Fads you remember fondly

[Football_Bat]

Saw a story the other day that named poker the top fad of 2006.

Never thought of poker as a "fad" — unless maybe in the West in the 1870s. (Wazzup casty? ;D ;D )

Anyway, I thought of all the fads, buzzwords and causes celebres of the past, and they stand out memorably. Two of the first I remember were truckers and the "Big Mac Attack."

There were plenty more through the 1980s and 1990s, but once you hit the Aughts, you draw a blank. (Other than "the Shocker" and "motorboating".)

Are we in a relatively fad-free decade, or are fads just flying under the Internet radar these days? What item lately is destined to go the way of hula hoops, CB radio, frosted jeans and the Macarena — a meteoric rise and an equally meteoric descent, but a permanent marker in our cultural consciousness?

 

[Barsuk]

I think there are just as many fads today, but they come and go a bit quicker than their predecessors, probably because of the ADD nature of our society. We move on to the next thing with the click of a mouse.

 

[murciélago]

I keep thinking Starbucks is a fad. Then it keeps going.

Mini Coopers?

ps: My all-time favorite fad was Jams from 1984-85. I was so happy in my Jams, and I hope you were as well.

 

[User 1019]

Dead body counters.

 

[JR]

Pet rocks.
Beanie Babies.
Reality television.
.com start-ups
Compassionate conservatives. Wait, that wasn't a fad, it never existed.

 

[alleyallen]

Dear God, let's hope reality TV becomes one of those fads that dies a fiery and very quick death. In fact, I'll forego the pain aspect in favor of the quick aspect.

And yes, JR, compassionate conservatism was a concept, not a reality.

 

[The Big Ragu]

I think there are just as many fads today, but they come and go a bit quicker than their predecessors, probably because of the ADD nature of our society. We move on to the next thing with the click of a mouse.

Totally agree with this. I think part of the reason, also, is that in the "information age," we have the resources to move more quickly from one thing to the next. Things can play themselves out more quickly.

Fad I remember fondly is the Cabbage Patch Doll fad from the early 80s. When they first came out, there was a run on them, and it was impossible to get one. The reason I remember it fondly, is that my mom was an avid knitter and crochetter, and she made a bunch of llittle outfits for one of those dolls. Normally, that sort of thing would make me want to puke, but my mom died in 1990, but my sister still has that doll, and the doll is wearing one of those outfits my mom knitted. I smile every time I am in her house and I see the doll sitting there.

 

[Write-brained]

Um, 2000 fads are all around us: cell phone craze, mp3 players, YouTube, plasma screen TVs, satelite radio ... sure, some will last but others will die out or be replaced by something else.

 

[alleyallen]

Understand your thinking, Write-brained, but "fads", by definition, refers to those things which are insanely and, often, inexplicably popular for a short period of time. Technological advances and creations, like cell phones, satellite radio, plasma TVs, etc., aren't liable to go away until they're replaced by more advanced devices. But they're not fads.

 

[Double J]

I think there are just as many fads today, but they come and go a bit quicker than their predecessors, probably because of the ADD nature of our society. We move on to the next thing with the click of a mouse.

Totally agree with this. I think part of the reason, also, is that in the "information age," we have the resources to move more quickly from one thing to the next. Things can play themselves out more quickly.

Fad I remember fondly is the Cabbage Patch Doll fad from the early 80s. When they first came out, there was a run on them, and it was impossible to get one. The reason I remember it fondly, is that my mom was an avid knitter and crochetter, and she made a bunch of llittle outfits for one of those dolls. Normally, that sort of thing would make me want to puke, but my mom died in 1990, but my sister still has that doll, and the doll is wearing one of those outfits my mom knitted. I smile every time I am in her house and I see the doll sitting there.

I agree too. The Rubik's Cube fad, which seems to be trying to claw its way out of the grave, sticks out in my mind because one of my sons asked for one for Christmas. I went on eBay and got a good used cube, as well as a copy of the same solution book that I had owned back in 1982-83.

Naturally, my kid played with the cube for about a day, put it down and forgot about it. I grabbed the cube and the book and have been having oodles of fun ever since.

P.S. Mullets and torn jeans, so late 1980s but so fondly remembered by those of us who thought we were rockers and, if we got our poses just right, would wind up with all the hot rocker chicks we could handle and then some. Kelly Bundy, my love, where have you gone?

 

[alleyallen]

I think there are just as many fads today, but they come and go a bit quicker than their predecessors, probably because of the ADD nature of our society. We move on to the next thing with the click of a mouse.

