Merlin, the ‘electronic wizard,’ was a red telephone-shaped toy used buttons, lights and sound effects to let kids play a variety of simple games, and was one of the earliest gaming consoles.
1987
Brunette Alison and blonde Larisa show off the newest, sexiest ’80s swimsuits for every figure type… yours included. 1986 was time to shine in a swimsuit that makes you look terrific!
Starting back in the ’50s, women were encouraged to start their own businesses, hosting Tupperware parties, and demonstrating how to use those popular plastic containers. Here’s a look back!
Take tic-tac-toe, toss in nine celebrities, stir in some questions and add fabulous prizes. What do you get? The original Hollywood Squares game show!
While boxes of Jell-O pudding pops may be but a memory, we can still remember their glory days through these magazine ads and TV commercials!
In the ’80s, these sweet vintage Dunkin’ Donuts glass jars came filled with Munchkins donut holes, and were meant to live out the rest of their days on a kitchen counter, just waiting to be refilled with tasty treats.
In the ’60s, 70s & ’80s, kids across the country competed for the coveted Presidential Physical Fitness award. Here’s a look back at the exercise requirements, the awards, the badges and more!
These old-school vintage blow dryers from the seventies were more than just hot air – the handheld tools could dry! Style! And came in retro-popular colors like yellow, orange and baby blue.
Look back to the ’70s and ’80s at vintage Sea World San Diego, when Shamu the Killer Whale was the ocean-themed amusement park’s star attraction.
The first vintage Etch-A-Sketch toy was made back in 1960. It was a big seller from early on, and over the years, Ohio Art made several other creative, artistic toys – such as those shown here.
If you wanted one place to store makeup, nail polish and jewelry, these retro beauty organizers – brands like Caboodles and Sassaby – were all the rage with teen girls in the late eighties and early nineties.
Back in the late ’80s, who would have thought that young Robert Downey, Jr – the kid who acted in a few random films – would, a couple of decades later, be one of America’s biggest movie stars?
Red, pink, gold & beyond – See the top vintage nail polish brands and colors from the 20th century, with shades & styles from decades ago – see how manicures have changed over the years!
Do you remember Shrinky Dinks? They were DIY crafts that could be made by coloring on a plastic sheet, cutting out the various shapes, and then shrinking them down using heat.
These tasty vintage pudding cups were supposedly made for kids… but we know that plenty of adults loved the taste and convenience of these to-go desserts. How many of the flavors do you remember?
Vintage bumper stickers have been a common sight for decades, and were more than just a decoration on the back of a car or truck – they were there to make a statement. Here’s a look back at a few!
Here’s a look back at some vintage 1980s Nike shoes – from the early ‘just plain sneakers’ to the later mega-successes of classic Nike Air Jordans and the well-known ‘Just do it’ slogan.
Swiss watchmaker Swatch revitalized the industry when they came out with a bold and vibrant analog quartz marvel, sparking the colorful watch craze of the 1980s and 1990s.
Want to see some fancy retro footwear? Take a look back at a few of the many styles of women’s shoes from the ’80s, including spike heels, wedges, flats, pumps, penny loafers, moccasins and boat shoes, just to name a few!
To help you remember the heyday of the Xerox, check out some vintage copy machines here – and be grateful that email and scanners have made running a business nowadays so much simpler.
The history of Dr Pepper is surprisingly long – starting back in the 1800s, in fact. Here’s how the brand began and grew and grew to become one of the most popular soft drinks in the world.
Fisher-Price debuted the Little People — originally known as the “Play Family” — in late 1965. At the time, the little dolls were made of
Pineapple juice is more than just a drink on its own. It can be used in a variety of recipes – from party punches to zesty meat marinades. Take a look at some vintage pineapple juice recipes and ideas here!
Years ago, companies promoted all kinds of vintage freebies and low-cost mail-in offers, usually requiring some boxtops or proof of purchase. Look back at some of the premiums from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s!
Tang orange drink mix was advertised as a ‘new breakfast drink discovery’ when it was introduced in the ’50s, and went on to become a part of pop culture history – especially once NASA and Mrs Brady got in on the action.
Have a look back at these cute vintage Fisher-Price dollhouses from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s! Take a look at how they changed over the years, and see which one you remember best.
