July 9, 2013

29 things I love about the 1980s


Generally speaking, when peering back at the past this blog, we keep thing squarely to a pre-1965 timeframe, however today we're going to deviate from the norm for a little while and spend a few minutes getting reacquainted with the the exciting world of the 1980s.

“Why, Jess?” I hear you asking, no doubt just as curious about that point as you are about why I went with the seemingly completely random number "29" for the number of entries on this list, instead of rounding up to, say, thirty. The reason for both of these things can be found in the fact that tomorrow is my 29th birthday and that, on a scorching hot July day, I was born in 1984.

Given that I only got to experience six years of this decade, I won't even begin to claim that I can remember every last detail of it with crystal clarity, nor that I was able to experience all of its highs and lows firsthand. However, from about the age of three onwards, I do recall quite a lot of what I lived during the enjoyable eighties and thought that today, on my birthday eve, it was high time I paid tribute to some of the things that I adore most from this decade.

The 1980s were many things to many people, but for most - at least in society's overall perspective - they were a positive time. By and large, the middle class was still thriving, technology was making huge strides, fashion was fun as all get out, brunch was the king of meals, music was toe-tappingly cool, and there was absolutely no shortage of toys, TV shows, movies, books, and even clothing lines (OshKosh B'Gosh, anyone?) centered at children.

By the eighties many of the people who had been born during the immediate post year wars of 1945-1960 had come of age, started their careers, settled down and begun to raise families of their own. These parents were often markedly different than the generation that had proceeded them. Many mothers began working outside of the home, and the era of the latchkey child was in full swing.

Kids - at least where I grew up - still played outside all around the neighborhood, walked to school alone, decided to see their friends on their own terms (the notion of scheduled play dates was scarcely alive yet), and usually had a wish list of toys about ten miles long. We had sleepovers, Scholastic book fairs, penny candies, ALF, and a whole lot of Molly Ringwald movies.

Our parents might have been yuppies, our older cousins Valley Girls, and our teenage babysitters, New Romantics. Everyone, it seemed, tried to fit into one group or another (not that there was anything terribly new about this point in the 80s, of course), and - for the most part - the bulk of these different cliques got along pretty well (despite what many a teen flick of the time might have you believe).

When I think back to the 1980s, it was often sunny (at least where we lived), people were happy, groceries (and gas) were still affordable, and there was always a great song on the radio (or new fangled CD player).

While, of course, I would have loved to have been alive during the mid-twentieth century, I'm grateful that I still got to partake of the tail end of this incredible part of human history.

The 1980s weren't all sunshine, rainbows, and sparkly unicorn stickers, and I don't claim for the a second that such was the case, but when all is said and done, there's a lot to love about this decade.

Therefore, today, just hours before I enter the last year of my twenties, I'm going to share a list of 29 of my favourite (completely random) things, celebrities, movies, TV shows, and foods from the awesome eighties with all of you (note that not while not all of these listings were invented or first rose to fame during the eighties, they were certainly big hits throughout the decade).



1. Pastels





2. Big (permed) hair




3. Miami Vice




4. Super Mario Brothers Nintendo games




5. Power Suits




6. Making mix tapes




7. Cabbage Patch Kids dolls




8. Ferris Buellers's Day Off




9. Michael Jackson's music




10. Oregon Trail (computer game)




11. The Golden Girls




12. Alphie II toy




13. Super lacy bridal fashions




14. The Sony Walkman




15. Muppet Babies




16. Orange Julius drinks




17. Preppy fashion (and it's UK counterpart, Sloane Ranger fashion)




18. Babysitter Club books




19. Popples




20. Gelly Bracelets




21. Barbie and the Rockers




22. Anything Lisa Frank (from stickers to Trapper Keepers to clothes)




23. Paint With Water coloring books




24. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles




25. Bubble Tape chewing gum




26. Scratch and Sniff (Smell) stickers




27. Jump Rope for Heart




28. Stick On Earrings




29. Color Me Beautiful books and "draping" consultations




{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective page.}



♥ ♥ ♥


Now, if this list doesn't make you want to tease your bangs, toss on some slouch socks, pop a Lean Cuisine in the microwave, and head on down to the video store, I don't know what will!

As I look back at the 1980s with adult eyes, I realize that they were akin to my (and I'd imagine many peoples') twenties. A time of highs and lows, scads of changes, plenty of loud music, fab fashion, and a certain sort of youthful spirit that I know I will always regard with a special kind of fondness.

Neither was perfect (by a long shot), but I'm truly grateful for both spans of time, and am looking forward to starting the last year of my twenties tomorrow, every bit as much as I am about the prospect of kicking off my thirties in a mere year and a day from now.

I hope that you all enjoyed this quick peek back at one of the most energy packed, fun filled, ever-changing decades of the last century, as I did putting it together (I'd love to hear about some of the things you adored most about the 80s as well).

While I'm a child of the eighties and I'll always reflect on this decade with oodles of love, my wardrobe and greatest passion for the past lie in earlier decades, which we'll be returning to (as per usual) in the next post here.

