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Can you remember a fad from the 60's or 70's? Mine is the troll doll. What about you? (Original Post) debm55 Mar 30 OP
Pet rocks PJMcK Mar 30 #1
HAHAHAHAHHAH. Wow, Thank you PJMcK debm55 Mar 30 #3
i had one or 2. AllaN01Bear Mar 30 #41
I still have one too! MontanaMama Mar 30 #60
Mary Quant SARose Mar 30 #2
Thank you SARose. My troll doll is long gone. I do remember the others. Had a Twiggy hair cut. debm55 Mar 30 #6
Yardley soap is still available. mwmisses4289 Mar 30 #86
Yep. Bought some the other day in fact. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Mar 31 #146
I played with Kiddles! FM123 Mar 30 #4
I think I remember them. We just called them little Barbies. Thank you FM123 debm55 Mar 30 #13
Love the trolls. Tie dye shirts were pretty. TommieMommy Mar 30 #5
We used to make our own tie dye shirts at the playground. debm55 Mar 30 #9
I have some trolls dolls in my bathroom shelf that I look at to start my day with a smile and laugh! kimbutgar Mar 30 #7
Wow thank you kimbutgar. debm55 Mar 30 #14
I loved troll dolls. My last dog chewed mine up (found it in storage from years past)... hlthe2b Mar 30 #8
Thank you hithe2b. That's a bummer. debm55 Mar 30 #17
Pet Sock craze unraveled before it began BoRaGard Mar 30 #10
I like the sock puppet. It's cute.Thank you BoRAGard. debm55 Mar 30 #18
Mood Rings no_hypocrisy Mar 30 #11
I didn't have a Puka Shell necklaces, But I did have a Mood Ring. Thank you no_hyprocrisy. debm55 Mar 30 #20
Fads were a fad. There were a lot of them. Ocelot II Mar 30 #12
Thank you Ocelot II , I had all three. debm55 Mar 30 #21
Creepy Crawlers chowmama Mar 30 #15
Oh you!!!!!!! Thank you chowmama. debm55 Mar 30 #23
I am laughing while picturing this. 3catwoman3 Mar 30 #137
So Many Chasstev365 Mar 30 #16
I had all of those. My favorite in you list was the Drinking Bird. the least favorite--Clackers. Thank you Chasstev365 debm55 Mar 30 #24
I LOVED Wacky Packages! Prof. Toru Tanaka Mar 30 #102
Bell Bottoms Emile Mar 30 #19
Thank you Emile. I remember them and the hip huggers.. debm55 Mar 30 #25
Loved them. sinkingfeeling Mar 30 #30
And the platform shoes to match! 😆 mwmisses4289 Mar 30 #87
Made in jeans or Indian bedspreads! flor-de-jasmim Mar 31 #145
Thank you flor-de-jasmim. I remember the Indian bedspreads. Beautiful. debm55 Mar 31 #174
Clackers (Klackers) EYESORE 9001 Mar 30 #22
Thank you EYSORE 9001. I clacked myself with them once. I never used again. some kids could really get them going. Mine debm55 Mar 30 #27
My elementary school banned them as both a breakage and projectile hazard. Eugene Mar 30 #72
I was in high school when they appeared EYESORE 9001 Mar 30 #99
STILL HAVE a pair (in blue) DaBronx Mar 30 #129
My mom collected troll dolls! MyMission Mar 30 #26
Thank you MyMission for your selection. And those jeans are not cheap. debm55 Mar 30 #29
Clacker balls! lastlib Mar 30 #28
Thanks lastlib. I could never get them to work. Same for the Duncan yo-yo. debm55 Mar 30 #32
When I was a tween we wore scarfs in our hair applegrove Mar 30 #31
Thanks applegrove. That sounds neat. debm55 Mar 30 #35
45 RPM records sinkingfeeling Mar 30 #33
Thank you sinkingfeeling. I remember those. Thank you. debm55 Mar 30 #36
Super Elastic Bubble Plastic terip64 Mar 30 #34
HAHAHAHAHHA. Thank you terip64 debm55 Mar 30 #38
I was a troll doll for one Halloween! Nittersing Mar 30 #37
That's neat. Thank you Nittersing. debm55 Mar 30 #39
Chewing gum wrapper necklaces or chains. I'm livetohike Mar 30 #40
I think I still have one. I also don't remember how to make them. sinkingfeeling Mar 30 #43
Thank you livetohike. I made and wore back then. I don't think I would remember how to make now. debm55 Mar 30 #45
clakers . AllaN01Bear Mar 30 #42
Thank you AllaAN01Bear. I remember them. Do you remember the Magic Eight Ball? debm55 Mar 30 #46
played with one. never had one. AllaN01Bear Mar 30 #78
I was looking for a reference to leisure suits. TomSlick Mar 30 #114
here ya go. AllaN01Bear Mar 30 #115
My husband has one. Keeps telling me that they might come back in style. Thanks TomSlick. debm55 Mar 31 #175
I hope he's wrong. TomSlick Mar 31 #186
Me too. debm55 Mar 31 #191
This! The first thing I thought of Ilikepurple Mar 31 #142
drove my mom crazy AllaN01Bear Mar 31 #158
Super Ball. rsdsharp Mar 30 #44
My brother had one of those. It didn't live up to expectations. debm55 Mar 30 #47
Friends and I used to play jacks with them EverHopeful Mar 30 #55
Isn't it kind of cheating when the ball bounces twelve feet high! rsdsharp Mar 30 #56
had one when i was in first grade. AllaN01Bear Mar 30 #116
A fad when I was in 5th grade! Freddie Mar 31 #182
Pulling the loop on the back of a shirt off LogDog75 Mar 30 #48
I remember that fad for the guys. debm55 Mar 30 #67
At my junior high, they were called "fairy loops." 3catwoman3 Mar 30 #138
