To ask you to tell me about the '80s?

[Trulyatraditionalman]

I was born in Dec '89. I absolutely love '80s music, and the way it is depicted in films and TV makes it seem like it was the most amazing decade.

I'd like to experience the '80s through your memories

The only pasta I saw came in tomato sauce from Heinz

Again, I think it was regional

www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tTP1TcwyzXNSDdg9OJJS8xNVSgpUyjOyC8HAFylB8E&q=fame+tv+show&oq=fame+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i131i433j46i433j0i433j0i131i433.3798j0j4&client=ms-android-samsung-gj-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

When I watched 3-2-1 as a child and failed to understand the 'clues' I assumed this was because I was a child and therefore not clever enough.

I watched a few episodes as an adult and realised that, no, the clues were utterly meaningless.

I now have a theory that the clues played no part in what prize was won - the producers knew all along whether it was a car, a holiday, a washing machine or a dustbin they wanted to give away - the clues just gave the illusion the contestants had some control over it.

@CaptainMyCaptain

I'm sure they weren't but this thread is about our own experiences and my experience is that other people considered those from different cultural values as lesser. I thought it was about the 80s generally. I appreciate that it isn't your personal view but dismissing a large chunk of the population and what they ate is quite 'othering'. I say this as someone who was an adult (25 in 1980) and was the white mother of a mixed race child.

As I have explained already these were views of others that I heard time and time again growing up. I'm not othering anybody by describing views that I heard expressed by authority figures as I grew up, I'm merely explaining what I heard.

Is it othering to describe any racism now then?

@Icandothis123

Born in 1978. Good memories: Woolworths on a Saturday, clockhouse at C&A, markets, summer holidays seemed long and were spent playing, having a fake Rainbow Brite doll at Christmas (and still loving it) Box of Delights at Christmas, Top of the Pops, Eastenders, Brookside, spending pocket money in local toy-shop, Channel 4 schools programmes when I was off school sick, only having set children's slots for tv, the 'Don't play near pylons' advert, only having 4 channels, the advent calander on ceefax, half penny sweets, being able to drive to London to see the Christmas lights (a lot less traffic).

The dark side:
Falklands war, miners strike and job losses, AIDS, threat of nuclear war, threat from IRA, glue-sniffing posters in the doctors, heroin user posters in the doctors.

I thought that said IRA gluesniffing, then!!

@Gwenhwyfar

"I've never heard of technical college, we didn't have any where I lived. At least not with that name, they had FE colleges but it was all A levels or courses like BTEC Business Studies or Health Care."

Yes, I think they were actually called FE colleges by the time I was 16 and had A levels as well, but before that they were 'tech'. I think maybe I'm just a bit older/more old fashioned than you.

Now i think back my uncle (now in his 70s) was at technical college, I remember my mother describing it as where the less academic children went but presumably it was a different pathway rather then just less academic? When I went to FE college to do A levels it was another alternative. I'm 55.

[quote Icandothis123]@midgedude apologies. When I said miners strike and job losses, I did mean the job loss side. They absolutely should have stood up for their livelihood.[/quote]
They tried! The police attacked them.

Underage drinking was common, you didn't go out in town unless you were clubbing ,you drank in your local. I got married in 88 and you had the choice of church or registry office.

@Trulyatraditionalman

I rember all these very popular iconic films of the 1980s
Such as The Rocky Horror show Cult musical.

I rember even the dance song from film was became a popular song to dance to at school discos etc.

Radars of the The Lost Ark adventure film.

Edward scissorhands film by Johny Dep original contempary Gothic retro 60s film genre.

I rember Basic Instinct film with Michael Douglass and Sharon I can't rember her,
surname actress .

Also rember The Goonies film family one.

The Gremlins film family one again.

There was another film about a devious ,psychological disturbed Nanny who fucks up the lives of the family of the child who she disposed to look after, the couple of very young child she does this to,she fucks up their marriage too.
It's a very iconic film at that time.
The main actress was so good at role she sends shivers down your spine.

@Trulyatraditionalman

Oops sorry typo mistake I ment to say the nanny who is supposed to look after child etc.

They tried! The police attacked them.

All the violence and the frequent pictures of the hardship the miners were experiencing while on strike is why it was such a dark and depressing part of the early 80s. I don't think people who see it as dark do so because they think the miners were wrong to strike. Whatever your views were on the strike, seeing the miners and police violently clashing and miners having to rely on soup-kitchens was miserable.

