If you lived through the 80s then you'll love these

If you lived through the 80s, these images will make you smile

If you lived through the ’80s then you, my friend, LIVED.

In hindsight the ’80s were a glorious if not occasionally, repulsive decade. They had moved on from the laid back ’70s yet still weren’t quite ready to converge upon the power suits and much more serious time of the ’90s. One thing the ’80s did do though, was stamp their very unique mark upon this era.

And it didn’t seem to matter where in the world we grew up, we all pretty much had the same experiences. It’s almost guaranteed that you at some point during this decade, would have been seen listening to a double tape deck blasting Holiday by Madonna whilst simultaneously applying electric blue mascara and teasing the bejesus out of your hair. And there’s a Polaroid picture somewhere to prove it.

I am an unashamed ’80s tragic. The entire decade wasn’t just unique, it was bloody awesome and if you weren’t lucky enough to be around during this time, let me show you what you missed out on:

1. The Rubik’s Cube

You spent hours trying to work out how to solve this sucker. (Or like me, you just changed the stickers around)

2. Bauble Socks

These were a necessity for all self-respecting ’80s girls. For reasons that were never determined.

3. Gremlins

So cute. So evil.

4. Jelly shoes

These things were dangerous! Plastic and sweat, you do the maths.

5. Pac Man

Pac Man of the ’80s was played on a sweet sit down arcade game table and an endless supply of twenty cent pieces. And to this day cannot be surpassed.

6. Sweet Valley High Books

So many SVH books, so little time.

7. Scratch and Sniff Stickers

I can still smell that grape one today. Unsure what Easter smells like though. Carrots or chocolate?

8. Banana Clips

The ultimate in hair fashion.

9. The Barbie Camper Van

Barbie was a serious camper okay.

10. Punky Brewster

We all wanted to be this kid.

11. Poochie

Pretty sure my friends and I would have given away a kidney to secure one of these.

12. The Swatch Watch

Yes. Yes that is a rubber watch protector. No, I’m not proud of this.

13. Rainbow Bright

See her shining bright.

14. Elastics in the playground at school.

England, Ireland, Scotland Wales.

15 . National Lampoons Vacation

Holiday Roaaaaddd.

16. Plastic basket handbags

I’m not going to try and defend this.

17. The Glo Worm

18. E.T.

19. Stick on Earrings

For all those girls who weren’t allowed to pierce their ears, these were the poor substitutes. We all knew we were frauds.

20. Barbie Townhouse

Do you see the lift? This townhouse had a motherflipping lift and was one of the greatest things to happen to tween girls in the ’80s.

21. Blue mascara

So good, so bad.

22. The ‘Life. Be in it’ campaign.

The one time our government instigated a campaign for Australians to get off their arses.

23. Flasks

24. Rara Skirts

A lot of us graduated year 7 in one of these. Tragically.

25. Peaches ‘n’ Cream Barbie

Still the most coveted Barbie doll ever.

26. Shrinky Dinkys

Cut, bake in the oven and they shrink. What sorcery is THIS?!

27. Avon Nail tint

Nail polish for when your Mum thought you couldn’t handle real nail polish. I think I can still smell this.

28. Slush Puppy

Raspberry all the way.

29. Knight Rider

David Hasselhoff circa not getting blind and eating hamburgers off the ground.

30. Rubber Collections

Remember when collecting rubbers (erasers) was a massive deal?

31. Teddy Ruxpin

THIS creepy as all get out teddy bear read you stories (and then haunted your dreams)

32. Atari

I’m still yet to find another video game I kick arse better in than Atari tennis.

33. The Polaroid Camera

Instant pictures. In our hands. Why did we ever think we could supersede this?

34. Hair that defied gravity

35. The Cabbage Patch Kid.

Kaylene May. That was the name on my Cabbage Patch Kid’s birth certificate signed by the one and only Xavier Rudd. Accept no substitutes.

36. Lace, fingerless gloves

You needed the trifecta or you can’t consider yourself a woman of the ’80s

37. Fuzzy Felts

38. The BeDazzler

And not nobody can take that away from you honey.

39. Roller skating

Backwards skate. Oh yeah.