Right now, I'm off to whip up a yummy gluten-free cheesecake, narrow down the list of possible outfit choices for tomorrow, and crank up some Michael Jackson - after all, you can take the birthday girl out of the 80s, but you can't take the 80s out of the birthday girl! :)

94 comments:

  1. What a fun post! My goodness, I feel so nostalgic now! :) Happy birthday for tomorrow, and I hope that this last year of your twenties is the best yet! I now have one month left of being 29...and I'm not looking forward to being 30 one bit!!!!!! xxx

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  2. Oh my goodness, great post! I had a lot of those items growing up, especially the stick on earrings and rubber bracelets! But you forgot the most important 80's icon....Punky Brewster!! Also the Big M smelly hula hoops

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    1. Thank you, hon! Great additions to this list! Punky was definitely a huge icon of the era, too, though I don't remember watching the show when it aired (I was just a wee babe at the time). I'm guessing it run here in Canada, too, but again I don't remember seeing it if it did.

      ♥ Jessica

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    1. Like, totally!!! :) Love them and read them voraciously around the time I was in grades four and five.

      ♥ Jessica

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  4. Love this post!!

    I was born in 1987 so can't really claim to be an 80s kid but that doesn't mean I don't love what the decade gave us.

    I am a big fan of 80s music and films (love Ferris Bueller and Heathers, though my all time favourite movie is Blade Runner so that would be on my list) I love a good dose of 80s nostalgia!

    Hope you have a great birthday!

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  5. I'm now off to look for sparkly unicorn stickers, and maybe a pack of stick on earrings!

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  6. I had turned twenty one a few months before you were born, so the eighties were a fun time for me. As we came out of another prolonged recession we were all suddenly in party mood. The champagne flowed, my hair got bigger and my shoulder pads got wider!

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  7. Happy Birthday! It's great that you're reflective on your age; I always get that way.

    I remember the Eighties. Well. I was 23 when they started. In the U.S., the Eighties brought major and abrupt change to our culture and politics. The free-wheeling and often out-of-control Seventies gave way to the rise of conservative politics (e.g., Ronald Reagan) and a hunger for social stability, the latter of which was seen in mainstream culture. Some periods have distinctive quality and the Eighties certainly did. It's nice and fun for you to examine the era.

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  8. Yay, Heathers! I loved the Babysitters Club books...and read WAY too many Sweet Valley High books, they were sooo deliciously terrible! Great list! Growing up in the 80's as I did, this brought back lots of happy memories!

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  9. A most excellent list. I'm not gonna lie..I still watch the Golden Girls..in the Golden Girl's t-shirt I made my hubby purchase for me at Christmas last year. I'm mildly obsessed ;)

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    1. Thank you very much, Danielle! I'm with you completely! I love watching (and rewatching) the Golden Girls. I noticed after my most recent surgery this past April, that I often find myself watching them during periods of convalescence more than at other times (I think that stems from that GG is often the best thing on during daytime TV hours) and always love the feel good smiles that show brings my way.

      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Happy birthday Jessica, I hope you have a wonderful day xxx
    My favourite thing about the eighties is the teen films, particularly Pretty In Pink.

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  11. My dear Jessica !
    Oh, first of all happy birthday :) what a great post - while I am not sure if you work or studied writing I must say you have impeccable writing skills, an amazing way of describing things and a rich vocabulary.
    I really enjoyed going back to the 80's, I remembered SO MANY things that I cannot even begin to tell you... I remembered the name of my Cabbage Patch Kid: Ursula Catalina (which I still have) and am now wondering the wherabouts of my Popples !

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Lorena, what an incredibly touching, thoughtful comment (compliment!). Writing has always been one of my greatest loves, pretty much ever since I learned how to write the alphabet. It brings me an immeasurable amount of joy to write about topics that are near and dear to my heart (like vintage - or in this case, my youth), and I know that I will always write in some capacity so long as I've alive.

      It's awesome that you still have your CPK and that you remember her name. I recall the first names of two of mine (I probably had three or four in total over the years). One was Eunice, the other Gloria.

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  12. There is something about the '80 that keeps pulling us in; and I believe it's NEON colors... and "Cyndi" Lauper makeup. :D

    More importantly:
    "Count your life by smiles, not tears.
    Count your age by friends, not years."

    Happy birthday!
    ..and may it be a lovely day!

    Marija

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  13. I was born in 1975, so this post looks just like my childhood! :) And the big hair/teased bangs? Not so cool, actually. In jr high school gym class every morning my best friend would shampoo, blow dry, and re-tease my bangs since I could never get them "high enough" on my own. And some of my school pictures from that era are horrifying! ;)

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  14. Happy Birthday! Wow, some of those were still very much "in" in the 90s haha I remember them like it was yesterday! :)) Love this post!

    xx,
    FMWL

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  15. Happy Birthday! I loved my scratch and sniff stickers!

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  16. Happy Birthday!

    Your post makes me realize how everybody views different time periods with nostalgia! I wonder if the period everyone grew up in is their favorite? For me it was the 60s and there is so many things to appreciate about that time period. Can't say I feel the same way about the 80s as you do, though. I didn't care for the music, fashions and hair.

    Nevertheless, this was a fun post. And what fun would it be if we all liked the same thing?

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    1. Thank you very much, dear lady! I think that most people have a tendency to be nostalgic for the era of the youth for sure. It's strange, and I'm not entirely sure why this is, but even though I was only alive for six years of the 1980s, I feel like I associate with them more than the 90s, a decade I experienced and remember each year of. That isn't to say I couldn't wax nostalgic about the nineties, too (and who knows, one day I may do just that here, too), but just that the 80s have an especially fond place in my heart, much as the 1960s do for you (I bet I would have loved the 60s as well!).