We called them fruit loops. One girl Emile Mar 31 #147
I haven't thought about this in YEARS, but.... some_of_us_are_sane Mar 30 #49
I never made. but my friends did. I was always afraid that they would explode. debm55 Mar 30 #69
The kind of thing you used to get at state fairs: A heated and stretched Coke bottle, filled with layers of colored sand Aristus Mar 30 #50
I remember them filled with sand. HAHAHAHAH . do you still have your pop art glass bird? Thanks Aristus. debm55 Mar 30 #71
No. It was my sister's. It broke and disappeared decades ago. Aristus Mar 30 #124
Pop rocks. yourout Mar 30 #51
AGREE, Thanks yourout. debm55 Mar 30 #74
Don't eat them and drink soda at the same time MorbidButterflyTat Mar 31 #141
Ben Casey blouses (looked like the shirts doctors wore back then) yellowdogintexas Mar 30 #52
Lava lamps SheltieLover Mar 30 #53
I loved Lava lamps SheltieLover JMCKUSICK Mar 30 #119
Me too, John... SheltieLover Mar 30 #120
Slinky, they were never as much fun as advertised...I had clackers too...as a teen worked at a place that made them... wcmagumba Mar 30 #54
Great add though. yourout Mar 30 #95
Thank you , yourout. Yes I remember the toys and the jingle. After a bit , it became sort of boring though. debm55 Mar 31 #197
The Afro Eugene Mar 30 #57
Agree on all counts. Thank you Eugene debm55 Mar 30 #89
I also had Bell bottoms... wcmagumba Mar 30 #58
Hot Wheels DBoon Mar 30 #59
Shrinky Dinks. MontanaMama Mar 30 #61
I loved Shrinky Dinks. You are right though. A real pain getting them off of the sheet of the toaster oven. debm55 Mar 30 #85
Avocado Green Appliances Wiz Imp Mar 30 #62
Omg! That was almost as bad as the mwmisses4289 Mar 30 #88
Wiz Imp. that's for posting , but the is ugly. debm55 Mar 30 #91
Silly Putty Doc_Technical Mar 30 #63
My sister was crazy about Liddle Kiddle Kalonge Dolls pandr32 Mar 30 #64
Streaking Wiz Imp Mar 30 #65
I remember the streaking fad. It was pretty popular at sporting events. college campus, etc. Thank you for the reminder, debm55 Mar 30 #83
My mother was a skydiver back then Nictuku Mar 30 #125
Beatles wigs/boots. rubbersole Mar 30 #66
Thank you rubbersole. I remember the boots. debm55 Mar 30 #76
Earth Shoes Borogove Mar 30 #68
Man oh man I had those too, they were very comfortable... wcmagumba Mar 30 #70
I had a pair of knockoffs too. At the time, everyone was wearing them.Thank you Borogove. debm55 Mar 30 #73
I miss these shoes!!!!! DaBronx Mar 30 #126
Platform shoes catbyte Mar 30 #75
I remember the platform shoes. Made me look taller. debm55 Mar 30 #77
Yeah, I thought that too, especially when I was barely 5'1" and my boyfriend was 6'4" catbyte Mar 30 #84
Thing Maker (flowers) Nictuku Mar 30 #79
Thank you Nictuku. That is very neat. debm55 Mar 30 #112
Born in 74 but still remember this ILikePie92 Mar 30 #80
Flower power stickers, bell bottoms, Hang Ten shirts, and Keds. MLAA Mar 30 #81
This message was self-deleted by its author BigMin28 Mar 30 #82
Go Go boots MuseRider Mar 30 #90
HAHAHAHAHAH. MuseRider. I remember the gogo boots and pale pink or white lipstick. debm55 Mar 30 #92
Danish go rounds, candy cigarettes, mwmisses4289 Mar 30 #93
Fizzies mwmisses4289 Mar 30 #96
Hula hoops, and fizzies 4TheArts Mar 30 #94
Garbage Pail Kids. Kinda sick images, but funny. brush Mar 30 #97
GP kids came about in 1985 JMCKUSICK Mar 30 #118
Was it that late? I know they followed up on the Cabbage Patch Kids polularity. brush Mar 30 #121
Super Stuff, by WHAM-O! Mike Nelson Mar 30 #98
Karate (1960s), Kung Fu (70s) and nunchucks (until they were outlawed). Eugene Mar 30 #100
Creepy Crawlers and Easy Bake Oven! woodsprite Mar 30 #101
"Flip" hairdo like Marlo Thomas in That Girl. Diamond_Dog Mar 30 #103
HAHAHAHAH. Diamond_Dog. I had curly hair. So I was no Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) I loved doing macrame. I had the P.O.W, debm55 Mar 30 #109
Lawn darts RainCaster Mar 30 #104
I remember a cousin had them. Kids were getting hurt and they were taken off the market. TY, RainCaster. debm55 Mar 31 #196
Pet Rock ZDU Mar 30 #105
Thank you ZDU. I never bought one. I made it myself from a rock. I don't know if that counts. debm55 Mar 30 #107
Crafty! ZDU Mar 30 #113
hallucinogens nocoincidences Mar 30 #106
Oh you, nocoincidences. debm55 Mar 30 #111
Pogo sticks Oldbrat4567 Mar 30 #108
Thank you Oldbrat4567 for sharing with us. Welcome to DU. debm55 Mar 30 #110
Welcome to DU LetMyPeopleVote Mar 31 #181
Shit on a shingle JMCKUSICK Mar 30 #117
HAHAHAHAHHAHH. Thanks , John. debm55 Mar 31 #180
Spirograph WestMichRad Mar 30 #122
Thank you very much, WestMichRad. I had the Etch-a-sketch and Spirogragh. I liked the Spirograph, but hated the Etch-a debm55 Mar 31 #172
Hai Karate cologne for men. Every dude under 19 swore by it. ... marble falls Mar 30 #123
Thank you marble falls. I remember. debm55 Mar 31 #171
Rubix Cube BlueKota Mar 30 #127
