Growing up in the 70's

[morethanpotatoprints]

I bet there's been one of these before but who remembers stuff about the 70's, looking back to me it was all a bit weird.

So some of my memories.

Mary Mungo and midge, the music in the lift. my orange space hopper, gridsy marbles and clackers.
Dehydrated potato, free milk you had to drink at school.
Playing out from after breakfast until dark or tea.

I used to buy Fab 208. It was all Radio Luxembourg, Kid Jensen the DJ, Partridge Family, etc.

Moved on to NME and Melody Maker.

Blue Peter Christmas Appeal - paperback books, aluminium cans, postage stamps...

Rainbow, Trumpton and Camberwick Green

Those shiny long sock things that you wore with shoes that were supposed to look like boots.
Maxi coats from C&A
Home made clothes - a poncho, a long hooded cape, and a hot pants suit particularly spring to mind.
Learning to sew using simplicity and style sewing patterns
Sewing up ladders in my tights.

Denim - For the man who doesn't have to try too hard

For mash get Smash

Put a tiger in your tank

Dunlop Groundhog keyrings

Watch out watch out there's a Humphrey about

Ernie who drove the fastest milkcart in the West

Chelsea Girl

School books.

We had Peter and Jane 1a,1b, was there a c?

This is Peter, This is Jane.
This is Pat the dog.
Peter likes Jane
Jane likes Peter.
They like Pat the dog.

Dolly mixture wallpaper

The first 'continental quits' and covers

Dolly mixture wallpaper

The first 'continental quits' and covers

Twinkle - my dsis and I used to have one copy between us, so we fought took turns each week to cut out her outfits

Every school photo featured hand knitted cardies/jumpers, always in hideous colours
Really awful hairstyles
Limara body spray (I first realised the power of advertising because of this stuff)
Not being allowed to watch ITV for indeterminate reasons
Waiting to find out who was number 1 on Sunday evening radio. And yy to everyone who said Top of the Pops, there really is nothing like it now
The Spinners
Fruit salads, blackjack and black bullets. Ooh and Frys chocolate cream.

Shaky I wish you'd warned us what that link was, I always found Alan Rothwell really creepy.

kennyp, Ebony and Ivory was 1982 so doesn't belong on this thread I'm afraid.

Chopper bikes
Grifter Bikes
Princess Cars

Tom and Jerry cherryade
Bay city rollers
Floppy 7" singles given away free with smiths crisps
Pink baths with black side panels
Spaghetti hoops by candlelight
Parsley the lion
Pretend plastic lipstick
Follyfoot farm
Black beauty
Love is......
Strawberry shortcake
Cutout paper dolls in their underwear and cutout clothes with tabs on to fit over them

TheHouseCleaner I was desperately trying to remember that Rchard Digance link. Thank you - you made my night!

My DGM wore girdles

Calor gas fires; you had to turn the gas on and then press a button to create a spark to light it. Remembering not to stand in front as there was always a big bang as the cloud of gas exploded into life.

The white dot when the TV was turned off.

Old ladies with short, permed hair with either a pink or blue rinse.

Knee socks

Marks and Spencer made pleated woollen skirts attached to a nylon vest/ petticoat.

T-bar shoes

Pinafore dresses in orange or brown worn over the top of flared trousers. Always with a roll neck jumper.

Only one pair of shoes for all occasions.

Collectable Smurfs from the Elf petrol station.

Coal fires.

Coal men, milk men, bin men, that all delivered/ collected to/ from your back doorstep.

Hammer Horror films were still being made Scars of Dracula. Dracula Ad 1972 which was partially inspired by the events in Highgate Cemetery in the early 70s.

Hairdressers full of women sitting for hours under beehive contraptions while their hair set

Drinking in the pub at 16

Getting in to the cinema to see 18 films at 16

Nobody batting an eyelid at either

The "Highgate Vampire" and a feud which continues to this day.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highgate_Vampire

A visit to Biba being a massive event. I still regret never making the effort.

Laura Ashley.

Calling Swap Shop on 01 811 8055.

Or, in reality, watching Swap Shop and being really envious of those children that were actually allowed to use the phone.

Long party dresses, made by your mum.

Every party - all the girls, always in someone's living room, playing pass the parcel or musical chairs or whatever, in floor-length velour skirted and broiderie anglaise topped dresses...

Bean
Yes blimey that number seems like yesterday

Sorry TheBuskersDog

John Cravens Newsround and Jackanory. The reader was almost as important as the story.