Do You Remember These '80s Trends?

By: Becky Stigall
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Do You Remember These '80s Trends?
Image: YouTube

About This Quiz

From hair and makeup to clothes, dance and music, the 1980s were full of notable trends. Even if you weren't a child of the '80s, you probably remember at least a few of these.
Hey, only Mom, Dad or the American traveler would be seen dead in one of these today. What is it?
Fanny pack
Belt
Shoes
Pants
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ah, the much-maligned fanny pack. Why does this generation hate it?

They wore these in the movie "Fame" and in Olivia Newton-John and Jane Fonda workout videos. What are they?
Hair clips
Makeup
Legwarmers
Shoes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Well, makeup, shoes and hair clips were also part of "Fame" and workout videos, but we were looking for legwarmers. Why would one need to wear legwarmers while working out anyway?

These fashion accessories were sewn into every woman's shirt and jacket. What were they?
Shoulder pads
Flowers
Pictures
Hair clips
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Oh, so not EVERY shirt, but the prevalence of shoulder pads on women in the '80s was downright scary!

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What beauty trend has, thankfully, died down?
Big hair
Shoes
Pantyhose
Hair clips
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You've got to admit, the '80s saw some BIG hair... even on men.

Which clothing trend got left behind in the '80s?
Tights
Acid-wash jeans
Hair clips
Shoes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Apparently, acid-wash jeans became a trend when Guess took advantage of the look created by '80s street gangs.

What Michael Jackson album and video were hugely popular in the '80s?
Thriller
Blue Suede Shoes
Coal Miner's Daughter
This Is It
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The "Thriller" album and video set trends and records that are still in place today.

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Which Cabbage Patch Kids parody was popular in the mid-'80s?
Barbie and Ken
Disney Babies
Garbage Pail Kids
American Girl Dolls
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Garbage Pail Kids trend spawned a series of trading cards, cartoons and even candy.

Which hugely popular video game was released in the 1980s?
World of Warcraft
Super Mario Bros.
NFL
Minecraft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. were both released on Nintendo in the 1980s.

Toting one of these binders to school meant you were quite the trendsetter. What were they?
Loose leaf
Blue
Trapper Keeper
Pink
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Part binder, part filing system, Trapper Keepers were all cool.

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What gaming trend was at its peak in the 1980s?
Arcade games
Paintball
Go Karts
Kick the can
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Who can forget Pac-Man and Donkey Kong? Arcade games had a brief resurgence in the 1990s.

Every kid had 'em on their wrists. What were they?
Rubber bands
Watches
Slap bracelets
Tattoos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Available in every color and design, kids slapped these on themselves and their friends... much to the consternation of their teachers.

What feature made Reeboks the bomb in the late '80s?
Soles
Laces
Insoles
Pump
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Reebok pump enables shoe enthusiasts to pump up their shoes for a more comfortable, supportive fit... Ok, they were just a reason to get a new pair of shoes.

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Which entertainer hit the scene in the 1980s?
Elvis
Frank Sinatra
Madonna
Fats Domino
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and "True Blue" were both '80s megahits.

What '80s broadcast phenomenon brought music videos into the home?
MTV
Dick Clark
American Bandstand
Color television
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

MTV, which originally stood for Music Television, launched August 1, 1981. The channel lineup now includes reality television shows.

What fruity soft drinks were launched in the '80s?
7-Up
Slice
Pepsi
Coke
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Slice was a full line of fruit-flavored deliciousness launched by Pepsi in 1984.. Which one was your favorite?

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Pop a tape in the back of this bear and he would tell you a story. Who was he?
Teddy Ruxpin
Mickey Mouse
Donald Duck
The Road Runner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Teddy Ruxpin was the hot Christmas toy in 1985-1986. That was before internet shopping, so if you got one for Christmas, your parents probably had a hard time finding it. Thank them!

This arcade game spawned numerous marketing opportunities. What was it?
Pinball
World of Warcraft
Pac-Man
Minecraft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There was Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man slippers, Pac-Man piggy banks, and more. What did you have that was Pac-Man themed?

Along the lines of legwarmers, what fashion accessories were a must in the '80s?
Slouchy socks
Hair clips
Shoes
Pants
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you were super trendy, you wore your slouchy socks and your legwarmers together!

