# What were the fads when you were in school? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243 "2012-11-16T20:57:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/61 "2012-11-17T05:09:57Z")
Elephant bell bottoms required platform shoes for a couple of years in high school. By the time I was a senior, worn Levis (still with flares, just not so big), Adidas or similar shoes, and t-shirts were the style. Levi’s denim jackets were cool all through school ('72-'78). Negative heel Earth Shoes were hot for a year in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/62 "2012-11-17T05:43:54Z")
I see no one’s mentioned tube tops yet; those seemed to just hold on through far, far too long. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/63 "2012-11-17T05:48:44Z")
> [@Lightlystarched](#): > > Oh, those sandals with the woven straps, criss-crossed leather…what were they? Bass brand. Sunjuns? And weejuns? huaraches? > **[Huarache (shoe)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huarache_%28shoe%29)** > > Huaraches (singular huarache .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Spanish pronunciation: \[waˈɾatʃe\]; derived from warachi in Purépecha) are a type of Mexican sandal, Pre-Columbian in origin. > The sandals are believed related to the cactle or cactli, of Náhuatl origin. The name "huarache" is derived from the Purépecha language term kwarach... ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/64 "2012-11-17T06:10:37Z")
Utah, high school in the late 70s. Nike shoes, which had to be the white leather with the red swoosh which looked something [like these](http://vntgsneaker.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/nike-cortez-leather-316163-161/). Levi cords, but transitioning to denim. Izod polo shirts. And I found out that JC Penny’s polo shirts with little tigers didn’t cut it. Those of us without a budget weren’t part of the cool group. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/65 "2012-11-17T06:12:27Z")
East TN, '50s to '70s. flavor squares lodged inside straws so when you sipped your milk it could taste like chocolate or strawberry crinolins bebops, or black & white saddleshoes worn with bobbysocks cuffed twice hula hoops, slinkys and scooters paperdolls Chatty Cathy Robby the Robot Barbie matching sweater sets worn with aligator clips TV dinners color TV Godzilla tearing loops off the back of boys’ shirts and collecting them pillbox hats skateboards teased beehives and greasy ducktails princess phones Dr. Kildare shirts Neruh jackets madras, burgundy, Weejuns and English Leather sockhops shirtwaist dresses circling the drive-ins mid-'50s cars folk, protest and beach music long straight hair Beatles haircuts GTOs Mustangs Motown heavy chain ID bracelets mini-skirts short straight hair all things British Jimi, Janis and 'fros I carefully separated these but the spaces didn’t take. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/66 "2012-11-17T15:08:47Z")
Some of the guys in high school (mid 60s) wore boots similar to “Beatle boots”, except they were zippered and the zipper ran up the back of the boots. I’ve never seen them before or since. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/67 "2012-11-17T15:57:51Z")
Non-matching knee socks, for girls. I think it was limited to my school. A popular girl wore them one day, probably because she wasn’t paying attention when she got dressed. A teacher teased her about it, and the next day practically all the girls were wearing them. This was in junior high in the late 1970’s. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/68 "2012-11-17T17:29:12Z")
Born in 1981- a lot of boys had mullets and rat tails. Girls’ hair was crimped with really poofy bangs and headbands/barrettes. Glasses frames were huge. Either gold wire frames, or thick plastic. Shorts were still inappropriately short, like basketball shorts carried over from the 70s. In high school, the boys were divided on style. Either we were rednecks who wore work jeans, flannel shirts, t shirts, and caps (and a subset of cowboys who wore tight wranglers, Garth Brooks inspired long sleeve shirts, big buckles, cowboy boots and hats- these overlapped with redneck), or there were the guys who wore JNCO, Fila, and those other kinds of huge floppy pants hanging off their butt with huge baggy shiny shirts. These guys often parted their hair in the middle and dyed it jet black or had a Caesar cut with frosted tips. These were the guys who I couldn’t tell whether they were trying to look like Eminem or the Backstreet Boys. Girls wore flare leg jeans that were often quite tight fitting until the flare started. 