# High school in the late 80's **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049 "2000-03-16T13:39:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/21 "2000-03-17T06:00:00Z")
I recall all of the above, pluss these two gems: -OP courderouy shorts -Girls (and some guys) rolling the bottom of their jeans into VERY TIGHT cuffs. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/22 "2000-03-17T06:06:00Z")
OK, I forget what they were called, but remember those tee shirts and shorts and things that were one color cool, and turned another when they warmed up? Hypercolor, maybe? I had a blue tanktop that turned to pink. I remember looking at people in the halls at school and there was always at least one guy in a blue shirt with lovely pink circles under his arms. So attractive. And Swatches! I went to Expo '86 and there was a giant Swatch Watch you could walk through. The line for it was about 3 hours long. * * * “It says, I choo-choo-choose you. And it’s got a picture of a train.” – Ralph Wiggum ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Basil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Sweet\_Basil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Basil)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/23 "2000-03-17T06:09:00Z")
What about Leggoons brand shorts? And shirts made all or in part from mesh? Or shirts made all or in part from terrycloth? Or shirts where the sleeves were a different color? (two-tone) AND- what about girls wearing loafer/deck shoes and NOT tying them, but sort of coiling the strings up into little knots on each side? Sweet Basil ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/24 "2000-03-17T06:18:00Z")
\*I loved my black, canvas Chuck Taylor’s! \*“Pegging” the cuffs on jeans. \*Oakley Razor Blades. \*Billabong, QuickSilver and OP. \*Boogie Boards. \*Flip Flops. \*Hair spray. \*Adam Ant (Don’t drink, don’t smoke. What DO ya do?) \*16 Candles, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, etc… * * * Mike Mulligan had a steam shovel, a beautiful red steam shovel. Her name was Mary Anne. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/25 "2000-03-17T06:24:00Z")
My sister sent me this awhile back. I saved it, I thought it was great. Class of '88, myself. \*You know what a “burnout” is. \*You owned/operated a ‘Trapper Keeper’ \*You know what “Psych” means. \*Once, while spending hours in the arcade, you actually lined up quarters on the top panel of the game-to “reserve” your spot. \*You know the profound meaning of “Wax on, Wax off”. \*You know that another name for a keyboard is a “Synthesizer”. \*You can name at least half of the members of the elite “Brat Pack”. \*You know who Tina Yothers is. \*You wanted to be a Goonie. \*You felt ashamed when Rob Lowe got in trouble for sex with minors and videotaping it, because you liked him. \*You had top-of-the-line Commodore 64s in your jr. high computer lab \*You know who Max Headroom is. \*You ever wore fluorescent, neon if you will, clothing. \*You could breakdance, or wish you could. \*You wanted to be The Hulk for Halloween. \*You Believed that “By the power of Greyskull, you HAD the power!” \*Partying “like it’s 1999” seemed SO far away. \*You thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye. \*You can, right now, hum to yourself the theme to ‘Inspector Gadget’ \*You wanted to be on Star Search. \*You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off. \*You wore a banana clip at some point during your youth, or knew someone who did. \*You owned a doll with ‘Xavier Roberts’ signed on its ass, or knew someone who did. \*You knew what Willis was “talkin’ 'bout”. \*You HAD to have your MTV \*You remember when Kramer was on a show called ‘Friday’s’ \*You hold a special place in your heart for “Back to the Future”. \*You know where to go if you “wanna go where everybody knows your name”. \*You thought Molly Ringwald was REALLY cool. \*You actually thought “Dirty Dancing” was a REALLY good movie. \*You heard of Garbage Pail Kids. \*You knew “The Artist” when he was humbly called “Prince”. \*You actually saw Ted Danson as the MacDaddy he played “Sam” to be. \*You remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system. \*You own(ed) any ‘cassette singles’ \*You were led to believe that in the year 2000 we’d all be living on the moon. \*You remember And/or own any of the Care Bear Glass collection from Pizza Hut. Or any other stupid collection they came out with. \*Poltergeist freaked you out. \*You carried you lunch to school in a Gremlins or an ET lunchbox. \*You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf. \*You know what a Doozer is. \*You wore bike shorts underneath a short skirt and felt stylish, or knew someone who did. \*You ever had a Swatch Watch. \*You remember when Saturday Night Live was funny. \*You had WonderWoman or Superman underoos. \*You know what a “Whammee” is. If you can identify with at least half of this list then you, my friend, are a “Child of the 80’s”. * * * I like it here-can I stay? And do you have a vacancy for a Back-scrubber? ---