Totally agree with this. I think part of the reason, also, is that in the "information age," we have the resources to move more quickly from one thing to the next. Things can play themselves out more quickly.

Fad I remember fondly is the Cabbage Patch Doll fad from the early 80s. When they first came out, there was a run on them, and it was impossible to get one. The reason I remember it fondly, is that my mom was an avid knitter and crochetter, and she made a bunch of llittle outfits for one of those dolls. Normally, that sort of thing would make me want to puke, but my mom died in 1990, but my sister still has that doll, and the doll is wearing one of those outfits my mom knitted. I smile every time I am in her house and I see the doll sitting there.

I agree too. The Rubik's Cube fad, which seems to be trying to claw its way out of the grave, sticks out in my mind because one of my sons asked for one for Christmas. I went on eBay and got a good used cube, as well as a copy of the same solution book that I had owned back in 1982-83.

Naturally, my kid played with the cube for about a day, put it down and forgot about it. I grabbed the cube and the book and have been having oodles of fun ever since.

P.S. Mullets and torn jeans, so late 1980s but so fondly remembered by those of us who thought we were rockers and, if we got our poses just right, would wind up with all the hot rocker chicks we could handle and then some. Kelly Bundy, my love, where have you gone?

Christina's still out there looking pretty good. Try www.christina-applegate.org.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

Tightly rolling the bottoms of your jeans?
Dear God I'm so happy I missed the majority of that.

 

[zeke12]

Hyper-color shirts.

Magnetic slap braclets.

Jelly shoes.

Bangs. You know the ones I'm talking about.

Inside out sweatshirts.

 

[JR]

And we can't forget (well, those of us who were around in the 60's can't)

Mood rings.

Platform shoes

Fallout shelters

Bell Bottoms

Lava lamps

Black lights

 

[Mark McGwire]

Chicks digging the long ball.

 

[Double J]

I think there are just as many fads today, but they come and go a bit quicker than their predecessors, probably because of the ADD nature of our society. We move on to the next thing with the click of a mouse.

Totally agree with this. I think part of the reason, also, is that in the "information age," we have the resources to move more quickly from one thing to the next. Things can play themselves out more quickly.

Fad I remember fondly is the Cabbage Patch Doll fad from the early 80s. When they first came out, there was a run on them, and it was impossible to get one. The reason I remember it fondly, is that my mom was an avid knitter and crochetter, and she made a bunch of llittle outfits for one of those dolls. Normally, that sort of thing would make me want to puke, but my mom died in 1990, but my sister still has that doll, and the doll is wearing one of those outfits my mom knitted. I smile every time I am in her house and I see the doll sitting there.

I agree too. The Rubik's Cube fad, which seems to be trying to claw its way out of the grave, sticks out in my mind because one of my sons asked for one for Christmas. I went on eBay and got a good used cube, as well as a copy of the same solution book that I had owned back in 1982-83.

Naturally, my kid played with the cube for about a day, put it down and forgot about it. I grabbed the cube and the book and have been having oodles of fun ever since.

P.S. Mullets and torn jeans, so late 1980s but so fondly remembered by those of us who thought we were rockers and, if we got our poses just right, would wind up with all the hot rocker chicks we could handle and then some. Kelly Bundy, my love, where have you gone?

Christina's still out there looking pretty good. Try www.christina-applegate.org.

Oh, I know Christina's still around and indeed looking fine. But it's just not the same as when Kelly was Too Trashy To Be True.

 

[Montezuma's Revenge]

Pet rocks.
Beanie Babies.
Reality television.
.com start-ups
Compassionate conservatives. Wait, that wasn't a fad, it never existed.

It took all of five posts for somebody to turn this political. :

 

[EStreetJoe]

Do the following qualify as fads:
- roller skates
- disco music
- 8-tracks
- Richard Simmons' popularity
- "Valley Girl" catchphrases

 

[Barsuk]

Hyper-color shirts.

Magnetic slap braclets.

Jelly shoes.

Bangs. You know the ones I'm talking about.

Inside out sweatshirts.

These are the fads of my youth, along with jams (which were mentioned earlier) and parachute pants (**** yeah!).

More recently, in the footwear department, I've noticed Crocs and the comeback of two oldies-but-goodies, Chuck Taylor Cons and black-and-white-checked, slip-on Vans.

 

[Barsuk]

Ooh, and Zubaz!