To miss the simplicity of the 90s/early 2000s

[Wazza89]

I was discussing with a friend yesterday how much simpler life was was in the 90s/early 2000s. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoy the perks of Netflix, Messenger, etc. But things were just more laid back.

When my younger sister turned eighteen, her and her friends got their lips done. They all looked almost identical. 😂 I remember when any form of cosmetic surgery was only reserved for celebrities. Not that it was right, just that there was less pressure and money in regards to our appearance.

My aunt told me how her daughter-in-law spends over £200 on her children’s birthday parties - the cake, the balloon arrangements, and the costumes. I don’t live in an affluent area at all (it was actually one of the poorest areas in the UK a few years ago) and the school DS goes to has a lot of funding for disadvantaged kids. Yet most the parents I see (and their kids) wear Nike or The North Face. Loads of mums get their hair and nails done regularly and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that (I’m a bit jealous, to be honest 😂), but I’m worried about the insane amount of
pressure young girls are under to keep up appearances.

One of the mums was talking about the cake she had specially made for her DS and the lavish birthday party he was going to have. I actually felt guilty that my DS had a Colin the Caterpillar cake complete with balloons and a banner from Poundland. It was acceptable when I was a child but now it seems increasingly uncommon.

Sometimes I wander whether I’m stuck in the past and I’m worried DS will be left out by his peers. Anyone else?

its corrosive.

I try not to buy into it but I have a sister in law who does and feel like I'm constantly being judged because I got the Colin the Caterpillar instead of the £80 custom made cake for a 4 year old.

DH's family very much equate ££ spent with how much you care about someone and social media 'influence' has made that 10 times worse.

Its so pervasive its not even really talked about properly because any one in any kind of power has a vested interest somewhere in keeping the spending going.

I was just thinking the same. Every child activity now seems to be an expensive experience - I couldn't find anywhere a simple Santas grotto.

God that is insane.

I hope the relentless consumption will fall out of favour on environmental grounds. But it’s really concerning when families that don’t have the money feel pressured to do it.

Life was simpler.

In 1999 I spent £180 on a really decent pushchair. Shortly after that the cost of pushchairs/prams/travel systems went through the roof.

But there was no internet (well, not really) So we didn't have information at our finger tips. We had to make phone calls and buy information books.

People don't have to have acrylic nails- they can have gel nails which have made life easier. And even if you wanted a lavish birthday cake they were virtually impossible it acquire. Now there are hundreds of talented cake makers in every town, it seems. I had to go to Jane Asher in London to get a decent cake.

Those horrible, massive cakes are definitely a big thing, they're the new cupcakes! I always wonder how much actually gets eaten?

Hahaha, my kids would've loved a Colin cake. Homemade for us. I don't know how people afford to spend £££S on birthdays, Christmas, holidays, nails, aesthetics. It's bonkers.

I think it’s area dependent. So perhaps more noticeable to you in a poorer area. In a more affluent area people less worried about being judged or seen as poor so second hand clothes, homemade cake much more common. I live in a more affluent area but go back to deprived are we used to live in and really notice the differences - fake lashes and acrylic nails more prevalent in poorer area etc.

I'm soo thankful I grew up without social media

Things were much more laid back and easier
I miss that period very much.

I remember Renee Zellweger saying there was less pressure to look perfect, as a star, in the UK, and that she was worried it would change, which of course it did.

And there's so much stuff. i don't buy it but I seem to be judged for not wanting to.

Also the planned obsolescence...my computer will need upgrading because it will be too old to cope with online banking, etc etc. I run a very old phone.

I think it’s area dependent. So perhaps more noticeable to you in a poorer area.

I don't think so at all, once you take housing into account. Extensions, loft conversions and basements are the acrylic nails and ostentatious cake of the affluent area. It's still upgrade upgrade upgrade.

I was meaning there’s more a uniformity or look in certain areas. So in Ops area she’s feeling rubbish as all the other children have similar ‘Instagram style’ parties so her ‘Colin’ party stood out. In other areas it’s more mixed - some will spend more, some less, some do all homemade, so Colin party wouldn’t stand out.