      ♥ Jessica

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  17. Great list. But I was more of Jem and the Holograms girl, myself.
    I was most definitely a child of the 80s--in fact, I remember things that happened 30 years ago much better than I do thing that happened 3 years ago.
    OREGON TRAIL! You can determine someone's age depending on their reaction to Oregon Trail. Seriously:
    http://dinnerisserved1972.com/2013/01/29/87-veal-parmigiano-veal-cutlets-parmesan/
    I really enjoyed this post.

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  18. This was such a fun list. I was a child in the 80's too, and I think my favorite thing on your list is the scratch and sniff stickers, although I don't know why they made ones like pizza and taco...yuck. I also love the Golden Girls (I recently watched one where Rose schooled Blanche in dirty dancing).

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  19. Oh my word. Total flashback. XD Not all of it-- I'm a 90s child-- but my word! Some of this stuff!

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    1. A lot of the most popular elements of the 80s carried onto the 1990s (especially the first half) for sure. There was a real continuance of many different trends, TV shows, musical acts, etc that flowed from one decade into the next - I love that fact, and that those like yourself (and my little sister) who were born in the 90s got to experience some of the best of both decades.

      ♥ Jessica

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  20. I was born in 1977, so I remember the 80s as well. I grew up in San Diego California, so when the Olympics came just north of us in Los Angles in 1984 it was a HUGE deal. Tht is my first real 80s memory.

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    1. What an awesome first major memory of the decade to have. Thank you for sharing it with me. The 1984 Olympics will likely always stand out as one of the most important and memorable games ever held. I have very vague memories of watching some of the events of the 1988 Winter Olympics (held) in Calgary, Alberta on TV as a youngster (especially the figure skating), but the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona four years later are definitely sharper in my memory.

      ♥ Jessica

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  21. First off a BIG happy birthday to you!!! I wish you lots of birthday wishes sweet Jessica:)) Oh how super fun is this post!! Moving around a lot as a child there are very few things I have from my childhood, but I have my sticker collection!!! How fun to see this as one of your selections. Gosh, I just loved my scratch-n-sniff stickers! I also had the puffy stickers too! I had every Smurf scratch-n-sniff:) The funny thing is that they still smell after 30 odd years!
    I saw your gelly bracelets but what about the shoes lol? Those things used to give you big blisters and were not comfortable but who cared when you were fashionable? I also remember having the required florescent sweater with matching socks..I had this in hot pink!! Thanks for this lovely post. So fun... Oh, must comment on Heathers...I loved this movie too!

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    1. Aww, thank you very much, dearest Joanna! ♥

      Much like you, we moved around a lot and I don't have too many things from my childhood these days either, but I do still have some of my childhood stickers (stored in a photo album, natch - we didn't know about the dangers of acid on papers as kids back then!), too, and they are so near and dear to my heart. I wished we lived nearby and could look at each other's album just like kids used to do in the 80s and early 90s. I'll trade you a fuzzy teddy bear for a scratch and sniff baby powder one? :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  22. Oh must also comment on the cassette as it just brought back the memory of my very first cassette tape. It was Lover Boy. Should I admit this? I think it was the sixth grade:)

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    1. That's totally cool, fear not! :) I'm not 100% certain what my first cassette tape was, but I remember that Step by Step from New Kids on The Block was one of them for sure (I would have been about six years old when I got it).

      ♥ Jessica

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  23. perhaps you remember it so well b/c they were your "formative" years!! fun post for me, as i was nicely saturated in all of the '80's!! i was a huge miami vice fan too!
    i also had some pretty permed hair for a while. there was nothing a curling iron couldn't do!!
    don't forget the go-go's!! they were my favorite band ever!! (and wham!, but that's a secret between you and me...)
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
    XO, K

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    1. Definitely, they really were formative years - and, I'd say, some of the better of my youth, so I'm sure both those things contribute significantly to why they're so near and dear to my heart. I had two or three perms in the 90s, but my hair didn't hold the perm curl well and I never ended up with the perfect ringlets I yearned for back then. Perms didn't work for everyone, but on some gals they really did look beautiful (even if super teased bangs were involved).

      The Go-Gos and Wham! were both awesome - their hits will forever help make up the soundtrack of the era.

      Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. I swear (and my husband agrees) 1984 was probably the best year in the 80's. So much was done and seen that year. I'm a huge fan of the Super Mario games, Muppet Babies and the Ninja Turtles. My husband loves the big hair and bright colors of the 80s.

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    1. That's cool! I think a lot of guys of our general age bracket have always remained really fond of the 1980s. I can remember back in high school, years before the current 80s revival hit, several guys who still obsessed with everything from Ninja Turtles to Garbage Pail Kids to The Goonies. There was just something about the 80s that made you love it want never really to let it go completely.

      Thank you very much for your great comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  25. Great list! I love that you included Oregon Trail. The mention of that game has popped into my life a lot recently. Can you believe it is still around?

    I also associate blue eyeshadow with the 80s. Oh, and wearing two pairs of socks on each foot and crossing the colors - and Jane Fonda workout clothes. So much fun!

    I hope you have an amazing birthday.

    Rebekka

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    1. It's awesome that Oregon Trail is still around! If I ever have kids, you better believe I'm showing it to them as one of their first computer games (as it was mine).