Rubik's cube hit the market in 1980. Wiz Imp Mar 30 #134
That will teach me to skim. BlueKota Mar 31 #149
Little Abner Shoes DaBronx Mar 30 #128
Thank you very much for sharing with us, DaBronx. debm55 Mar 31 #170
PET ROCKS Captain Zero Mar 30 #130
I was going to say that! Bluepinky Mar 30 #139
HAHHAHAHHAHA. Thank you Captain Zero debm55 Mar 31 #169
Does anyone remember asking the telephone man for colored wire? terip64 Mar 30 #131
I did and we made rings out of it too. Thank you terip64, Brings back good memories. debm55 Mar 31 #166
I was 6ft tall at 12 years old kozar Mar 30 #132
Thank you kozar for sharing with us. debm55 Mar 31 #164
chia pets WhiteTara Mar 30 #133
YES!!! Thank you WhiteTara. I do remember them. debm55 Mar 31 #161
Gunne Sax clothing. Went shopping at their warehouse in SF. 58Sunliner Mar 30 #135
Thank you very much. I loved Gunne Sax clothing. And Laura Ashley clothing too. debm55 Mar 31 #157
That was my senior high school prom dress--Gunne Sax! crimycarny Mar 31 #194
Good times. It's a pity the line was discontinued. I loved it!! 58Sunliner Mar 31 #198
That's neat, crimycary. I wanted a Gunne Sax dress for my wedding. I couldn't find any in my area. They were beautiful debm55 Mar 31 #200
How about tintinvotes Mar 30 #136
Thank you very much tintinvotes. debm55 Mar 31 #156
Rat Fink... Historic NY Mar 31 #140
Thank you, HistoricNY. I don't remember but it sure looks gross. debm55 Mar 31 #155
Car culture Big Daddy Ed Roth. Hot Rods its was all over the place Historic NY Mar 31 #173
Peasant blouses MorbidButterflyTat Mar 31 #143
Thank you very much for your selection, MorbidButterflyTat. Very good selection. debm55 Mar 31 #154
Whacky Packages Ilikepurple Mar 31 #144
Thank you IIikepurple. But what are Whacky Packages? debm55 Mar 31 #151
They might have actually been called Wacky Packages without the "h" Ilikepurple Mar 31 #206
Miniskirts and Peace Symbol ✌️ Emile Mar 31 #148
Thank you very much, Emile, And Smiley Faces. debm55 Mar 31 #150
Bell bottoms surfered Mar 31 #152
Thank you surfered. debm55 Mar 31 #153
Pull tab chains Earl_from_PA Mar 31 #159
Yes, I remember those. Thanks Earl_from_PA debm55 Mar 31 #160
So much fun reading through all of these! Fish net stockings to go along with those white go go boots; KitFox Mar 31 #162
Thank you so much. KitFox for sharing with us. Great choices. debm55 Mar 31 #163
Thanks for all the great threads! Hoping you are feeling well today. How's KitFox Mar 31 #165
91-92 range. I am so tired of using that Oxygen machine. But I do what I do. Thank you KitFox for asking. debm55 Mar 31 #167
A minus! Good deal! Admire your courage !!!!🩷 KitFox Mar 31 #168
Backgammon walkingman Mar 31 #176
Thank you walkingman debm55 Mar 31 #177
Stocking caps SWinter Mar 31 #178
Yes, I remember them SWinter. And if they were long enough, you could use as a scarf. debm55 Mar 31 #179
Exercise Sandals gay texan Mar 31 #183
I agree with you gay texan. Wasn't the base made of wood? debm55 Mar 31 #195
Yep n/t gay texan Mar 31 #199
Chinese jump rope Freddie Mar 31 #184
HAHAHAHAHa. We did the same. I liked playing . It was somewhat different then regular or Double Dutch.Thanks Freddie debm55 Mar 31 #189
Fuzzy Wuzzy soap and Pillsbury "Space Sticks" crimycarny Mar 31 #185
I had a Fuzzy Wuzzy Soap. It was a blue bear. Thank you for sharing with us crimycarny. debm55 Mar 31 #193
CB Radios & 8-Track Tapes Wiz Imp Mar 31 #187
Yes, those were popular. Trucker songs too. debm55 Mar 31 #192
K-Tel Compilation Albums of Hit Songs Wiz Imp Mar 31 #188
HAHAHAHHAHAHA. That is so funny and yes I remember them.Thank you Wiz Imp debm55 Mar 31 #190
I made a house for my trolls and took it to show & tell. Way funner than barbies. Clouds Passing Mar 31 #201
Somewhat better. I am at an Oxygen level of 91-92. Can't get it to 93. Until then I have to stay on the Oxygen machine. debm55 Mar 31 #202
Peace Beads. debm55 Mar 31 #203
Can pull tops JPK Mar 31 #204
Thank you JPK. I remember making jewelry from the can pull tops. Doorway curtains sound creative. debm55 Mar 31 #205
Colorforms LudwigPastorius Apr 1 #207
Thank you very much LudwigPastorius. I remember both. I really liked the colorforms debm55 Apr 1 #208
Bralessness & Halter Tops Emile Apr 1 #209
Yes I remember, women burning their bras. Thank you Emile. debm55 Apr 1 #210
Are roller rinks still around? sakabatou Apr 1 #211
Thank you sakabatou. They were popular during the Disco Era. Haven't seen one since. debm55 Apr 1 #213
flocked black light posters eShirl Apr 1 #212
Oh yes, I remember them, eShirl. I had a white horse painted on black flock. debm55 Apr 1 #214
The not so flatware "spoon rings" Niagara Apr 1 #215
Hi, Niagara. Great to see your post. I never had one, but I knew people that did. Some were beautiful. I like the one in debm55 Apr 1 #216
I have a troll from Denmark. milestogo Apr 1 #217
Thank you milestogo. debm55 Apr 1 #218