Since 1952, Mad Magazine has poked fun at everything from Superman to Yoda, M*A*S*H to hippies. But it’s about more than humor – it’s big business, too.
Trans World Airlines, better known as TWA, was one of the major US airlines, moving millions of people to destinations around the globe. Find out the history of TWA, and see this collection of vintage ads to see how exciting flying used to be.
When the Disney Channel started in 1983, it was a cable subscription service with shows like Mousercise and Mickey Mouse Club, along with many of the famous Disney movies. See some of the schedules and more here!
Books in a home once signaled that the residents were intelligent, worldly, and could afford to collect their favorite volumes. Look back at some vintage bookshelves from the past!
In the seventies and eighties, sock styles – especially those for girls – started to get a lot more fun as new colors, patterns and ways of wearing them became all the rage. Here’s a look back at 1980s socks!
For years, electricity was produced by burning coal because few options existed? Peruse these vintage ads to see how the pro-fission profession once professed their preference for the promotion of nuclear power.
Although they lacked the portability factor of hand mixers, the fact that these vintage table mixers could stir and blend and whip on their own was a huge boon for home chefs – as much then as now.
Look back at these cute vintage Tinkerbell manicure kits, BO-PO (Brush-on, peel-off) nail polish and other beauty treats marketed to little girls back in the ’70s and ’80s. Lots of memories here!
Back in the seventies and eighties, these vintage Fisher-Price dolls enchanted millions of little kids. They were available in a few different sizes, styles and colors, and you could get them a lot of different outfits.
They toasted! They cooked! And, most important of all: these vintage toaster ovens warmed up TV dinners without needing to heat up the full-size oven. See how the little kitchen appliances evolved over the years, right up through the 1980s.
The 1970s arrival of old-school food processors like these vintage Cuisinarts – along with similar small appliances from other companies – were some of the most beloved kitchen tech tools since the invention of the stand mixer.
Gen X kids got to prove that these 1980s fruit snacks – non-perishable packaged sweet and chewy treats – would be big sellers… and the forerunners of the dozens of similar snacks on the market today.
Do you remember chocolate-covered Kudos granola bars? Here’s a look back at the flavors you used to be able to get, and why you can’t find them anymore.
How did these vintage Easter egg shrink-wrap decorating sleeves work? Find out here, and see a retro collection of Disney Easter decorations and other holiday designs!
In the late ’80s, Del Monte Yogurt Cups were introduced, and came in four flavors: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and peach. Then the company made a change to the product… which was also the beginning of the end.
When these Classic Walt Disney Home Video VHS tapes were finally available back in the 1980s, it was huge for fans. No more waiting for the movies to appear once a year on TV, or to be re-released in theaters. Here’s what you could see back then!
While popular cartoon kids talking about life insurance and IRAs might not seem like a natural match, in the ’80s & ’90s, the combination was a hit. Take a look back here!
Although it seems to be everywhere now, Sprite, Coca-Cola’s lemon-lime soft drink. was only introduced back in the sixties. Even back then, though, it wasn’t a guaranteed success.
Vintage liquid hand soaps were something of a novelty in the 1980s, and people were happy to get a break from using bar soaps when they washed their hands. It was a simple, but very successful, idea that is a winner even decades later.
Take a step back in time and check out some of the most awesome shampoos & conditioners from the ’80s — including a lot of brands you can’t find anymore!
During the first few years that vintage Yoplait yogurt was sold in America, the company played up the brand’s French origins, and paid several American celebrities to promote the product en Francais.
To the average American girl, between the ages of, say, 10 and 17, slumber parties are as important as pizza, add-a-beads and Judy Blume.
Check out this collection of vintage Lip Smackers ads, featuring delish fruity flavors (like a drool-worthy watermelon!) and those of popular sodas, including Dr Pepper, Crush orange soda, Hires root beer, 7-Up and others.
Here’s the original press release that a small company called Apple released back in 1984, announcing the launch of their new Macintosh personal computer – the first mass-market PC with both a graphical user interface and a mouse.
21 Jump Street was a cop show that debuted in 1987, and immediately found an audience: teenagers, especially girls. That was fair, since the show was about police officers who pretended to be teens. Johnny Depp was the series’ breakout star.
Look back at these great examples of more than fifty 1980s bathroom decor ideas – plus retro color schemes – that cover the gamut from elegant to eccentric to extra-dated.
