Products From The 1980s That Kids Today Are Surely Clueless Having Ever Existed

The '80s didn't leave much room for lack—it had a lot to offer, and it was definitely a time when everything seemed enjoyable. The decade brought us many things that would later hold significant value, from beauty products to household items, and just about anything in the entertainment and consumerism industry.

People back then always seemed to jump on the trends of the decade as soon as they could, and it's no wonder that households at the time displayed similar items—including ceramic plates and frosted glass figurines. That being said, it is fairly evident that many things have stark differences between what they were back then compared to what they are now, but it shows one thing: trends come and go, but they are always a copy of the past, albeit more temporary and better suited to the era they were born into.

The decade of the 1980s was a time when funky clothes, questionable fashion trends, loud music, and everything odd and weird—yet somehow sensible—made their way into the mainstream.

Not many of us (duh) had the pleasure of experiencing this iconic decade, and many young people today are quite shocked by the products that were used in our homes and personal lives back then—back when iPods had yet to be born and plastic shoes were actually 'in.'

Take a look at some of the products that were popular in the '80s and see for yourself how much society has progressed since then:

1. Trapper Keepers

Trapper Keepers were these fancy three-ring binders sold for $5—which is kind of absurd for just a binder, but hey, it's a Trapper Keeper. These binders came in colorful designs on the outside and had storage space for folders inside, just like a handy, physical desktop.

eBay

2. Z. Cavaricci pants

Z. Cavaricci pants were a short-lived trend in the '80s that now seem kind of meh. Zubaz and Esprit brands are still around with these kinds of pants, but Z. Cavaricci has yet to make a comeback.

3. Scholastic book order forms

This was definitely a bookworm's favorite: the Scholastic Book Club forms were for kids who wanted to buy the books they wanted to read by choosing them from a flyer that was passed around. The kids would check the ones they hoped their parents would actually order.

• 
  

ConstantinosZ/iStock/Getty Images

4. Starter jackets

Starter jackets were a school must-have, as everyone wanted these brightly colored jackets. The flashier they were, the better.

Fanatics

5. Garbage Pail Kids

Don't get them confused with Cabbage Patch Kids (which you will see later on), because these were trading cards that spoofed the dolls. Nowadays, an original set of these cards is being sold for $3,000 on eBay.

Chris Hondros/Getty Images

6. Jellies sandals

We can't help but cringe at the fact that we actually found these trendy back then—but who's to question what's in and what's out in the '80s? This was definitely one type of footwear that everyone seemed to have.

Anthony Douanne/iStock/Getty Images

7. Floppy disks

Yep, no cloud drives, no flash drives, and no built-in storage. Floppy disks were a way to save computer data back then, but now they are considered extinct.

CAESARstock/iStock/Getty Images

8. Reebok Pumps

Shoes with inflatable air pockets were the real deal back then, and everyone wanted to have these Reebok Pumps. Nothing beats the feeling of wearing these original pumps as you strut into the mall!

SimplySneakers via YouTube

9. Cabbage Patch Kids

Here they are, the Cabbage Patch Kids! Looking at them now, you might wonder why kids were all going crazy over these soft toy dolls, and every adult was in a frenzy trying to find them during Christmas to give as gifts.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

10. My Buddy and Kid Sister Dolls

Aside from the Cabbage Patch Kids, the '80s also had these gender-targeted dolls that featured a catchy commercial jingle you would have a hard time getting out of your head.

weatherguru76 via YouTube

11. Video game arcades

Some places and malls still have these, but video game arcades are such an '80s thing. If you have watched Stranger Things, then you would know how popular this was back then—you could jump between Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Rampage, Millipede, and many more, but at the cost of your money and time in line, of course.

micahmcdowell/iStock/Getty Images

12. Walkman

Before iPods became a thing and when there weren't smartphones to play our music, Walkmans were the best friends of music lovers back then. Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy and Max Mayfield from Stranger Things are probably the most prominent pop culture characters today that are highly associated with this device.

It initially cost $200 when it first came out in 1979, and by 1985, Sony had made billions of tapes for people who wanted to have music on the go.

Nutapol/iStock/Getty Images

13. This Nintendo console back then

Before the Nintendo DS and Switch, this was how the brand's game consoles looked. You had to blow on your cartridge for your games to work, but that's nothing compared to playing Super Mario Bros. after a long day!

Nintendo

14. TV and movie theme cereal

Cereals that are centered around TV shows and movies may still be around, but it was in the '80s when almost every show had this, including Ghostbusters, E.T., G.I. Joe, C-3PO, Gremlins, Mr. T, and Rainbow Brite.

tracy80sgirl via YouTube

15. Slap bracelets

These were still around in the late 2000s, but they were highly popular back in the '80s. As the name suggests, you just had to slap these things on your wrists, and they would automatically coil into a circle.

Amazon

The decade definitely brought us many things, some of which have evolved over the years into gadgets that we still use today. How many of these can you still recall if you're an '80s baby yourself?

Comment with your thoughts, or share this article for all your family and friends to see!