SARose

(1,335 posts)
2. Mary Quant
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:03 PM
Mar 30

And Twiggy!

Yardley soap, black eyeliner, all things Carnaby Street!

I still have my troll doll from then. How she’s survived all the moves I don’t know.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
6. Thank you SARose. My troll doll is long gone. I do remember the others. Had a Twiggy hair cut.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:06 PM
Mar 30

FM123

(10,245 posts)
4. I played with Kiddles!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:03 PM
Mar 30

At least I think that's what they were called - they looked like tiny little Barbie dolls.....

kimbutgar

(24,886 posts)
7. I have some trolls dolls in my bathroom shelf that I look at to start my day with a smile and laugh!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:06 PM
Mar 30

hlthe2b

(109,228 posts)
8. I loved troll dolls. My last dog chewed mine up (found it in storage from years past)...
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:07 PM
Mar 30

Kinda broke my heart.... LOL

debm55

(44,377 posts)
20. I didn't have a Puka Shell necklaces, But I did have a Mood Ring. Thank you no_hyprocrisy.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:17 PM
Mar 30

Last edited Mon Mar 31, 2025, 07:01 PM - Edit history (1)

Ocelot II

(124,317 posts)
12. Fads were a fad. There were a lot of them.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:08 PM
Mar 30

Mood rings, Nehru jackets and love beads, to name a few.

chowmama

(726 posts)
15. Creepy Crawlers
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:12 PM
Mar 30

Yes, I did occasionally burn myself. But then there was the time I dropped a brightly colored centipede in my older sister's milk When she drank down to where it became visible, she fired the glass across the kitchen, narrowly missing my mother.