      Oohhh, so do I! Blue eyeshadow and a liberal application of blush are two of the make-up looks of the decade that really stand out for me.

      ♥ Jessica

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  26. Happy birthday Jessica! The 80's is the decade that I first got obsessed with & is still definitely one of my favourite eras! I wish I could have seen it with my own eyes, though...

    I should also take the opportunity to tell you that you are amazing! I love the way you are passionate about things & your never ending positivity. I hope you have a great birthday & I wish you all the health + happiness!

    hugs, matilda ♥

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    1. From the bottom of my heart, dear Matilda, thank you so very much for your truly touching, beautiful words and birthday wishes.

      ♥ Jessica

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  27. First off: happiest of birthday wishes pretty lady!! I hope it's a year full of happiness & growth! (Insert a Lisa Frank worthy slew of sunshine here.) As a girl who loves the 80s a weird amount, I absolutely adored this post, I definitely giggled once I got down to jump rope for heart... But let's be real, the power suits were my favorite. Gimme those shoulder pads!

    <3 <3 <3
    Sara

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    1. Thank you very much, super sweet Sara! IMO, there is no such thing as loving the 80s too much - that's just impossible. It wasn't always perfect, but darned if that decade didn't exude awesomeness right, left and center. Power suits for the win!!! (Worn, on the way to the office, with white workout sneakers, natch.)

      ♥ Jessica

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  28. Great post ! I confer with most you have written. I was a teen in the 80's with full on big hair ( joico ice mist) and mega make up , black clothes , mudic etc. I graduated in 1989 and our class t shirt and motto was " you gotta grad in th 80's"
    Happy birthday. :)
    Jen

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    1. Thank you very much, Jen! What a cool, memorable grad motto (I bet it would sell well on t-shirts today, both with people of the era and youngsters today who are fans of the 80s).

      ♥ Jessica

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  29. Happy early birthday! I have to say, as a child of the eighties myself, they were pretty awesome. While I didn't participate in all the fads (especially hair and clothing), I look fondly on a decade when things seemed so much easier.

    Best Wishes,
    Amanda

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Amanda. I agree - whether it's perception or fact - the 80s often did seem like an easier, simpler time (especially if you were young). I'm truly grateful I was born when I was and that I got to experience some of this important decade.

      Big hugs!!!
      ♥ Jessica

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  30. Ohhhhh, darling Jess! I can not believe this beautiful coincidence! You birthday my birthday is tomorrow and I the next day, on Thursday!
       And you say he was born in 1984 and that year is when I had married the sweetest man on earth, my partner!
      Is this real??
       Do we have so many coincidences in our lives??
      Oh, yes! I remember, Miami vice ... long afro hair style ... mix tapes, my husband love songs recorded on them to give me ... Mikel Jackson! Oh Lady .. I still love he! ... Golden Girls, they made me laugh ... and the rest of your images do not bring back memories to my mind, probably because living in another country, the tastes were different ... Oh, dear Jessica, you have brought beautiful memories to me ... Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow!

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    1. Thank you very, very much, darling lady! It so fabulously cool that our birthdays are back-to-back, dear Rosy!!! From the bottom of my heart, I hope you have an incredible celebration and year ahead!

      Countless hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  31. I just loved this post so much! The way how you described a decade, so brilliantly and evokative! Ninja Turtles and pastels are such a craze for me still :) I was born in 1988 so I really didn't live the 80's, only the 90's... However, I find everything about the 80's fascinating, even when it's campy. I love "The Hunger" with Bowie, I love Duran Duran and I'm head over heels in love with New Romantic style! :) xx

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  32. Great post! I love the '80s! Amazing music and films (I was a wee bit surprised not to see Working Girl here - an absolute classic - but it must have been tough to narrow it down!). I was happy to see the Babysitters' Club, even more pleased to see popples, delighted beyond words to see Barbie and the Rockers (I had both the Barbie on the front left and the Ken, with the stage and all), and then paint-with-water colouring books just had me on the floor. All so very wonderful and nostalgic!

    Hope you have an amazing birthday, lovely lady, and enjoy your last year of being 20-something. I've accidentally let mine pass by already getting into my head that I'm 30... but I realised the other day that I should correct that thinking and enjoy my last few months of this fine decade of life. 29 can kind of be a limbo, lost year, but you shouldn't let it be - it should be a big, celebratory bang!

    Happy, happy birthday to you!
    xxx

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    1. Thank you very much, honey. I know just what you mean about thinking that you're already in your 30s. Here I am, just hitting 29 today, and I've already sort of been thinking I was 30 for the past few months. Enough of that though - one day I'll no doubt look back and pine for this age once more, so as you said, I'm going to try and celebrate it and make it the best one of my 20s (save perhaps for 20 itself, as that was the year I got married). Likewise I really hope that you're able to enjoy the remaining months of this decade of your life, too.

      It was tricky to narrow this list down for sure - I could have easily kept going to a hundred or more without batting (a blue eyeshadow clad :D) eye. Perhaps a second "things I love from the 1980s" post will need to appear here someday.

      Many thanks again!!!
      ♥ Jessica

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  33. Happy Birthday Eve!!! I love this post because I loved the 80s. I was a teenager in the 80s and I wouldn't change it for anything. We had Duran Duran and Cyndi Lauper and Live Aid and Swatches. *sigh* Ah, memories.