40. The Commodore 64

Anyway else remember being told not to touch the middle of that floppy disk? And they did anyway.

41. Mr Squiggle

Huuurrry UP

42. Game & Watch

If you were REALLY lucky, you had the double screen Donkey Kong version.

43. Crimped Hair.

Jodi Foster should look way happier than she is right now with that amazing crimped do.

44. Pink tape deck.

The double tape deck was obviously the bomb, but this still was quite something.

45. The Walkman.

46. Rods

This is how we learned to count in the ’80s.

47. Sunny-boy iceblocks

Only fools drank these instead of froze them.

48. Humphrey B-Bear

So WHAT if he didn’t wear pants. He was still the coolest guy going weekday mornings.

49. You had a local milkbar that looked like this:

Peter Jackson’s were $1.28 and you could still buy Polly Waffles. Amazing times.

50. You had a hills hoist out the back and you did this:

51. Fido Dido

52. Duran Duran

These guys. Nuff said.

53. Fags (Fads today)

Politically incorrect in ALL the ways, most kids of he 80s spent their days pretending to suck these down JUST like Dad. Class.

54. Sons and Daughters the TV show

Pat the Rat!!

55. Paper Dolls

I don’t care who you are, you dug these.

56. Shoulder Pads

Presented without comment.

57. Garfield

Garfield and Odie. There’s a reason why we still relate to this so much.

58. Australian Women’s Weekly Birthday Cookbook

The cakes that broke and brought the nation together.

59. World Expo 88.

Anyone else remember lining up for the New Zealand pavilion for 6 hours just for an ice-cream?

60. Shoe laces that looked like this

61. Puffy Stickers

Smurfs and Puffy Stickers. The ’80s summed up in one picture.

62. Scrunchies

Don’t even be seen dead in the ’80s without a scrunchie in your hair alright. Preferably in a side-pony.

63. Care Bears

Staple of the ’80s

64. Pound Puppies

Most of us were obsessed with these.

65. Taffeta

Taffeta. So much taffeta

66. Spokey Dokeys

You were THE SHIT if you had these on your bike and you know it.

67. Wham

Wake me up before you break my gaydar.

68. Fraggle Rock

69. Impulse deodorant

So much Impulse sprayed upon our bodies to impress the boys

70. Degrassi Junior High

Spike. That’s all I should need to say.

71. Johnny Depp in 21 Jump Street

Johnny be good. Or bad. Whatever we really didn’t care, just be there.

72. Giorgio – the scent of the ’80s

Who else automatically smells this just looking at it?

73. The Breakfast Club

Don’t You. Forget about me.

74. Overhead Projector

This futuristic contraption was every teacher’s friend and every student’s nightmare.

75. Dirty Dancing

Nobody puts baby in the corner.

76. The Love Boat

Wait, is that the Chief of Staff from Scandal?

77. Sound systems like THIS

SWEEETTT

78. Diff’rent Stokes

: WhatchootalkinboutWillis

79. The Coreys

Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. These boys defined the ’80s.

80. Madonna

Madonna WAS the ’80s. End of.

I’ll be honest, when I first thought about putting together 80 things from the ’80s that made it awesome, it seemed quite the lofty task. Now I’m at the end, I feel like I’ve left out far too much. You kids can have your ’90s and beyond, the ’80s were a decade that shaped and moulded the best adults that you see in front of you right now. In that glorious era, we learned how to care, share and not take ourselves not too seriously.

Want more iconic ’80s moments? Click through the gallery below.