Totally worth it.

Chasstev365

(5,363 posts)
16. So Many
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:12 PM
Mar 30

1. Clackers
2. Wacky Packages
3. Duncan Yo Yo's
4. Plastic Skateboards.
5. Any Toy from the company "Wham-o"
6. The Drinking Bird.
7. Lava Lamps

debm55

(44,377 posts)
24. I had all of those. My favorite in you list was the Drinking Bird. the least favorite--Clackers. Thank you Chasstev365
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:22 PM
Mar 30

for sharing your memories.

Prof. Toru Tanaka

(2,565 posts)
102. I LOVED Wacky Packages!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 06:15 PM
Mar 30

Right off the bat, I can remember Hostage Mud-filled Cupcakes, Liptorn Soup and Bent (beyond repair) cigarettes.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
27. Thank you EYSORE 9001. I clacked myself with them once. I never used again. some kids could really get them going. Mine
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:28 PM
Mar 30

never went in a line like the video.

EYESORE 9001

(28,069 posts)
99. I was in high school when they appeared
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 06:00 PM
Mar 30

It became a challenge to clack them hard enough to break the balls.

MyMission

(2,007 posts)
26. My mom collected troll dolls!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:24 PM
Mar 30

I remember a lot of fads from that time, my formative years.
My first thought was the pet rock, which I remember from my teenage years.

Then there's the fashion fads.
Hair parted in the middle, and then the shag haircut, then punk.
I remember bell bottoms, hip huggers mini skirts, wide lapels, platform shoes.
And jeans with many patches that I sewed on as they got holes!
Now of course they sell jeans with distressed holes and no patches.

Nittersing

(7,175 posts)
37. I was a troll doll for one Halloween!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 12:38 PM
Mar 30

I think it was an inverted appliance box with a LOT of orange yarn hanging down, all around it.

sinkingfeeling

(55,073 posts)
43. I think I still have one. I also don't remember how to make them.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 01:21 PM
Mar 30

Probably a video out there somewhere on how to do it.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
45. Thank you livetohike. I made and wore back then. I don't think I would remember how to make now.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 02:07 PM
Mar 30

TomSlick

(12,340 posts)
114. I was looking for a reference to leisure suits.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 07:30 PM
Mar 30

I had a set of leisure suits that my mother sewed for me.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
175. My husband has one. Keeps telling me that they might come back in style. Thanks TomSlick.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 11:33 AM
Mar 31

Ilikepurple

(215 posts)
142. This! The first thing I thought of
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 12:30 AM
Mar 31

I mainly wanted some cuz the6 looked like big marbles, but mom said no.

rsdsharp

(10,675 posts)
44. Super Ball.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 01:27 PM
Mar 30

Which was the inspiration for naming the AFL NFL World Championship Game the Super Bowl.

&pp=ygUKc3VwZXIgYmFsbA%3D%3D

EverHopeful

(482 posts)
55. Friends and I used to play jacks with them
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 03:01 PM
Mar 30

Going back to the regular ball just wasn't as much fun after playing with the Superball

Freddie

(9,825 posts)
182. A fad when I was in 5th grade!
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 12:50 PM
Mar 31

They came in 3 sizes and everybody had them. I remember going to Woolworths with Mom to get mine.

LogDog75

(401 posts)
48. Pulling the loop on the back of a shirt off
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 02:42 PM
Mar 30

For some reason, it wasn't cool to have a loop on the back of your shirt in school. The loop was there so you could hang it up in a locker. If you had one, most likely someone would rip it off while you're walking down the hall. I never remembered anyone's shirt being torn so the loop must have been stitched in a manner that it would tear easily. Kids used to see who could collect the most loops in a day.

Emile

(34,145 posts)
147. We called them fruit loops. One girl
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 07:18 AM
Mar 31

ripped the whole back of my shirt when she tugged on mine in the hallway between class.

some_of_us_are_sane

(1,153 posts)
49. I haven't thought about this in YEARS, but....
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 02:48 PM
Mar 30

FRIED MARBLES! I'd take cat's eye marbles, put them in a cast iron skillet and turn on the heat until the glass developed cracks inside. Then glue them onto cheap necklace fasteners with airplane glue, put them on chain and wear as a necklace. ROFL!


Whoops! Forgot the ice cube part!



(That's when they'd crack.)

