the name to the other guy - Vanilla Ice.
We were the first kids on the block to get an atari and the first to get a VCR...mind you because my parents "invested" in those new devices
My dad did that! He bought this (mechanical?) vcr in the 1970's for like a thousand dollars and the thing lasted for like 25 years before he got rid of it. (That's a lot longer then the DVD players which seem to only last two years or so before dying :()
We had a Tandy computer with a dot matrix printer - you could play tetris and those games that you had to type the instructions to get the guy to do the task...someone has to remember those. You had to use the good old commands to work that baby - no mouse, and nothing even approaching windows.
I remember dot matrix printers and the basic OS we had before windows. And I learned to read on those typing games! We had a copy of winnie the pooh and the wizard of oz - also gold rush. One of the first games I owned was King's Quest V (but I guess that one used the mouse) when I got the older ones later though they were all typing. Sierra games! I loved those!

I've seen the back to the eighties specials on VH1 - but the majority of that I was too young to be aware of. :
For those who believe, no explanation is neccessary. For those who do not, no explanation is possible. ~Gino Dalpiaz
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Originally posted by chicory
Never saw it. Do you mean these?
Yep - those are the suckers. Mind you there are an expecially blinged out exteme version of them.

Thank goodness we didn't invest in a beta - we had our old VCR for 20+ yrs too, until it died whilst trying to digest a tape.

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
Shadow_Dancer
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 411
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:06 am
Location: Seventh Heaven

How can you tell that the 80's are back?

Post by Shadow_Dancer »

Gotta love MC Hammer, his videos where the best. Here's a tamer view of parachute pants. Apparently they must be back, or maybe they've always been available.

And roller discos were still around in the eighties, popularized by the movie Xanadu, which came out in 1980. I know because some of my first dates with my husband where to a roller disco.

Don't have any eighties toys really, I was in high school and college by then. I DO remember the craze over Cabbage Patch dolls though.

[Edited on 23-1-06 by Shadow_Dancer]
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream." Mark Twain

Shadow Dancer's Fanfic Archive Image
Post Reply