You forgot to mention those butane curling irons that you clicked to start. We all carried them in our purse so we could pop into the restroom and keep the hair curly after lunchtime.
The bigger the hair, the need to have even bigger hair was always lurking in the shadows of our consciences in the 80’s. I wanted blue hair back then, in high school, but would have gotten a LOT of flack from my family had I tried. As a consolation prize, I marched my big head of hair to the salon and got a “Cyndi Lauper” haircut. I’ll never forget the feeling of the freshly shaved left side of my head with the contrast of big waves of hair on the right side. It was glorious. I shocked everyone at graduation with my punk look (while simultaneously preserving my preppy attire), got my diploma and left the building feeling like a badass that had just set the building on fire (think dramatic music videos, with someone walking toward the camera, away from a giant burning whatever). When I turned 50, I finally dyed my hair blue and I’d never felt more like myself! 👨🏻🎤
I'm glad my parents are Australian and caught on a bit earlier than my American friends parents about suncare. Also being gothic helped prevent sun damage. I used to use Johnson and Johnson baby powder to get that ghost effect.
I was just thinking how pretty out boy bands were. I had posters of Duran Duran all over when I was in elementary school and people wonder why I only hung out with gay men. I had Nick Rhodes for Millennial's douchebag Justin Timberlake.
🤣 I went through a phase where I thought being a redhead would look cool, but after the Nice & Easy I discovered red is the most unflattering color on me.
How the fuck did we survive? I remember a kid getting “Nair’d” at a sleepover with a bunch of idiots - they put it in his hair while he was asleep. It removed more than hair, poor kid. I used to love spraying Aquanet into dad’s zippo flame so I could be a dragon. And don’t forget Sun-In, which made me believe I was blonder than Bobby Brady’s hair after he frosted his after a single application (which I eventually had mine frosted too, with a braided rat tail). Ahh the essence of youth in the 80’s.
He was ok just lost some hair and kinda burned his skin. Really honked me off bc the kid was kind of an oddball. But he didn’t deserve that. I do know that parents got involved - rightfully so - and a few kids got a good ass whippin. As they should have.
Trying to get those wings. Hairspray blow dry Hairspray blow dry. We even used butter to lay out. Started tanning bed at 13. Slept in rollers like that but they had a foam cushion. Used NAIR on bikini line and holy shit!!! Left it on way too long. The funny thing is nobody told us to do this or recommended we didn't. Trial and error. Whew. I remember it all so well. I do wish people could find a medium now, somewhere between 80s and pajamas.
I grew up with four sisters, three born in the early 80s... so when I tell you I've seen it all, I've seen it all, lol! Alyssa Milano was pinnacle babe in the 80s. By 1988 she was every teen boy's crush, hanging out with another babe, Christina Applegate. I was almost 13. I love 80s style and I think big hair and bright colors will change the world... also, Sol Glo 🤣
nair was so toxic but would wipe off in patches my mum found out my sisters and i got our hands on a bottle at a friend’s house and mum was sooo mad when she found out because it was so toxic!
epi-lady i found at one of my parent’s friends bathroom’s on a visit and tried it. it was the most painful experience ever. shocking, literally. 🔥 ouch. but was desperate to get those smooth legs from the commercials. just created blotched patches and hives of ripped off skin with the hair. 🙂↔️
You forgot to mention those butane curling irons that you clicked to start. We all carried them in our purse so we could pop into the restroom and keep the hair curly after lunchtime.
The bigger the hair, the need to have even bigger hair was always lurking in the shadows of our consciences in the 80’s. I wanted blue hair back then, in high school, but would have gotten a LOT of flack from my family had I tried. As a consolation prize, I marched my big head of hair to the salon and got a “Cyndi Lauper” haircut. I’ll never forget the feeling of the freshly shaved left side of my head with the contrast of big waves of hair on the right side. It was glorious. I shocked everyone at graduation with my punk look (while simultaneously preserving my preppy attire), got my diploma and left the building feeling like a badass that had just set the building on fire (think dramatic music videos, with someone walking toward the camera, away from a giant burning whatever). When I turned 50, I finally dyed my hair blue and I’d never felt more like myself! 👨🏻🎤
I'm glad my parents are Australian and caught on a bit earlier than my American friends parents about suncare. Also being gothic helped prevent sun damage. I used to use Johnson and Johnson baby powder to get that ghost effect.