70s inspired stuff was big. Platform shoes were seen quite often. You still saw the Rachel haircut pretty often. Midriff baring shirts were seen often, but not often at school because they weren’t appropriate. Girls quite often wore a handful of rings on one hand, several on one finger. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/69 "2012-11-17T18:09:27Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > - > - Ninth grade - 12th grade (1984-89), hair bows. Oh, the humanity. There was a hair style at least half the girls at my school followed. First give yourself generous bangs. Then, pull the top of your hair back to the crown of your head and secure with a clip that had a bow glued onto it. Then, tease, rat, curl, and spray the hell out of your bangs and use hot rollers on the rest of it. The first hair bows were reasonable, but then it spiraled out of control. I swear, some of those girls had bows as big as their heads. Very popular with cheerleaders and the spirit team as well as the country girls. We took to calling them bowheads. Finally calmed down when I got to college. > . Bowheads! I was in grad school in the late '80s at UVa, and the prof I TA’d for would scornfully mutter, ‘Bowheads!’ every time one of the wahoo sorority girls (adorned with the oversized bows you describe) sailed by us. Apparently it had been big at her undergraduate university about a decade before, and met with the same response. I have to chuckle because I recently bought a silk bow to clip in my hair and remarked, ‘Yowza, I’ve turned into a bowhead’ to the bemusement of the clerk. Thanks for the laugh 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/70 "2012-11-17T20:51:45Z")
Canberra Australia: '83 or 84 Coca-cola yo-yo’s were the biggest thing for about 4 months (at least in grade 7). When I moved to Colorado Springs the same fad hit there in '85 or so for two months. Lucky me got to use the collection I acquired in Oz instead of having to buy them all again. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/71 "2012-11-17T21:10:28Z")
Elementary School 69-74: I wore whatever mom made for me. Played with jacks and barbie dolls, neighborhood games like Steal the Flag. Making fake fingernails with Elmer’s glue dried in the middle of your ruler, licking the blue/red pencil to “put on makeup”. Junior High 75-78: Jeans with lots of zippers, cool pencil boxes. The layered look, wearing up to 5 shirts so the collars showed, some popped. Big, flat, brightly colored earrings. Hair teased into a mess and worn for a week at a time. High School 79-81: Multiple ski lift tags hanging from your coat zipper. Bandanas tied just below the knee on your 501 Levi’s, day-glo shirts and accessories. Long thin scarves, like rock stars. Jocks wore rugby shirts, cowboys wore western shirts and cowboy hat and ag jackets. Boccle? sweaters, IZOD shirts, OP long sleeve T-shirts Long striped toe socks, earth shoes. Farrah Fawcet hair ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/72 "2012-11-17T21:20:12Z")
45 y.o. and in a Dutch school here. In eight grade: [Grease stuff](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077631/). Posters of John Travolta and Olivia newton-John. In junior high:[Swatch watches.](http://superradnow.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/swatch.jpg) Swiss digital watches with colorful plastic bands that could be swapped out. For hipster and hippie kids: [Palestina scarves.](http://www.gerritrietveldacademie.nl/designblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/arafatscarf.jpg) . Legwarmers. [Buttons.](http://www.buttonmania.nl/pics/buttons-dag.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/73 "2012-11-17T21:34:06Z")
Male, 56. Disco, polyester leisure suits with the gaudy faux silk shirts underneath. And big clunky shoes. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/74 "2012-11-18T00:05:31Z")
