The '80s was a time unlike any other in history. Before the internet, the '80s were all about big hair and big hair bands. As with many trendy things in society, what was “cool” in the past can come back to haunt those who partook in the fashion of the time. Many of the chic things are shameful by today's standards.
Fur Coats
Fur coats were all the rage in the '80s. Popular shows like Dynasty were all about living the luxurious life, and nothing said “luxury” more than a mink coat. Nowadays, people are more aware of the practices behind making a fur coat. Therefore, owning one isn’t as glamorous as it once was. With people being more conscious of animal rights and the humane treatment of animals, anyone wearing a real fur coat is out of touch with modern pop culture.
Caked on Face
In the '80s, it was considered trendy to wear so much makeup you could barely see the individual behind the painted faces. Bright blue and electric makeup was just fine. So, too, was lathering layer after layer to cover up any signs of real-life skin. Nowadays, makeup is used to enhance your look, not hide it.
Tanning
The darker, the better, was the motto of the '80s. Therefore, not only was sunscreen not a thing, people would slather on baby oil and use tin foil as a backdrop to burn as much as possible. Nowadays people are more conscious of premature skin aging, and more importantly, skin cancer. Spray tanning might be okay, but sunbathing is a severe no-no in this day and age.
Smoking in Public Places
Many young children growing up in the '80s not only picked up the smoking habit from watching their parents as role models, but they lived it day in and out. It was not considered unhealthy or unfair to smoke in the house with your children. It was also okay to capture them in a car with secondhand smoke. Now that most people understand the harms of secondhand smoke, it is shameful to subject anyone to your smoking vice.
Leg Warmers
Leg warmers go over your socks, and they used to be a fashion statement. Originally, they hit the dancing community and were supposed to be a tool to keep dancer’s legs warm. After Flashdance made them a fashion trend, people wore them over just about everything from jeans to stockings.
Laughing at Non-Politically Correct Things
Shows like Bad News Bears and Airplane were considered two of the funniest movies of the '80s period, but they were definitely not politically correct. Many who rewatch what they did in the '80s are shocked at the tone-deaf nature of the off-color humor. Arguably, people could laugh at things without taking them seriously. Nowadays, laughing at un-funny things is not funny at all.
Shoulder Pads
Shoulder pads were originally designed to make your shoulders look more boxy and were a trend of making women appear more powerful in the workplace. Nowadays, they are seen for what they are: the makings of a football player. Shoulder pads will not make it back with the bell-bottom jeans. Women are rocking other looks that don’t make them look like a linebacker.
Throwing Trash Out of the Window
In the '70s and '80s, littering wasn’t a big offense. In fact, many people often rolled their windows down on the highway and simply threw their trash out onto the road. Nowadays, we have a much healthier respect for our environment, and not many people are willing to just throw things away anywhere they want to.
Babysitters Were the Kids Next Door
In the '80s, if someone moved in next door to you and they looked old enough to babysit, it was a done deal. Not many people thought about the consequences of what would happen if a kid wasn’t emotionally able to babysit. If you looked old enough, it was assumed you were.
Aerobics Outfits
Not only was it okay to wear leg warmers that might not be keeping anything warm, but aerobic outfits, in general, were totally fine. Tights and a bodysuit were appropriate wear for pretty much everywhere. Today, people aren’t okay with wearing outfits that are way too tight to show all of the bits.
Gas Guzzling Cars
Muscle cars and big engines were a status symbol in the '80s. Most people believed the bigger, the better, the more gas; who cares? In the 2020s it isn’t okay to drive gas-guzzling cars when there are other alternatives available. Electric cars are quickly helping to save the environment. The more we leave vintage cars behind, the better.
Using Slang Words Like “Gay”
In the '80s, it was acceptable to use offensive slang words like “gay” when referring to someone who was not cool. Over the past several decades, people have become more sensitive to the LGBGTQ+ community, and using words like “gay” is no longer okay.
AquaNet and Waterfall Bangs
Big hair was not just for rock bands. The average '80s girl believed in waterfall bangs and hair being the bigger, the better. People today understand that aerosol is not good for the environment. They also know that fashion is about using natural beauty instead of making hair stay stuck on its end and straight up.
The Mullet
Although some guys have tried to rock the mullet thanks to the resurgence of it in shows like “Stranger Things,” the mullet is never going to be anything but laughable. Much like mustaches, you can wear a funny style, but it isn’t to be stylish. It is more to laugh at the fact that people once considered that it was.
Neon
Everything in the '80s was airbrushed and neon. The idea was to stick out as much as you possibly could. Making a bold statement was what the '80s were all about. Today, people are a little more discriminating about what they will and what they won’t put on, and they aren’t going to make themselves a neon disaster again.
The Drug Culture
The '80s was a time of turmoil and a perceived war on drugs. Although street drugs were not acceptable, there was a growing movement in entertainment to glorify drugs like cocaine and make their usage seem to be more mainstream and acceptable than it is. Today, showing drug use in movies isn’t cool, and if it is shown, it is automatically rated adult.
Dangerous Playground Equipment
Not many people were worried about environmental hazards that were unsafe for everyone. Old and rundown playgrounds were not seen as harmful. Playgrounds that had lead in them were commonplace for the children of the '80s, as were exposed nails and all types of other ways to hurt yourself. Today, people are way more cautious about protecting children and our environment.
Animal Testing
Not many people ever looked at the ingredients used in our food or our products back in the '80s. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that people started to pay attention to what companies were doing and their inhumane practices of testing them to identify their safety for human use.
People Are More Conscious
What is acceptable in some eras can become highly unacceptable in others. The '80s were all about big hair and bigger attitudes. Nowadays, people are more environmentally conscious and concerned with the Earth and the animals that occupy it. Therefore, what was deemed acceptable just forty years ago is no longer.
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