Aristus

(69,710 posts)
50. The kind of thing you used to get at state fairs: A heated and stretched Coke bottle, filled with layers of colored sand
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 02:53 PM
Mar 30

forming a rainbow, then decorated with fuzzy tufts, googly eyes, and a golf-tee beak. A pop-art glass bird to decorate the window sill with.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
71. I remember them filled with sand. HAHAHAHAH . do you still have your pop art glass bird? Thanks Aristus.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:18 PM
Mar 30

yellowdogintexas

(23,194 posts)
52. Ben Casey blouses (looked like the shirts doctors wore back then)
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 02:54 PM
Mar 30

there was also a Ben Casey bracelet which I still have; the blouse/top kicked the bucket long ago

at my high school, there was an occurring fad amongst the boys to bleach their hair nearly white. ( one guy only bleached a stripe down the center of the top of his head, and left it longer than the rest of his hair. His nickname was "Skunk" after that)

Bleeding Madras cotton shirts, worn with jeans and WeeJuns (without socks)

Mohair sweaters

Keds with longer, squared toes

Humongeously teased hair

wcmagumba

(3,846 posts)
54. Slinky, they were never as much fun as advertised...I had clackers too...as a teen worked at a place that made them...
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 03:01 PM
Mar 30

Our neighbor managed a small local plastics company and hired some of us teens (14 or older) to work at his company packaging and labeling the Clackers...

debm55

(44,377 posts)
197. Thank you , yourout. Yes I remember the toys and the jingle. After a bit , it became sort of boring though.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 05:06 PM
Mar 31

Eugene

(64,500 posts)
57. The Afro
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 03:03 PM
Mar 30

and many, many fads listed above.

I remember a Pet Rock on display and reading the owner's guide for it at a department store. I was first to bring a yo-yo to schools. Tie Dying a tee-shirt was taught in art class.

wcmagumba

(3,846 posts)
58. I also had Bell bottoms...
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 03:07 PM
Mar 30

I remember my mom buying me two pair at Montgomery Wards (aka, Monkey Wards). I got a green striped pair and a blue striped pair....I was so cool...In my own mind anyway...

debm55

(44,377 posts)
85. I loved Shrinky Dinks. You are right though. A real pain getting them off of the sheet of the toaster oven.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:42 PM
Mar 30

mwmisses4289

(914 posts)
88. Omg! That was almost as bad as the
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:57 PM
Mar 30

three color shag carpets that was put into new houses in the early 1970's, along with the big flowered wall paper accents in the kitchen. Our carpet was shades of green, a neighbor had shades of orange, and I think another neighbors was shades of cream. People started recarpeting as soon as a kid spilled something on it, or threw big parties hoping someone would spill something on it so they could replace it asap!

Doc_Technical

(3,658 posts)
63. Silly Putty
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 03:30 PM
Mar 30

Collector cards, the size of baseball cards, that depicted a Martian
invasion of Earth, these were the inspiration for the movie "When Mars Attacks".
There were about 50 cards in the collection.

There was also a set of cards about the Civil War.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
83. I remember the streaking fad. It was pretty popular at sporting events. college campus, etc. Thank you for the reminder,
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:39 PM
Mar 30

Wiz Imp

Nictuku

(4,168 posts)
125. My mother was a skydiver back then
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 09:57 PM
Mar 30

Back when streaking was popular, the skydiving team she was on "The Stardusters" actually did a streaking jump. Of course they had their parachutes and helmets and boots, but otherwise.... They did have a camera man (camera attached to helmet) who exited the plane last. Mom said that he must have had quite a view from there.

Boy has skydiving equipment changed since then! Nowadays they have these lightweight 'wing' parachutes (mom had the old fashioned type back in the 60s) You have so much more control over the landing, they don't even require heavy boots any more.

A packed parachute these days is about the size that the reserve parachute's used to be.

A related story: Reserve parachutes used to have to be packed by a professional once a year, and one year after getting hers packed, mom sewed a patch to it. She didn't find out until the next year that she had SEWN IT CLOSED! She was jumping without a reserve every weekend for close to a year.

Borogove

(154 posts)
68. Earth Shoes
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:11 PM
Mar 30

I owned a pair of cheap knockoffs from Thom McCan’s. Was wearing them when I met my wife. She still makes fun of me for it.

wcmagumba

(3,846 posts)
70. Man oh man I had those too, they were very comfortable...
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:17 PM
Mar 30

Guess I'll have to face the fact that I had most all of these 60s and 70s items, and I liked them too...ha ha!

debm55

(44,377 posts)
73. I had a pair of knockoffs too. At the time, everyone was wearing them.Thank you Borogove.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:28 PM
Mar 30

catbyte

(36,780 posts)
75. Platform shoes
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:31 PM
Mar 30

I went on a senior trip to Italy in the early 1970s and thought I was hot stuff buying a pair of genuine Italian 6" platform shoes in Rome. I was going to be cutting edge in my little town in northern lower Michigan. I was until I tried to cross the street in town and almost broke my ankle on those damned things. They rapidly turned into a useless souvenir.

catbyte

(36,780 posts)
84. Yeah, I thought that too, especially when I was barely 5'1" and my boyfriend was 6'4"
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 04:40 PM
Mar 30

We looked like Mutt and Jeff so naturally the relationship was doomed. I vowed to never again date anybody over a foot taller than me.