Yes, I miss the simpler days too, going right back to the 70s when I was a teen.

I was just thinking the other day how 1992 was 30 years ago! How has that much time passed by ?!
It also occurred to me that in the 90s, going back 30 years would have been the 60s. That seemed a long time ago then. A totally different era.But the early 90s was 30 years ago now, and life didn’t seem much different then, although obviously a lot has changed..

Oh look another mn class baiting thread. You forgot to mention flat screen TVs and tattoos.

I miss the humour. The young people I know in their 20s take everything so ruddy seriously. Watching The Office, wow they wouldnt be allowed now to say some of that stuff.

I feel like I don’t belong in these days. I hate how shallow and object obsessed people have become. Also people only seem to “care” about others if they are seen doing it on SM. The 90s and 00s were not perfect, but I think people were generally nicer and kinder to each other back then and they didn’t even need a # to tell them to behave that way.

I miss 1992 x

Yes I definitely miss those days alot.

I am definately glad I was born in time to live through it: highlights for me are

1. no internet, having to go to the library and that is all you knew from the encyclopedia of whatever books they had on the subject

2. I doubt this happens but in school learning about aztecs and having to a project on them and staping books together because i had filled one up

3. playing with the neighbours kids in the cul de sac and all my mum worried about was knowing where we were so she knew where to come call us for dinner, never worried about us being snatched off the street

4. the only way you learnt about make up and fashion was through magazines

5. when you could buy penny sweets!

6. living through the age of technology: it used to be going to blockbusters for dvds to watch films at home, then they went bust and it was all about lovefilm and having dvds delivered by post, then netflix came along!

I am a proud member of the 'i remember a time when we didnt have the internet...'

Best of all was living through the era of 90s clubbing and racing, best dance and trance music produced!

I agree it was simpler. I hate the fact social media seems to be a bragging platform with photos huge cakes, flower walls, balloons displays and similar.

I do however get a custom cake made for the dcs at £60 to £100 we have a large family so my time all visited it does get eaten. However I don't post pictures on insta of them. Until this year I've always just done tea parties at home. Card factory balloons and banners. Etc
This year I have done a private hire of somewhere Inc food is £300 but it's out of laziness on my part not wanting to cook the buffet food as dh is working that morning. And we've recently decorated and had all new furniture. I really done want 30 kids indoors (9 of which are just our dcs and my DSIS dcs so that's a few before school friends)
I wouldn't put pics on SM though.

@YesIHaveAntOrDec

Oh look another mn class baiting thread. You forgot to mention flat screen TVs and tattoos.

I have read this thread and cannot see what you are complaining about!!

Yes yes to all of this and everything at school being taught via a blurry projector!!

Yes I watched the SM:TV Live reunion/recap thing on ITV earlier and it made me like for the late 90s again! I've also been reading Josh Widdicombe's autobiography/90s TV book and it's really nostalgic.

I'm pretty sure some folk were spending a fortune on parties back then, and some are having more reasonably priced parties now.
It maybe depends who is in your network and how pressured you feel?
I have paid a fair amount for cakes because that's someone's business and they deserve to get paid for their time and materials as well as their skill.
But my dc have had otherwise very cheap parties like all going to the £1 film on a Saturday morning, or going to the park together.

The cosmetic surgery stuff, though- that is quite unsettling.

Oh look another mn class baiting thread. You forgot to mention flat screen TVs and tattoos.

I have read this thread and cannot see what you are complaining about!!
I think YesIHaveAntOrDec was probably talking about this bit. Although the OP says there's nothing wrong with it.
This is usually the kind of thing people say on threads bashing working class people and people who claim benefits.

I don’t live in an affluent area at all (it was actually one of the poorest areas in the UK a few years ago) and the school DS goes to has a lot of funding for disadvantaged kids. Yet most the parents I see (and their kids) wear Nike or The North Face. Loads of mums get their hair and nails done regularly