Washington, D. C. and Maryland suburbs of D.C., 1960’s Penny loafers with bobby socks; you’d fold over the elasticized top part to make the tops very thick. Some kids wore two pairs to make them even thicker. (No pennies in the shoes- not cool.) Saddle shoes, which are ubiquitous in '60 era movies and tv shows, were not popular at all. Low-cut, ballet-type flats without stockings or socks, showing toe “cleavage.” We girls considered them to be quite daring and slightly erotic; don’t recall what the boys thought about them, but no one hit on me. Girls couldn’t wear jeans, except for one day a year - I think it was probably Sadie Hawkins Day. Celebrated Sadie Hawkins Day (girls could ask boys out instead of waiting to be asked by a boy.) I was shy and never had the nerve.) For girls, collars made of various materials to dress up a sweater or plain neckline. I had one that had pearls sewn onto the entire collar and I loved it. Bad boys: white tee shirts but only cool if the edge of a sleeve was folded over to hold cigs. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/75 "2012-11-18T00:36:07Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Here are some Jams on Ebay. These take me back… > [http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Original-Jams-Shorts-Lot-Boys-Girls-Surfboard-1980s-Board-Shorts-Nice-/121020308149?pt=US\_Childrens\_Unisex\_Clothing&hash=item1c2d5f5ab5](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Original-Jams-Shorts-Lot-Boys-Girls-Surfboard-1980s-Board-Shorts-Nice-/121020308149?pt=US_Childrens_Unisex_Clothing&hash=item1c2d5f5ab5) Ah yes. Those would have gone well with my OP (Ocean Pacific) T-shirts. For some reason, in Jr-high and high school (mid 80s) a lot of pseudo surf and skate clothing were popular. Even though I lived in suburban Connecticut: Vans and Airwalk shoes Powell Peralta “Bones” logos Vision Street Wear Quicksilver (which I assume is still popular as there is a huge store in Times Square) The heavy metal look was popular in my school as well. Lots of mullets and teased hair. Z Cavaricci and Bugel Boy jeans. I went to college in 1991. It was figuratively as if someone flipped a switch over the summer that made everyone go shopping for: -Flannel shirts from J Crew, LL Bean, Abercrombie & Fitch, or American Eagle. -Doc Martins or Lands End Duck Boots -Baseball caps that people spent hours making look like they were 10 years old. Especially if it was a South Carolina Games Cocks hat (personally I thought wearing a hat that said “Cocks” made you look like a homo). -Some variation of an Absolut Vodka T-shirt. (Absolute Lacrosse, Absoute Dartmouth, Absolute Sigma Chi, whatever). -Grunge, jam bands and alt rock music ---
**Author:** ![Clarisse\_McClellan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Clarisse\_McClellan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clarisse_McClellan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/76 "2012-11-18T01:40:20Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > How about Jams? The floral board shorts. > > Also mid cut mesh football jersey shirts. > > Coca Cola logo rugby shirts > > Wearing pegged jeans (very light colored) with Adidas sambas or campus. > > Panama Jack hats with the 2 pieces of cloth in the back > > Panama Jack sunglasses with cloth on the sides. > > Bugle Boy pants I wore nearly all these things. In addition: Everyone in elementary school (60s and early 70s) wanted PF Flyers so they could “Run faster and jump higher” Wallabees Mood rings Smiley face jewelry Feathered or Farrah Fawcett hair Painter’s pants Mickey Mouse watches ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/77 "2012-11-18T01:48:50Z")
Early/mid 80s in Chicago, [two-color denim Guess jackets](http://www.bttf.com/forums/topic.php?tp=33854-Marty's+Guess+Denim+Jacket) were big, as were big (oversized) Levi jackets. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/78 "2012-11-18T01:49:59Z")
> [@Clarisse\_McClellan](#): > > I wore nearly all these things. In addition: > > Everyone in elementary school (60s and early 70s) wanted PF Flyers so they could “Run faster and jump higher” > Wallabees > Mood rings > Smiley face jewelry > Feathered or Farrah Fawcett hair > Painter’s pants > Mickey Mouse watches How about Painter Hats? ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/79 "2012-11-18T01:54:38Z")
I am sure most Doper’s wore Skidz too 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243/80 "2012-11-18T02:16:12Z")
In the 1950’s the pluto platter came out, later called a frisbee. The factory was right over my back fence, I used to raid the trash can for seconds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-fads-when-you-were-in-school/641243.md?page=5)