    ~Katie

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Katie - how awesome that you got to experience the 1980s as a teenager, I would have loved that soooo much (after the 40s or 50s, it's the top decade I would have wanted to be a teen in). Swatches were so cool! I didn't have a real one, but I did have a white watch with a geometric neon design on it back in the day that was similar.

      Big hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

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  34. Oh Jess, you are a girl after my own heart-truly! I sooo love this post bc I am very much a child of the 80s (born in '76). I loved so many things on your list. I sometimes secretly wish I was more of a teen in the 80s. I turned 14 in 1990 so most of my teens and early 20s were in the horror of the 90s...gahhhh blah blah ughhhhhh the 90s. Anyway, I love this post...so much fun to look back. Now off to tease my hair and find some jelly shoes heheeh Muah!

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  35. OMG, there I am in #5 ! Lordy, what a site !
    Thanks for the wonderful tour and mind blowing
    pictures !
    Sierra Sue

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    1. You're completely welcome, dear Sierra Sue - I rarely venture anywhere near as "modern" when it comes to the decades I focus on here, but the idea for this post took form a few weeks ago and I completely loved writing it. So happy to know you likewise had a blast reading it!

      ♥ Jessica

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  36. Firstly… HAPPIEST of happy birthdays beautiful lady! I hope your day is full of all things lovely and cake! I was hoping your package would arrive in time but mail from Australia to Canada appears to be so slow.

    Now… the 80s! Oh what childhood memories! I can identify with quite a few of these. Some I can't because they weren't in Australia but I so adored Rainbow Brite (Shy Violet was my favourite and I still have my RB toys) and the Babysitter's Club. I devoured every single one of those books!

    xo

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  37. It appears that I am the oldster here, being born in 1969, but I am so a child of the 80'ies. I graduation in 1987 and met my husband while we were in jr high school, it just took us 24 years to get it together and get it right. I had perms, popped collars, pegged jeans and jelly shoes. There were also dubious choices in eye shadow colors and adventures in colored mascara, blue and lavender being a favorite and yellow and green looking a bit odd. My mother was NOT a fan and referred to it as my 'circus clown' look. I wanted my MTV, pop rocks and original Coke. I loved Miami Vice and the Dukes of Hazzard. My Cabbage Patch doll, sticker collection and copy of "Are you there God, It's me, Margaret" are all carefully stored away. Mix tapes of power ballads and Friday night school dances were the norm. Summers were spent going to the Skyview Drive In (one of the few existing drive in theaters still operating here in the states) to watch 80'ies teen angst movies and car hop with your friends. The scent of Jean Nate and Love's Baby Soft make me long for those days of innocence. Thank you for such a wonderful walk down memory lane, I would go back in second if the opportunity arose. I LOVE the 80'ies! Wishing you a wonderful, joyous, fun filled happy birthday, dear Jessica!

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    1. Awesome comment, Kim, thank you very much for sharing some of the highlights of this decade that standout in your mind. I remember that my mom still had some of her make-up from the 80s in a box when I was a youngster and I loved playing with her (Estee Lauder) eyeshadow palette that included at least a couple of shades of blue (I even secretly wore some blue shadow to Girl Guide event when I was 13, and thought I was looked so grownup!).

      Thank you so much for your wonderful birthday wishes and again for your fantastic comment - it so perfectly captures the spirit of what I was celebrating here.

      ♥ Jessica

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  38. You have a good memory! I was born in 1978 and I feel like the 80s are a blur to me. I had forgotten those stick on earings until I saw them in your post I loved those. I loved orange julius too I remember my dad, who has passed on, taking me to the mall to get them. As Im a Star Trek fan Id add Star Trek The Next Generation to your list as it premiered in 1987 I think. I agree the 80s had some really high points that are often forgotten. I am kind of partial to the late 90s as I was in college then and pretty happy, plus I have a clearer memory of all of the 90s
    kate

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Kate! My parents wouldn't let me get my ears pierced until I was 13 (and that I did, at long last, on my 13th birthday itself) so stick-ons and the occasional pair of clip-on earrings were all I had to tide me over until then (and I promptly made up for all those years of wanting pierced ears by getting a total of four holes in each ear all by the time I was 17).

      I liked Star Trek Next Generation a lot as a kid - it's my favourite of the Star Trek series for sure (I had such a crush on Riker when I was about five years old - yes, weird crush for a little girl I know). If I ever do a second similar "faves of the 80s" post like this, Star Trek Next Gen will likely be there.

      ♥ Jessica

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  39. The happiest of birthday eves to you, Jessica!

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  40. This is such a fun post. I was born in 1986, so I didn't get to experience a lot of the 80's but I do still have some fond memories. Two things that really stand out for me are the music of the 80's (Dexys Midnight Runners! Cyndi Lauper! Michael Jackson!) and the awesome British comedy from this era. I was raised on a steady diet of The Young Ones and Blackadder, both of which were released during this time.

    I hope you have an awesome birthday!

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  41. OMG, this is the BEST post! I'm so nostalgic now! The only one that I missed was the Oregon Trail thingie - what was that about? Oh, and you forgot Madonna and Whitney Houston!!!

