I was born in 1980, so technically speaking, the nineties were my going out years. I loved the nineties music, but there was something special about the eighties – and it’s my favourite era for music. I always have the eighties station on: blasting from the kitchen while cooking and having a little boogie with the kids!
To me; I think it was listening to the radio as I was growing up. Oh, can those tunes hit you like nothing else and touch your soul – and that keyboard sound. When Foreigner comes on, A-ha, Africa by Toto, True by Spandau Ballet, The Police, Phil Collins, Madonna, Womack Womack, Kate Bush, (she is amazing, certainly has me running up that hill when listening to her) so so many to mention and it takes you to that place emotionally (like a lot of good music does)
Tapes and walkmans:
Do you remember recording songs off the radio by tape? Trying to stop it just before the bloody djs voice butted in? Oh the memories. I loved my little walkman, and carefully fixing those tapes with a pencil.
Fashion:
The fashion, the crazy hair styles, watching aerobics on morning breakfast t.v while the instructor wore neon shiny shell suits, while rocking a curly mop of hair (I had a neon pink and blue one when I was 9 and thought I was the best thing ever since sliced bread when I wore it) And let’s not forget those puffy shoulder pads (the puffier the better and my mum used to rock that look with her permed hair) If I could go back to being a teenager then, I absolutely would. I would go all out and have the biggest hair style ever and puffiest shoulder padded blazer imaginable!
Years ago I held an eighties house party and went all out – it was brilliant shopping for everything eighties related and I was in my element
Movies and t.v shows:
The movie I couldn’t get enough of as a child was The Goonies. Do you remember it? I must’ve watched it hundreds of times with my brothers. It was like every little childs dream to go on such an adventure and to end up on that pirate ship, rocking a pirate hat with treasure at the end. E.T was also the first movie I seen at the cinema and I loved it.
Worzel Gummidge (the Scarecrow and Aunt Sally), The A-team (was the only girl with 2 brothers, so I had to watch) and Knight Rider were some of the shows I enjoyed.
Sweets and collecting that fancy paper:
Remember the penny sweets, that would nearly take your teeth out? (Oh I did love penny sweets) sherbet that blew your head off with sourness and the chewy bars that would nearly clamp your mouth shut when eating.
As a girl in primary school we collected fancy paper, fancy rubbers and would swap with others (you’ll know well what I mean if you were a child of the eighties) The collection of fancy goods you had was ridiculous and you never used the papers or rubbers (they would sit there looking so pretty in a jar) The boys would have the football sticker albums and the swapping was endless.
Cereals and bike reflectors:
There was nothing like that feeling when you would sit with a box of kelloggs cereal in the morning and shake the life out it until that spoke reflector fell out into your bowl. My bike was full of those gleaming little bad boys!
The Eighties were so special:
Between the music with that keyboard sound, puffy shoulder pads, Charlies Angels hairstyles, walkmans, fancy paper, the retro sweets and The Goonies; It really was such a special time growing up in the eighties. I loved shaking that cereal box to see what hidden treasure was inside. The bmx with scopes covered in reflectors was just the business. I would’ve loved to have been a teenager growing up in the eighties; so I could experience the cheesy ‘disco’ scene.
Memories you will always have and back in the day before we all had our heads stuck in a phone and social media. They were good times.
Were you a fan of the eighties and were you an eighties child, and what sticks out most for you?
Thank you so much for reading my nostalgic post and “hey you guys” hope you have a great day.
Bernie Egerton Mindset Coaching 