Response to debm55 (Original post)

mwmisses4289

(914 posts)
93. Danish go rounds, candy cigarettes,
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 05:03 PM
Mar 30

and something called Bottle Caps (I think that's what they were called). You dropped one in a glass of water and it would fizz. My favorite tasted like rootbeer, but iirc, they were also flavored grape orange and cream soda. Soda stream without the machine, lol.

Edited to add: Ah, just found that they were called Fizzies, not Bottle Caps.

4TheArts

(150 posts)
94. Hula hoops, and fizzies
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 05:07 PM
Mar 30

Fizzies gone from the market when cylamates banned in 1968. I think Tang came out around then.
Hula hoops endure.

brush

(59,597 posts)
121. Was it that late? I know they followed up on the Cabbage Patch Kids polularity.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 08:20 PM
Mar 30

Some sick, disgusting images, but somehow funny.

woodsprite

(12,398 posts)
101. Creepy Crawlers and Easy Bake Oven!
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 06:14 PM
Mar 30

Both toys heated up enough to cook whatever it was you had in there, but my Mom always supervised my Easy Bake Oven cooking. She didn't with the Creepy Crawler cooking. I guess because she wanted to make sure what came out of the Easy Bake oven was edible.

Diamond_Dog

(36,653 posts)
103. "Flip" hairdo like Marlo Thomas in That Girl.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 06:15 PM
Mar 30

I always wanted a hairstyle like hers but my hair wouldn’t cooperate. Later on in the 70s I had real long straight hair parted in the middle like Cher.

I was going to say white go-go boots but I see someone else beat me to it!

P.O.W. bracelets.

Macramé.

Crocheted vests. (I had one)

debm55

(44,377 posts)
109. HAHAHAHAH. Diamond_Dog. I had curly hair. So I was no Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) I loved doing macrame. I had the P.O.W,
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 06:49 PM
Mar 30

Last edited Sun Mar 30, 2025, 09:06 PM - Edit history (1)

bracelet and and Granny Square Crocheted vest. Thank you for sharing with us.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
196. I remember a cousin had them. Kids were getting hurt and they were taken off the market. TY, RainCaster.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 04:58 PM
Mar 31

debm55

(44,377 posts)
107. Thank you ZDU. I never bought one. I made it myself from a rock. I don't know if that counts.
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 06:42 PM
Mar 30

WestMichRad

(2,248 posts)
122. Spirograph
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 08:40 PM
Mar 30

My family was fairly poor and with me the youngest of several kids, I pretty much had only hand-me-downs, except for a few clothes each year. So I was aware of most of these things that others mentioned, but had very few. Fizzies, a frisbee, lawn darts and that’s about all. Except the Spirograph, which was a Christmas present shared by 3 of us. Oh, and an Etch-a-sketch, which I never really could create anything interesting with. Stupid thing!

debm55

(44,377 posts)
172. Thank you very much, WestMichRad. I had the Etch-a-sketch and Spirogragh. I liked the Spirograph, but hated the Etch-a
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 10:58 AM
Mar 31

sketch. All I was able to make was squares.

BlueKota

(4,211 posts)
149. That will teach me to skim.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 08:09 AM
Mar 31

I read it was invented in the 70s. Missed the released in the 80s part.

DaBronx

(694 posts)
128. Little Abner Shoes
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 10:01 PM
Mar 30

Not sure if these were a regional thing in the Bronx but they came in two colors, dark brown suede and a lighter brown leather. I tried to find something similar a few years back and the closest I came to them was something called “roofer shoes.”

Captain Zero

(7,824 posts)
130. PET ROCKS
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 10:07 PM
Mar 30

They don't make noise like a dog, and don't poop in a box in your house like a cat.

terip64

(1,590 posts)
131. Does anyone remember asking the telephone man for colored wire?
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 10:15 PM
Mar 30

We used to make rings out of it.

kozar

(3,063 posts)
132. I was 6ft tall at 12 years old
Sun Mar 30, 2025, 10:22 PM
Mar 30

1972,
My 8th grade teacher, put a basketball in my hands. I still have that basketball, im 64 now and can't even see the hoop from the free throw line! The feel of that ball, makes me feel young again. And I'm still, just 6 ft tall.

Koz

crimycarny

(1,781 posts)
194. That was my senior high school prom dress--Gunne Sax!
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 04:45 PM
Mar 31

OMG, I wore a Gunne Sax dress to my senior high school prom. 1977. Blast from the past!

debm55

(44,377 posts)
200. That's neat, crimycary. I wanted a Gunne Sax dress for my wedding. I couldn't find any in my area. They were beautiful
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 06:25 PM
Mar 31

dresses.

