# What fads in history can you name? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399 "2026-09-26T12:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/1 "2026-09-26T12:22:42Z")
Sitting on flagpoles in the 1920s Stuffing people into phone booths in the late 1950s. Doing “The Macarena” in the mid 1990s. What other fads can you name? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/2 "2026-09-26T12:33:24Z")
The pet rock. Disco CB radios Bicentennial kitsch 70s fads from my childhood ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/3 "2026-09-26T12:36:43Z")
The Hustle in the 70s Chinese jacks in the 80s Chia pets Tamagochi Pogs Fidget spinners ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/4 "2026-09-26T12:38:33Z")
Chia pets (ninja’d) Pogs (ninja’d) Pound Puppies Beanie Babies ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/5 "2026-09-26T12:57:51Z")
Cabbage Patch Kids Garbage Pail Kids Tickle Me Elmo Furbies Lawn Darts Tamagotchi Coed Naked clothing BUM Equipment clothing ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/6 "2026-09-26T13:01:12Z")
Clackers in the early 1970s. Two Insanely dangerous acrylic balls strung together. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/7 "2026-09-26T13:04:06Z")
Hula hoop ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/8 "2026-09-26T13:07:58Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Doing “The Macarena” in the mid 1990s. > [@Thumper668](#): > > The Hustle in the 70s There have been dozens of dances that were hip for one or two seasons, like the Twist or the Lambada, so it’s a field that maybe had the most fads of all. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/9 "2026-09-26T13:08:37Z")
Slap bracelets in the 90s. Goldfish swallowing in the 30s. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/10 "2026-09-26T13:09:41Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Clackers in the early 1970s. They were called kerbangers when I was a kid. Quickly turned into weapons. I remember another one, don’t recall what it was called but it was a heavyish wheeled thing you tied to one ankle and spun around while jumping on the other foot. Kind of like skipping rope with no hands. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/11 "2026-09-26T13:11:07Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > Clackers in the early 1970s. > > They were called kerbangers when I was a kid. Quickly turned into weapons. I remember them from my childhood, but I have forgotten how they were meant to work. How did you play with them properly? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/12 "2026-09-26T13:11:16Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > I remember another one, don’t recall what it was called but it was a heavyish wheeled thing you tied to one ankle and spun around while jumping on the other foot. Kind of like skipping rope with no hands. We called that a “Skip-It.” ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/13 "2026-09-26T13:13:03Z")
You held a tab in the center of the string and swung it up and down to make the balls hit each other at the top and bottom. We got bored with that so we used them as bolos while playing army. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/14 "2026-09-26T13:13:45Z")
That was it. I guess I kind of skipped it. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/15 "2026-09-26T13:36:14Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > [@Thumper668](#): > > > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > > > Clackers in the early 1970s. > > > > They were called kerbangers when I was a kid. Quickly turned into weapons. > > I remember them from my childhood, but I have forgotten how they were meant to work. How did you play with them properly? I’m not sure there was any safe way to play with those lol 😂! My mother confiscated and disposed of them before someone had a major accident. I was a frequent flyer at the ER so she was wise. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/16 "2026-09-26T13:38:23Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > There have been dozens of dances that were hip for one or two seasons, The Twist, The Stomp, The Mashed Potato too…any old dance that you wanna do. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/17 "2026-09-26T13:47:07Z")
Ruff collars. Thus leading to the Sumpuary Laws. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/18 "2026-09-26T13:50:42Z")
[Ferns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pteridomania) in Victorian Britain, aka pteridomania. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/19 "2026-09-26T13:51:30Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > > There have been dozens of dances that were hip for one or two seasons, > > The Twist, The Stomp, The Mashed Potato too…any old dance that you wanna do. Another proof for that theory: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3mz_EXHKGHs/maxresdefault.jpg "Wilson Pickett - Land of 1000 Dances [Full Version] [HQ Audio]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mz_EXHKGHs) ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399/20 "2026-09-26T13:55:38Z")
[Tulip mania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania) [Dance marathons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_marathon) in the 1930s. [Streaking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaking) [Ice Bucket Challenge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Bucket_Challenge) [6-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6-7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fads-in-history-can-you-name/1033399.md?page=2)