I was just thinking how pretty out boy bands were. I had posters of Duran Duran all over when I was in elementary school and people wonder why I only hung out with gay men. I had Nick Rhodes for Millennial's douchebag Justin Timberlake.
Nick Rhodes is the reason I started dyeing my hair red in high school.
45+ years later and I’m still a (cherry) red head.
The smell of NAIR!!! It smelled like perm solution. Absolutely horrible. I love these trips down memory lane though.
No, there were worse things to be called in the 80s than nerd. :)
Another great write-up and memory throwback. Thanks, Liz!
Thank you! ❤️
I can almost smell the Aqua Net!
Immediately triggered by Alyssa’s face. Had to pause when I remembered she dated Corey Haim and I cried into my Tiger Beat magazine
I was a lifeguard around 82, between the Bain de Solie and the Sun In. I was a deeply browned orange haired freak.
🤣 I went through a phase where I thought being a redhead would look cool, but after the Nice & Easy I discovered red is the most unflattering color on me.
So you weren’t alone! Lol
How the fuck did we survive? I remember a kid getting “Nair’d” at a sleepover with a bunch of idiots - they put it in his hair while he was asleep. It removed more than hair, poor kid. I used to love spraying Aquanet into dad’s zippo flame so I could be a dragon. And don’t forget Sun-In, which made me believe I was blonder than Bobby Brady’s hair after he frosted his after a single application (which I eventually had mine frosted too, with a braided rat tail). Ahh the essence of youth in the 80’s.
That poor kid! I’d be LIVID if someone did that to my son. Do you remember what happened to him next? Did anyone get in trouble?
Yeah we did crazy stuff back then and thankfully, most of it wasn’t on record 😆
He was ok just lost some hair and kinda burned his skin. Really honked me off bc the kid was kind of an oddball. But he didn’t deserve that. I do know that parents got involved - rightfully so - and a few kids got a good ass whippin. As they should have.
We might be known for our resilience and grit Liz but definitely not for our shoulder pads and the biggest hair on the planet.
And yes the ridiculous sunburning that we used to do and the tanning beds 🤦🏻♀️
Trying to get those wings. Hairspray blow dry Hairspray blow dry. We even used butter to lay out. Started tanning bed at 13. Slept in rollers like that but they had a foam cushion. Used NAIR on bikini line and holy shit!!! Left it on way too long. The funny thing is nobody told us to do this or recommended we didn't. Trial and error. Whew. I remember it all so well. I do wish people could find a medium now, somewhere between 80s and pajamas.
Nair on your bikini line? That’s hardcore! 😆🔥
Totally agree on something between PJs and the ‘80s being ideal. I did love a lot of ‘90s trends (minus the overplucked eyebrows)
I never did the eyebrows, but my little sister!!! She looked so crazy. Bald eyebrows almost. I thought we'd need an intervention 😂
Even with all the negativity spoken about with this posting…
TAKE ME BACK!
I grew up with four sisters, three born in the early 80s... so when I tell you I've seen it all, I've seen it all, lol! Alyssa Milano was pinnacle babe in the 80s. By 1988 she was every teen boy's crush, hanging out with another babe, Christina Applegate. I was almost 13. I love 80s style and I think big hair and bright colors will change the world... also, Sol Glo 🤣
It really was a fabulously iconic decade 🔥
Those jelly shoes that all the girls wore looked like foot torture
YES omg they were! I got awful blisters from mine
OOOOWWWWW
omg epi-lady and nair.
nair was so toxic but would wipe off in patches my mum found out my sisters and i got our hands on a bottle at a friend’s house and mum was sooo mad when she found out because it was so toxic!
epi-lady i found at one of my parent’s friends bathroom’s on a visit and tried it. it was the most painful experience ever. shocking, literally. 🔥 ouch. but was desperate to get those smooth legs from the commercials. just created blotched patches and hives of ripped off skin with the hair. 🙂↔️