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    1. Thank you, Chrissy! I'm a huge nostalgist myself, so I'm delighted to know I helped bring back some positive memories of the 80s for you! It was hard to cap this list at just 29, let me tell you - and there are certainly tons more things (and singers!) that I could have kept adding, had I not stopped at 29. Who knows, perhaps I'll do a second such post one day and add the next batch of 80s favourites to the list. :)

      Oregon Trail was a computer game that was created in the early 70s, rising to the height of its popularity during the 80s and early 90s, that was intended to teach school kids about what life was life for early US pioneers who made their way across the Oregon Trail. It was super fun - if you ever get a chance to play, I totally recommend it!

      ♥ Jessica

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  42. all love for your birthday!
    born in 68, the 80's were my teen time - I wore all the pastels, then switch to black suit, tried as a new romantic / new waver, and had a short asymmetrical haircut and a permed mane .......
    and in backsight the people were more "dresssed", although it started there with the "tracksuit for everything" i think......

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  43. haha, nor was I subject to the era first hand (born in 93) but I did have a vCR of barbie and the rockers cartoon movies.

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  44. Aaah this is such a fun post! What a trip down memory lane. I have vague memories of the 80's as well but some things stand out more than others... I always wanted a Popple but was never allowed to have one, but I did score a brand new Barbie and the Rockers Barbie, complete with cassette tape of their songs, and microphone accessory! I was blown away to actually hear my Barbie singing! And Babysitter Club books... I only had about 150 of those at one point. Claudia was my favourite! And finally. .. happy birthday dear girl! I hope you have a truly marvellous day full of fun and a wonderful year ahead. xxx

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  45. Hi Jessica,

    ♫ Happy Birthday ♫!

    I read this post yesterday but I did not have the time to reply right then.

    It's funny, because although I was in my early twenties during the Eighties, I was not really part of the 80's. I did watch Miami Vice some evenings with my then fiancé (his parents lived in Florida at the time, so he loved that show)...of all things, he just happened to watch the first episode of Miami Vice on Netflix last night.

    I think I had an Orange Julius once or twice.

    I have never listened to Michael Jackson or have seen “Ferris Buellers's Day Off” or have used a Sony Walkman. And I only learned of Lisa Frank in the 90’s when my daughter Lisa was older and discovered these items.

    My world in the 80's was focused on the 40's and 50s. I watched old movies and listened to old music. I fashioned my clothing, makeup, and hair styles off of those decades and was totally oblivious to the decade in which I was living.

    When I dated my future husband, he was amazed that I did not know a current single song on the radio.

    All the same, you post was delightful to read. It is interesting to see your many fond memories of the 80's.

    I do so hope that your birthday today is one of the most special days of your life!

    Hugs,
    Hope



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  46. Muppet Babies, Sony Walkmans and Super Nintendo may have gotten a resounding "Yeah!" from me as I scrolled past them. :D

    I loved Cherry Merry Muffin Dolls, She-Ra and Rainbow Brite like CRAZY!
    Fun Post!! :D

    I hope you have a wonderful day today hon! I hope you spend it with loved ones doing things that make you smile!
    Happy Birthday!

    Talk soon!
    L.

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  47. I really loved this flash from my past, Jessica! I remember every single one of these and still get a nice nostalgia feeling of my childhood whenever I see some nija turtles or even some Mario brothers. Also one of my all time fave shows is still The Golden Girls! :D

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  48. So many of those I relate to! I loved the Carebears and we had snap-it bracelets in the UK, they got banned as they were a bit lethal! I remember stick on earrings, rainbow brite was awesome. I had Sindy & Barbie oh and Sylvanian Families!

    Thank you for sharing and I hope you've had a wonderful birthday.

    Katy
    xox

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  49. Wow. Way to blow my mind. I too was born in 1984.. But ever since my birth, I looked back at the 80s in a sort of panicked horror. It seemed like an assault from every angle, gum-smacking older (and astonishingly shallow) valley girls, stiff jean jackets and koolochs (a type of bermuda shorts I think), and hammer pants, shamefully embarrassing white "dance" moves, and a lot of confused lead singers of hair bands. I have been looking back on the small bit of the decade I had experienced like one might look back at being attacked by an angry mob. It all happened so fast, there was pain, confusion, and it came so loudly at me from every angle.
    But.. As I scrolled down your list, and ran to the basement to dig out my old pink popple, and my little glow-worm (do u remember those?) and I remembered back to all the scratch and sniff items I had (stickers, and even stuffed animals that smelled like oranges and root beer) I realized I have a whole other life of memories that somehow got choked out, probably from one too many fateful mornings of walking past the open door of the bathroom while my older sister was getting ready, a massive hair spray and perfume cloud big enough to wipe out every good memory from those 6 innocent years.
    I remembered my collection of jellies, the only shoe ever made that condensated in summer, but that we loved anyway. I remembered the school parties at the skate rink where I was always best at the skating-limbo and where I wore my favorite outfit of all time, a wide necked cropped t-shirt with a matching miniskirt that had pink leggings attached underneath.. it was an awesome outfit.. Especially with roller skates on! I remembered not just mixed tapes but VHS, oh how I miss being able to throw a vhs into the recorder and record and own ANYTHING off of tv that I loved. And how we'd plan a slumber party and part of the fun was going to the rental store with your friends to find a video, and then grab junk food. I remembered the ninja turtles.. And how nothing beats the memory of ordering pizza, grabbing a 3 liter of root beer and watching a rented movie at home in the 80s with your friends or family. THAT was awesome. And that will never be the same. I remembered my candy necklaces that melted down my neck in summer, my huge collection of stick on earrings, and my hot pink nail polish. I remember how halloween was still mostly homemade costumes, cobbled together with your mom's old dresses and maybe a store bought mask that was sharp around the eye and mouth holes. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for bringing my long lost childhood back to me. I am serious when I say, I haven't thought of these things since 1992 when nirvana captured my heart and whisked me away from the 80s and helped me forget the assault of the previous decade, because yes, a lot of the 80s was a bit of an assault :) but I can't believe how much good there was. And that I FORGOT it all!!! (Just remembered scooters too, the cool alternative for a little 4 year old that couldn't ride a bike yet!)
    Although I have to say, I hated oregon trail, I had been playing mario, asteroids, pitfall and centipede my whole childhood, and oregon trail was torturously slow and heavily worded comparatively. But a lot of my friends couldn't wait for computer day so they could play it, I disagree with all of u oregon trail people, but I must respect your love for it. :) thanks again for giving me my childhood back.