MorbidButterflyTat

(2,837 posts)
143. Peasant blouses
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 12:34 AM
Mar 31

flare jeans, and platform shoes. I had older girl cousins and I loved their clothes!

My friends and I would wear those feathers in our hair you'd get from local carnivals, and they attached with roach clips!

Invisible Man and Woman models you could see through to their arteries and innards, sea monkeys, Mad magazine, hanging beads in my closet doorway, hot pants and the body to match!

Ilikepurple

(215 posts)
144. Whacky Packages
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 12:35 AM
Mar 31

When I was ten, I bought a box wholesale and got in trouble for selling them at school. They didn’t seem to be contraband. I think that my social studies teacher wasn’t fond of my entrepreneurial spirit.

Ilikepurple

(215 posts)
206. They might have actually been called Wacky Packages without the "h"
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 11:14 PM
Mar 31

They were a pack of trading cards that had Mad Magazine like parodies of household products with a stick of trading card quality gum inside.

KitFox

(289 posts)
162. So much fun reading through all of these! Fish net stockings to go along with those white go go boots;
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 10:18 AM
Mar 31

chokers, paisley prints, madras plaid that you washed and it “bled”, baby doll mini dresses. I still have my lava lamp in the spare bedroom. My grandkids turn it on first thing when they come for sleepovers. They also play with my clear orange Imperial yo yo that I got when I was in the 6th grade!

KitFox

(289 posts)
165. Thanks for all the great threads! Hoping you are feeling well today. How's
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 10:25 AM
Mar 31

your oxygen level doing? Hoping it is in B plus to A range!!! Thinking of you!🩷🩷🩷

debm55

(44,377 posts)
167. 91-92 range. I am so tired of using that Oxygen machine. But I do what I do. Thank you KitFox for asking.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 10:30 AM
Mar 31

debm55

(44,377 posts)
179. Yes, I remember them SWinter. And if they were long enough, you could use as a scarf.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 12:24 PM
Mar 31

Freddie

(9,825 posts)
184. Chinese jump rope
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 01:09 PM
Mar 31

A large elastic band you did various complicated patterns with your feet. All we did at recess 4th grade.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
189. HAHAHAHAHa. We did the same. I liked playing . It was somewhat different then regular or Double Dutch.Thanks Freddie
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 03:40 PM
Mar 31

debm55

(44,377 posts)
193. I had a Fuzzy Wuzzy Soap. It was a blue bear. Thank you for sharing with us crimycarny.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 04:14 PM
Mar 31

Wiz Imp

(4,757 posts)
187. CB Radios & 8-Track Tapes
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 03:20 PM
Mar 31

CB Radios
?resize=553%2C422

8-Track Tapes


The CB Radio craze even spawned a #1 Hit Song in 1975.

Clouds Passing

(4,430 posts)
201. I made a house for my trolls and took it to show & tell. Way funner than barbies.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 06:32 PM
Mar 31

How are you doing deb?

debm55

(44,377 posts)
202. Somewhat better. I am at an Oxygen level of 91-92. Can't get it to 93. Until then I have to stay on the Oxygen machine.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 06:45 PM
Mar 31

Thank you for asking Clouds Passing. It is very kind of you.

debm55

(44,377 posts)
205. Thank you JPK. I remember making jewelry from the can pull tops. Doorway curtains sound creative.
Mon Mar 31, 2025, 07:14 PM
Mar 31

LudwigPastorius

(12,243 posts)
207. Colorforms
Tue Apr 1, 2025, 12:15 AM
Apr 1


And then, much later, the Mattel Electronics Football Game

Teacher's desk drawers were full of those things, because there was no way to mute the little beeps and chirps it made when you played it.

sakabatou

(44,600 posts)
211. Are roller rinks still around?
Tue Apr 1, 2025, 12:35 PM
Apr 1

Roller skates have mostly gone out of fashion. Roller blades are still out there.

Niagara

(10,514 posts)
215. The not so flatware "spoon rings"
Tue Apr 1, 2025, 02:49 PM
Apr 1



Disclaimer #1: I didn't read anyone else's responses so if someone else said "spoon rings" I didn't read it or see it!

Disclaimer #2: If anyone doesn't like my response, that anyone can keep scrolling!

debm55

(44,377 posts)
216. Hi, Niagara. Great to see your post. I never had one, but I knew people that did. Some were beautiful. I like the one in
Tue Apr 1, 2025, 03:19 PM
Apr 1

your photo. Very unique.

milestogo

(20,329 posts)
217. I have a troll from Denmark.
Tue Apr 1, 2025, 06:14 PM
Apr 1

My grandparents were Scandinavian, and fortunately I ended up with the troll.

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