**Author:** ![Rollin\_a\_Bone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@Rollin\_a\_Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollin_a_Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/26 "2000-03-17T06:31:00Z")
and we can’t forget everyone’s favourite band **Flock of Seagulls** ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/27 "2000-03-17T06:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Blue Twylight: > \*\*I was a rocker chick in high school, but I went from 87 to 91. > I had BIG blond hair and lots of black eyeliner, blood red lipstick and white face powder. I used to wear rock tee-shirts with an open flannel shirt over them, and my M.C. > I remember everyone in school being horrified that Metallica lost their first Grammy nomination to Jethro Tull. > Anthrax’s ‘I’m The Man’ was THE song of the day. (NOT!) 🙂 > I remember some friends smoking Capri cigarettes because they were very slim, and looked like joints. > I remember the girl who tried to kill herself…wasn’t there one in every school? > I loved high school…too bad I didn’t appreciate it them. > Rose > \*\* Ah yes…Anthrax. They rocked, until they fired the singer. Rocker chicks were the best though. We should bring them back. There’s nothing sexier. * * * ## Oh, what’s that? So now you say life sucks? Well 99% of it’s what you make of it… So if your life sucks, YOU suck! Joe\_Cool ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/28 "2000-03-17T06:55:00Z")
Class of 88 here. I’ve blocked out most of the 80’s. The main stuff I remember is Duran Duran Erasure Ad&D Rocky Horror Picture Show Transformers Thundercats The Terminator From high school geek…to grown-up geek. \< sigh \> * * * You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing. ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/29 "2000-03-16T19:17:00Z")
This is great! Class of 90 here. I once had a friend of mine ask me if I had no gravity in my bathroom, and how much hairspray did I use? I went through it all from swatches and such to everything black. Thought I was gonna drive my mother crazy. She took it all in stride, and never said much except “are you gonna wear that in public?”. You will all get a kick out of this. I have custody of a friends 17 year old daughter, who just doesn’t understand what we were thinking with the things WE were into. LOL Poison came to town, and for a whole month the played up the eighties big hair bands. I thought she was going to have a fit everytime I would turn up the radio when my music came on. Oh, yeah honey, yours is much better! My friend and I take joy in telling her that when we were in high school you used to actually use safety pins to roll your pants if you couldn’t get them to roll tight enuff on their own. You see she can’t wear jeans that don’t cover her whole foot, and to her this was insane. I remember big sweatshirts with the necks cut out and a muscle type shirt underneith. Bruce Springsteen (never did like him) the Cure Dr. Demento Outlet malls Big Earrings Two pairs of socks two different colors Pinstrip pants LA Gears with three laces Wearing V-neck sweaters backwards Our school hot lunches sucked. My kids get some pretty good stuff! Highlighter pens. Nail polish in a pen. Footloose Simpsons being banned in schools you were either a druggie, or a jock, anyone else was invisible Waldo was someone to avoid, and not someone to search for Loopin two jelly bracelets together to make one that went around your swatch Swatch gaurd Wham Bannanarama I’m your venus, I’m your goddess Keli, you have really started something here, and it is amazing what we still remember. My husband who is only four years older than me keeps telling me to stop living in the eighties because they are over. In retrospect it was a whole heck of a lot of fun, but I know that I didn’t think so when I was going through it all! LOL Waiting to read more, and re-live the memories guys! Mistress Kricket ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/30 "2000-03-16T20:20:00Z")
Sun Valley High School, class of 1986. I remember our Junior prom theme was “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” I also miss knit ties. Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/31 "2000-03-17T02:57:00Z")
Class of '89 I think there were only 2 or 3 things on Psycat’s list that I couldn’t say yes to…oh man! Slouchy socks pulled over the Guess jeans. Guess ANYTHING Master of Puppets t-shirts Asymmetrical haircuts Shaved hair Esprit clothes Stiff Stuff Tails–the longer the better Footless tights Peace symbols Those big glasses (like the ones Bill Gates wore before he got all hip) And for the New Yorkers– Canal Jean Astor Place barbershop Antique Boutique Trash’n’Vaudeville Dojo The Ritz (before 1988) In those days, I was considered radical because I had 10 earrings. I wonder what they all would have thought if I had a barbell through my tongue. Too bad I didn’t think of it at the time. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/32 "2000-03-17T03:19:00Z")
Green Bean! Trash ‘n’ Vaudeville Antique Boutique Canal Jean (the basement!) God, those were my stores. LOL CBGB’s Palladium The 80’s were FUN! * * * I like it here-can I stay? And do you have a vacancy for a Back-scrubber? ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/33 "2000-03-17T03:22:00Z")