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    1. What a fantastic comment and look back at some of the elements of this vivid, exciting decade that were especially near and dear to your own heart, thank you so much for joining in the spirit of this post and the fun nostalgia I was trying to capture with it!

      ♥ Jessica

      *PS* I definitely remember Glo Worms, they were so darling! I didn't have one, but I remember really wanting one of my own back in the day. Seriously, again, thank you for your stellar comment - I loved thinking about the things you mentioned (like candy necklaces, homemade Halloween costumes, and jellies) and reliving even more great 80s memories thanks to your memories of the decade.

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  50. If I could favourite this post, I would!! :D So many fond memories!! While I was born in 1985, there are definately many things that I remember from the late 80's and early 90's (Rainbow Bright, Jem and the Holograms, awesome music, amazing toys...)
    I hope that you have an amazing birthday!!! :D

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  51. Happy Birthday for to you! I will email you a picture of me with big permed hair, so that you can have a giggle for your birthday! being a little older than you I remember the 80's - some things with fondness and some not so much. It is true we had a lot more freedom to roam than my children, there was less traffic so we walked to primary school unaccompanied from what would be considered quite a young age these days, and spent hours playing outside. I also remember the weather being better (?) this might be a delusion!! We ate lots of sweets and didn't really put on suncream, it just wasn't such a big thing then. Fashion was wild and pop music amazing. But in England it was the time of the miner's strike and I do remember the miners and their wives collecting money in buckets in our nearest town. That has always stayed with me.

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  52. This bought back some very happy memories for me and I think it's amazing the childhood things we had in common even though we live in different countries. I had (in fact still have) Rock Star Barbie. I loved her hair and faux leather mini skirt. Stick on earrings were great but came off in your hair. Water painting was fun, also like the illustration of Rainbow Brite, I always wanted a doll of her. I also always wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid but my parents thought they were horrific do despite its appearance on my letter to Father Christmas I had to make do with my next door neighbours! I made mix tapes well into the 1990s and used to tape the charts off the radio. I was really excited o get a Walkman, felt very gown up. I had scratch and sniff stickers on my bed head, that I sniffed before bedtime. I can still sing the theme tune to Muppet Babies. This was great fun, thank you. Hope you had a fantastic birthday.

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  53. First of all HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I hope you are having a great time celebrating your 29th bday! when you were born, I was 12 years old, so , it means my teen years were totaly in the 80's! as I'm the yougest girl in my family , I always wanted to imitate my older sisters, so, my hair was big, my natural hair is curly and I used to have lots of hair......so sad now my curls and lots of hair had gone :( , well, continuing with the 80's, I used to used those jelly shoes, the jelly bracelets, ahhhh!! and one of my friends had that barbie you show here, so I used to go to her house to play a lot hehehehe, my bangs were HUGE hahahahaha, the eyeliner was blue AND I was 13 years old when I went to a Disco (night club) for the very first time, of course one of my sisters took me there and I really enjoyed it! in fact, everytime I listen to the song " Tarzan Boy" from Baltimora, my mind goes back to that place and moment, me, in the disco for the forst time, with my big hair, my withe leggins, my peach big blouse and the blue eyeliner, hahahahahaha, NOW I have that picture in my mind =)

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  54. awesome post!!!
    80s means to me: neon colours, rainbow brite, barbie rockers: dee dee and for sure, mix tapes. (oh, i shouldn't forget my tons of all kinds of barbie horses ...). But teen life really started in the 90s: ... g'n'r, metallica ... super platform boots, vespa scooter, grunge , .... aaaaaarrrrrgh

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  55. OH, have a beautiful birthday, dear gal!!!!

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  56. The 80s was the decade that gave me four of my children so I will always have fond memories from them. Although, I really have wonderful memories from every decade I have lived through. Also, during the 80s I was the toy department manager for a department store, and remember all too well the Christmas that the Cabbage Patch Kids made their debut. It was chaos in the store every time we got a shipment. lol I loved Molly Ringwald and was told on many occasions that I looked like her. I think it was my freckles =) Another great movie from that decade was Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Every guy I knew was talking about Phoebe Cates coming up out of that swimming pool and I longed to have her gorgeous long black locks of hair. I could go on and on talking about this decade! I hope you have a fantastic birthday, like totally!

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  57. The "guy's version" of this list would have He-Man, Star Wars, and A-Team! :)

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  58. Oh how this brings me back. I LOVED the orgeon trail. Noone ever survived when I played it. I was the worst. I would always make the wagon go at the fastest pace and I would go over those deep rivers without caution. Ahh, the days.


    www.vintageinspiredblog.blogspot.com

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  59. Wow - what a flash back (I am two years older than you). Ninja turtles, barbie and the rockers and nintendo were a huge part of my 80s.