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What square puzzle reached the peak of popularity in the mid-1980s?
Jigsaw puzzles
Pac-Man
Word games
Rubik's Cube
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although the Rubik's Cube was invented in the '70s, a licensing agreement made it a big seller here in the States in the '80s. If you're a real nerd, you probably have one in your house now.

What '80s blockbuster film still results in many pets being named Gizmo?
Moonlighting
Thriller
Last House on the Left
Gremlins
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Gremlins" was a comedy horror film, starring Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates. The film was released on June 8, 1984 and grossed more than $150 million at the box office.

Which gaming company experienced a major shift in the mid 1980s?
Microsoft
Apple
Game Stop
Atari
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Atari has been around in some form since the 1970s. The company was hit hard during the video game crash of the mid-'80s.

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If you were super cool, you used a camera that spit out pictures you shook to develop. What kind of camera was it?
Black and white
Digital
Big
Instant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Polaroid's instant camera made taking pictures fun and easy. You didn't really have to shake them, though.

In 1985, a group of artists got together to sing a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie for the charity, USA for Africa. What was the name of the song?
Wham
Blue
We Are the World
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The recording sold more than 20 million copies. Many top artists of the day participated.

You might have an iPod now, but we bet you had one of these in the '80s. What was it?
iPod shuffle
Turtle Beach Headphones
Car
Sony Walkman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sure, portable cassette players were passed over in a couple of decades in favor of digital options, but these were pretty cool for the era.

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If you were truly trendy, you probably had at least one pair of these in your closet. What were they?
Jordache jeans
Tennis shoes
Blue socks
A pea coat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jordache jeans were THE fashion statement. They were pricey at first, but eventually, like many things, they lost their shine and were sold at discount stores.

Worn by the likes of McGyver and Billy Ray Cyrus, this hairstyle was considered quite fashionable in the '80s. What was it?
The Ducktail
The Mullet
The Beehive
The Pompadour
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Short in the front and long in the back, this style made the ladies swoon. Business in the front and party in the back!

Every kid had to have one of these handheld devices. What was it?
Fidget spinner
Game Boy
Ring pop
Slap bracelet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Game Boy was released in the U.S. in 1989, so it barely made the cutoff for this quiz, but we couldn't resist including it.

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If you were a music aficionado in the '80s, you probably bought your music where?
Tower Records
Blockbuster
Online
Amazon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This Sacramento-based chain also published the music magazine, Pulse!, beginning in 1983.

If you were cool in the '80s, you probably slept on one of these. What was it?
Waterbed
Cot
Sleeping bag
Hammock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Waterbeds were the rage in the '70s and '80s. They had all but disappeared by the '90s. Maybe it was because they tended to spring leaks.

Did you get your records and tapes by mail in the '80s? What was the service called?
Columbia
Blockbuster
Amazon
Sephora
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

That first shipment of a million tapes for $1.00 was exciting (ok, it wasn't a million, but it seemed like it). Of course, then you had to pay the monthly fee - unless you remembered to cancel.

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This artist designed the cover for Duran Duran's album, "Rio," and saw his work explode onto the '80s scene. Who was he?
Vincent Van Gogh
Michelangelo
Patrick Nagel
Machiavelli
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patrick Nagel prints were turned into album covers, posters and print advertisements. His flat look style was easily recognizable.

This line of dolls came with their own names and birth certificates. What were they?
American Girl Dolls
Cabbage Patch Kids
Barbies
Chucky Dolls
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The production rights for Cabbage Patch Kids changed hands over the years, from Hasbro to Mattel to others. The inventor was Xavier Roberts.

Kids slipped this toy onto their ankle and spun it around as they jumped over it. What was it?
Bob It
Skip-It
Hula Hoop
Slap bracelet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This 1980s toy made it onto "Time" magazine's list of the 100 greatest toys of all time.

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These dancing fruits made their way into into our living rooms in the '80s. What were they?
The Beatles
The Rolling Grapefruits
The Hanging Apples
The California Raisins
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Originally part of a marketing campaign for... well.. raisins, the California Raisins were so popular they made it into '80s pop culture. Hey, maybe they were the inspiration for that dancing baby.

These shoes made it into the closet of every '80s girl. What were they?
Flats
Saddle shoes
Jellies
High heels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You could get a pair in every color and even some with glitter. Believe it or not, Jellies are still on the market and may be making a comeback.

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