Oh goddess. I’m class of '85. I remember all of this crap. Plus a few more. Spandau Ballet Men at Work The Monkees Reunion Tour (I saw them _twice_) Sweaters with your initials embroidered on the front Knickers, argyle socks, & topsiders Painter pants (I think they’re calling them carpenter pants now?) Journey Bryan Adams T-Shirt shops (remember? where you could pick out a blank shirt, and have the iron-on of your choice put on it?) a comb with your name on it sticking out of your back pocket John Anderson (the independent who ran against Carter & Reagan in 1980) _Thanks,_ Kelli. Now I woun’t be able to friggin’ sleep until I find my Big Country tape. You’re a real peach. 😉 * * * This space blank, until Wally thinks up something cool to put here. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/34 "2000-03-17T04:13:00Z")
Class of '89 Rat tails - a skinny thread of three or four hairs down the back with the rest of the hair cut normally; sometimes it was bleached holey jeans - especially with the knees ripped out, or shot by a shotgun; also with a hole in the ass while wearing boxers underneath jeans with writing all over them jean jackets (still have mine, a little worse for wear now) “Like pink and green.” - okay, that’s pre- Jr. High Spuds McKenzie (why?) “Alternative music” really was alternative - and I wasn’t aware of it Bon Jovi, Poison, Def Leppard, Guns 'n Roses - big hair bands ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/35 "2000-03-17T06:12:00Z")
“We are great, we are fine, we’re the class of 89!” Jeans with the knees shredded out Def Leppard’s Hysteria album Tipper Gore on TV not as a vice president’s wife Metal vs Glam vs thrash vs punk Metallica’s “Metal up your Ass” tshirt Satanism? Maybe it was just my school… Coca Cola and Benneton clothing Stirrup pants that made your butt look HUGE USA’s Night Flight- videos and wierd movies all night Bangs up to the sky, carrying around a spray can of Aquanet (pink label) Thinking Axl and Slash would be fun to party with “John Hughes really understands kids” Having to learn about AIDS in current events * * * I mis-wasted my youth. ---
**Author:** ![Lexicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lexicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lexicon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/36 "2000-03-17T06:40:00Z")
Don’t forget walking with your hand in your girlfriend’s back pocket. Or… sunglasses at night. turned up collars. boy george and culture club. MTV actually playing videos. comb in the back pocket. big bangs (not the theory, the hairstyle). checkered shoes (the original vans!). not getting shot at school. and last but not least… _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_ Oh, yeah! That movie kicked major ass. * * * “Winners never quit and quitters never win, but those who never win and never quit are idiots.” ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/37 "2000-03-17T07:09:00Z")
Green Bean and psycat90… Ever go to L’Amour? Rose * * * I told you not to be stupid, you moron. ---
**Author:** ![crackwise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@crackwise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crackwise)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/38 "2000-03-17T07:32:00Z")
Class of '89 > [@](#): > > Guy haircut where the sideburns and the area above the ears were shaved smooth –Guilty. > [@](#): > > jeans, pinch pleated a rolled up a few times -guilty. - Jr. High, my Vans were the ones you could specialty order. Two different colors of stripes, then checks, then stripes. What the hell was I thinking? - parachute pants. yep. - paint-splattered sunglasses. - Levi’s jacket with numerous pins on pocket - Remember Member’s Only jackets? - spoke, right on, Paisley. I used to draw paisley on my Converse high tops. I also had a row of safety pins along the back of the high tops (used from time to time to punch holes in an empty Coke can - makeshift bong). - Didn’t have a tail, but had the long hair in front - a la wannabe surf/skater punk. - Gazoo, I had a pair of blue corduory OP shorts ( I think I was in Jr. High, though) - ah, yes, the shredded jeans. - and tight jeans on girls. There was one absolute perfect ass in HS (many were nice). She was a sweet girl, but she wore jeans that had to be painted on. She’s a lawyer in Atlanta now. I used to make fun of my older brother’s pictures from the late 70’s when he was a teenager. Now I look at mine and shut up fast. * * * ~handcrafted signatures since 1975~ ---
**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/39 "2000-03-17T08:20:00Z")
I just dropped in to say a word about Underoos. For those of us 80’s children with kids of our own, let it be known that I bought my son a pair of Spiderman Underoos at my local Wal-mart last week. He was not impressed. I am crushed! Apparently these kids have no idea how great matching superhero underwear is. Couldn’t find any Wonder Woman ones for my niece, though… ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049/40 "2000-03-17T14:56:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Blue Twylight: > \*\*Green Bean and psycat90… > Ever go to L’Amour? > Rose > \*\* Nope. I never did make it to CBGBs either. I really oughtta be ashamed of myself. I was walking by Astor Place the other day and I had an almost uncontollable urge to get a haircut. And I still eat at Dojo. Anybody up for an '80s East Village reunion tour? I could see my outfit now… Doc Martens before they became “Skechers” Black ripped tights Short tight skirt Bundeswehr tank top But what on earth am I gonna do about my hair?? It is so…normal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-in-the-late-80s/15049.md?page=3)