I rember all these very popular iconic films of the 1980s Such as The Rocky Horror show Cult musical.

Some of these are not 80s films. The Rocky Horror Picture Show came out in 1975

Edward scissorhands film by Johny Dep

1990

There was another film about a devious ,psychological disturbed Nanny who fucks up the lives of the family of the child who she disposed to look after, the couple of very young child she does this to,she fucks up their marriage too.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle - 1992.

Excellent films, I agree, but not of the 1980s

Letter to Brezhnev is the film that reminds me of the feeling of the 80s. Raw and lively and slightly ragged.

It was glamorous. The big hair was flattering, softer than the sleek look of today which is unforgiving if you have plain features. The clothes, business suits, big shoulders inspired by 'Dallas' were smart, lots of effort was made with costume jewellery - big earrings, necklaces, etc. It was a time of optimism but wasn't enjoyed by all.

@Jellykat

Clubbing, lots of!!.. Crimping and backcombing bleached (+blue, pink, purple) hair, Winkle picker buckle boots, leather corsets, fishnet tights, wiggle skirts, Siouxsie eyes, Sobranie black Russian ciggies ... and lots of music, drinking and dancing!! Happy times Then later in the '80s, leaving the pub to find yourself at the head of a convoy trying to find the field (rave).. bonfires, generators powering huge sound systems and dancing until the sun came up... Best of times..

Yes! Sums it up nicely I was I was a teen through the whole decade and it was so bloody fun especially as we lived in a very nice part of London 😀

It was a magical time to be a child. The toys, the kids tv and the pure joy found in something like going to the seaside for the day or the ice cream van coming down your street. Even the kids clothing was amazing. I used to live in ra-ra skirts and Minnie Mouse sweatshirt and legging combos with legwarmers my nan had knitted me!

I'm probably being a miserable old cynic, but kids today in general, have so much that the simpler joys are often overlooked. I know that's not the case with all kids but just from my pov.

@ginghamtablecloths

It was glamorous. The big hair was flattering, softer than the sleek look of today which is unforgiving if you have plain features. The clothes, business suits, big shoulders inspired by 'Dallas' were smart, lots of effort was made with costume jewellery - big earrings, necklaces, etc. It was a time of optimism but wasn't enjoyed by all.

Nobody looked like that where I grew up in the 80s! Everyone looked like someone from Grange Hill if they were under 18 and someone from Corrie if they were older.

Oh and the odd goth.

I don’t think I had the same colour hair 2 weeks running.

You used to be able to buy hydrogen peroxide for less then £1 a bottle from Boots to bleach your hair. You could also buy 100 paracetamol and a pack of razor blades without being asked any questions.

@Trulyatraditionalman

Also a typical 80s films were my beautiful launderette film.

There was the film A letter from Bersenicko(sorry I have spelt Russian title of film wrong) it was a love story between a extrovert young woman from Liverpool's Docks with her Best friend, falling in love with Russian sailors .

I used to watching reruns of iconic music TV series show (The whistle Test.

There was a murder she wrote TV series.USA one.

And there was Agatha Christie detective sleuth elderly spinster TV series popular TV series.

There was shine on Harvey moon TV series about a family in the second world war it was fiction drama series I don't know how popular,but I enjoyed it

All creatures great and small TV drama series.

Starksty and Hutch detective series drama tv USA one.
There was the A Team another USA drama series both quite popular at the time.

John Hughes films-Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Planes Trains&Automobiles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty in Pink.
The Brat Pack-had posters of Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon on my wall!
Back to the Future.

I was 11 in 1980 and I loved the whole decade

I was telling my son about adventure playgrounds with all those rope swings! So much fun just being out all day... we lived in central London...

School was bonkers and we went to one of those progressive comps where you could call your teacher by their name if you wanted, and we had to do all sports including football and rugby. We were taught about politics, racism, sexism.
All very fun

@Flibbitygibbit

Miss Selfridge was trendy ... who had this????

Meeee!!

Thanks to pp who.mentioned clearasil and Charlie. I had a bottle of each on my dressing table. Charlie was the height of sophistication. Until a relative brought back a bottle of Anais Anais from some foreign holiday. Charlie was history then

I also remember some very dodgy purple and green eyeshadows

Miss Selfridge, River Island and Hennes/H&M were the biz! Never enjoyed the communal changing rooms though where you found a corner and huddled away trying stuff on!