Best of the 80s

Scott and Charlene's wedding on Neighbours - Image via Facebook

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Cyndi Lauper becomes a fashion icon - Image via Twitter

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Cyndi Lauper becomes a fashion icon - Image via Twitter

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The Breakfast Club is released in 1985 - Image via Facebook

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The Breakfast Club is released in 1985 - Image via Facebook

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Live Aid

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Live Aid

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Princess Diana visits young AIDS patients - Image via Twitter

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Princess Diana visits young AIDS patients - Image via Twitter

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Michael Jackson debuts the moonwalk on Motown - Image via YouTube

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Michael Jackson debuts the moonwalk on Motown - Image via YouTube

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Madonna's iconic conical bra - Image via Twitter

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Madonna's iconic conical bra - Image via Twitter

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Dirty Dancing is released in 1987 - Image via Facebook

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Dirty Dancing is released in 1987 - Image via Facebook

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The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurs in 1986 - Image via Twitter

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The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurs in 1986 - Image via Twitter

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E.T. the movie is released in 1982 - Image via Facebook

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E.T. the movie is released in 1982 - Image via Facebook

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Olivia Newton-John sports leg warmers in her 'Physical' music video - Image via Twitter

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Olivia Newton-John sports leg warmers in her 'Physical' music video - Image via Twitter

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The famous protest in Tiananmen Square - Image via Twitter

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The famous protest in Tiananmen Square - Image via Twitter

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Duran Duran rise to fame - Image via Twitter

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Duran Duran rise to fame - Image via Twitter

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Leotards and leg warmers are the height of fashion - Image via Twitter

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Leotards and leg warmers are the height of fashion - Image via Twitter

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Charles and Diana get married - Image via Twitter

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Charles and Diana get married - Image via Twitter

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The iconic boombox scene from Say Anything in 1989 - Image via Twitter

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The iconic boombox scene from Say Anything in 1989 - Image via Twitter

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Debra Doyle

It was Xavier Roberts signature on all the Cabbage patch dolls, jokes, was the author the owner of a fake one? ;)
Ruby

I was born in 1998 and I remember over half of these from my childhood!!!
samiam

This was totally my childhood. What a fun blast from the past :)
- Bern
  
  Glad you enjoyed it :)
Jill Hodges Betts

There were 3 or 4 that I wouldn’t recognize because of the fact that I’m in the USA. Lol I didn’t realize we grew up on the same things. I remember all of it and it was awesome.
- Bern
  
  Amazing how much of the same pop culture we shared :)
  - roger
    
    Hey what about sandals and braces for holding ur pants up lol
Karla Babe

some i remember from the 60s…

jelly shoes.. stink feet and blisters… ewww..
i think one of the coolest events was live aid.. the woodstock for a new generation..
Amanda Lynch

I still have my eraser/rubber collection. And you missed hyper colour tshirts, hi-top sneakers and ‘footloose’ socks/legwarmers :-)
Zen Girl

Er… Michael Jackson? Thriller? Red jackets and single gloves? Just sayin’ :-)
- Bern
  
  SO many I couldn’t fit in. I’ll have to do another :)
OzDamo

Hypercolor t-shirts!
- Bern
  
  I thought that too – turns out they’re ’90s :)
  - samiam
    
    They were around twice … first time was definitely in the 80’s, then they reappeared in the 90’s.
    - Ryn
      
      Definitely 80’s. Plus Fluoro and Happy pants!
stupidshiny

How could you leave out fluoro clothing and accessories and the most iconic T of all ‘CHOOSE LIFE’???
Jorge Hodor

My Gosh! I forgot about most of those things. Thank you. It was such a laugh looking at all of those things we used to think was cool. I was definitely an 80’s kid through and through. I really appreciate that you have compiled a list.
- Bern
  
  Glad you liked it. :)
Justin Bannah

Cuisinere rods, Fags (candy cigarettes), The Love Boat, OHPs, Humphrey B Bear, roller skating and Life – Be In It all predated the eighties. And that’s not how you spell Rubik’s Cube.
- Bern
  
  Thanks for pointing it out Justin – changed.
Poppy Seedles

Some of those were from the 60s. It’s a bit of a mixed bag decade wise.
- Bern
  
  Oh for sure. A lot of things straddle decades :)
Shelley Heath

There are about 5 of those that predate the 80s… we had Sunny Boys for 5c at the tuckshop in the 70s, played elastics all through the 70s (ironically I didn’t play them in the 80s as I was in highschool then), fuzzy felts were in the 70s too, as were ‘fags’ and overhead projectors.
- Nola Murphy
  
  Some were even 60’s
  - samiam
    
    But they were still memorable fixtures for those of us growing up in the 80’s, the nostalgia is still there.