    I remember my younger brother (18 months younger) and I shared a room (when the ninja turtles started airing in Australia) and he would always fall asleep before me. I would tell him wild tales of me meeting up with the ninja turtles in the sewer and I had a compact just like Aprils. Every night he would try so hard to stay awake so he could come hang out with me and the turtles....but he would always fall asleep before me and then I would tell him the next day he "just missed their call to my compact".

    What would my life have been like as an only child? I had so much fun playing pranks on my younger brothers.

    Hope you have a fantastic birthday lovely lady. I hope it is a wonderful day and that you enjoy your final year in your twenties. It only gets better from here ;) Sending you lots of love and hugs from the other side of the world.

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  60. This bought back some very happy childhood memories. It is interesting to see some of the similarities of a 1980s childhood even though we live in different countries. I had (and still have!) Rock Star Barbie. I loved her hair and her faux leather mini skirt and boots. I remember wearing stick on earrings and how they would get caught up in your hair! I was making mix tapes well into the 1990s and used to tape songs from the radio. I loved compiling them, especially choosing ones for other people. I was very pleased when I first got a Walkman. I always wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid but my parents thought they were horrific so despite it featuring on a couple of letters to Father Christmas I had to make do with borrowing my next door neighbours! I had scratch and sniff stickers on my bed head and used to smell them before I went to sleep! Muppet Babies was a favourite Saturday morning cartoon, I can still sing the theme tune! Thank you for reminding me of these things! I hope you had a fabulous birthday.

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  61. Yikes!! Lol! I was born in 1972, so I was 10 in '82 and boy do I HATE the 80's!!! I even did while I was living in the 80's. =)
    (Back then instead of 80's music, I listened to Elvis and anything 40's and 50's on the AM stations.)

    BUT, I did love collecting stickers for my sticker album and Lisa Frank were one of my fav's. In 8th grade we would bring our Cabbage Patch dolls to school and carry them around to class, it was THE thing to do! I named mine Psychedelic and she has blonde hair and green eyes (I still have her around here somewhere)!

    I could watch the Golden Girls for hours! Designing Women too!

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  62. Happy Birthday Jessica :) may you have a wonderful day :)
    Thanks for the trip down memory lane, I was born in the mid 60's but my late teens and early adult life was the 80's, I remember all those things very well....... some have come back too, eg cabbage patch dolls, ...... anyways enjoy your day :)

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  63. Oh wow what an awesome post! I can't believe how many of those scratch and stickers that I still have! In my sticker books! And they still smell! Those exact ones too!!! :D I also loved Care Bears, Jem & the Holograms (dolls) as well as Barbie and the Rockers, Popples were so cool and Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and Michael Jackson were the stand out singers for me - style wise. :) I love this list - so much fun!!! :D

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  64. Happy birthday Jessica. I love your list, particularly having spent my school years in the 80s. I was a fan of the big hair. Particularly the poodle perm and was so excited when my mum finally agreed to let me get one. Oh the joy of the special comb to take care of my tightly curled hair! Heathers is one of my all time favourite movies. I'm pretty sure I can still quote it. Oh and Miami Vice and.... well pretty much all your items. Hypercolour t-shirts would probably be my only addition. A t-shirt that changed colour when you got hot? Did it get any cooler that that? xx

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  65. I was just talking about popples to my daughter! I was comparing them to pillow pets LOL

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    1. Awww, what cool timing! I know there was an attempt to try and revive Popples in the marketplace for this current generation of youngsters (in 2007, I believe), but I don't think they really caught on a second time around. It's too bad - they were really fun (and made for a great game of catch - I can remember standing at the top of the stairs and one of my siblings being at the bottom, and we'd throw a Popple back and forth for ages). I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for these cute, fun, delightfully quirky plus toys. :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  66. What a fun list! I remember some of those things as well, even though I grew up during the 90s, mostly :3 Also, happy belated birthday ^^

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  67. oh i´m a child of the 80´s too, i don´t know why i missed that post last time! but it made me so nostalgic, i remember how much fund and exciting it was to make your own mix tapes and of course i watched muppet babies and miami vice and i wore those sticker earrings and a lot of neon and lace;)
    thank you for that wonderful time travel in my youth/childhood;)
    kiss,mary

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  68. Tillykke med fodselsdagen! Meaning congratulations in Danish. A little late, I'm sorry. I hope you had a fab day, dear. I remember the eighties very well since I'm from 63. Ohh, perms and Don Johnson. He was the hottest! And everybody was permed, even though it didn't become you or your hair didn't tolerate it. I miss the chocking pink lipstick (I have a real one in my Etsy store, bought stock and got tired of it although I thougt I couldn't live without it) and shoulderpads. I never wore shoulderpads, but everybody else looked like rugby players. Great list, thanks for taking me back to my teenage years and early twenties. Gosh, I'm old! ;)

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    1. Thank you so very much, dear Sanne, that's really lovely! I don't know if anyone has ever wished me happy birthday or congrats in Danish before - how special that you're the first.

      You're very welcome! I so, so loved writing this post and feeling like I was floating in a pool of awesome 80s nostalgia that whole week.

      ♥ Jessica

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