Everyone Was Doing It
Fads don't ask permission. One minute you've never heard of something. The next minute, everyone at work is doing it, every kid wants one, and stores can't keep them in stock. Then, almost overnight, they disappear—and everyone quietly pretends they never bought one, or did it, in the first place…But, oh you most definitely did. Right?
Pet Rocks
Imagine trying to explain this one to your grandkids. In 1975, millions of people happily paid real money for...a rock. Not a rare rock. Not a valuable rock. Just an ordinary smooth stone packaged in a cardboard box with air holes and a humorous instruction manual. Somehow, it became one of the biggest fad gifts of the decade.
Owner of Pet Rock Net, Wikimedia Commons, Enhanced
Mood Rings
Who needed actual emotional awareness when your jewelry could supposedly do it for you? Mood rings exploded during the mid-70s, with their color-changing stones claiming to reveal everything from happiness to stress. In reality, they mostly reacted to body temperature—but that didn't stop people from checking them every few minutes.
CB Radio Mania
By the mid-70s, CB radios were everywhere. Then Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and C.W. McCall's hit song Convoy helped push the craze into overdrive. Suddenly everyone wanted a handle, everyone knew what '10-4' meant, and complete strangers were chatting on the highway.
Frank Schwichtenberg, Wikimedia Commons
Leisure Suits
Few fashion trends scream '1970s' louder than the leisure suit. Polyester, oversized collars, bold colors, and enough shine to reflect sunlight from space. At the time, plenty of men thought they looked incredibly stylish. Looking back at the family photos? Maybe not quite as much.
Downtowngal, Wikimedia Commons
Platform Shoes
The higher the platform, the cooler you were—or so it seemed. Men and women both embraced towering platform shoes throughout the disco era, often sacrificing comfort and common sense for a few extra inches of height. They looked fantastic under nightclub lights...and considerably less impressive everywhere else.
jeanne, Wikimedia Commons, Enhanced
Waterbeds
There was a time when owning a waterbed felt like a sign you'd finally made it. Sales exploded during the 70s and peaked in the 80s, with millions of Americans convinced nothing was more comfortable. Nobody seemed too concerned about leaks, impossible sheet changes, or the fact that moving one became an all-day project.
NikaMaremico, Wikimedia Commons
Avocado Green Everything
Apparently there was a period when millions of Americans looked at avocado green appliances and thought, 'Yep...that's exactly what my kitchen needs.' Refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers—even bathroom fixtures came in avocado green. Today the color practically serves as shorthand for 'this house hasn't been updated since the Carter administration.'
Beaded Door Curtains
Why install an actual door when you could walk through hundreds of dangling wooden beads instead? Beaded curtains somehow became the finishing touch for countless bedrooms, apartments, and rec rooms. They looked wonderfully groovy until someone tried carrying a laundry basket through them—or the family cat discovered them.
Macramé Everywhere
There was a time when no respectable living room was complete without something made of macramé. Plant hangers, wall decorations, owl designs—you couldn't escape it. Somehow, tying hundreds of knots into a piece of rope became one of the hottest decorating trends of the 70s.
Farrah Fawcett Posters
If you grew up in the late 70s, chances are you knew someone who had that Farrah Fawcett poster hanging on their bedroom wall. It sold more than 12 million copies and became one of the defining images of the decade. Although...let's be honest. Boomers probably aren't embarrassed about this one. If anything, they're wondering where they put it.
The Clapper
'Clap on! Clap off!' It sounded like the future had arrived during the mid-80s. The Clapper promised to turn your lamps on and off with nothing more than applause. It worked...most of the time. The occasional accidental clap during a movie, however, could leave your living room looking like a disco.
Charles (talk) (Uploads), Wikimedia Commons
Tupperware Parties
Shopping used to look very different. Instead of browsing online, millions of Americans gathered in someone's living room to buy plastic food containers while enjoying coffee, snacks, and plenty of conversation. It was part shopping trip, part social event, and somehow everyone went home with another container they probably didn't need.
Tupperware Corporation, Wikimedia Commons, Enhanced
Velvet Paintings
For reasons that remain difficult to explain, velvet paintings were once considered perfectly respectable home décor. Landscapes, tigers, clowns, and yes—even Elvis found their way onto black velvet. Looking back now, they're the kind of decorating choice that makes you wonder what everyone was thinking.
Mike Mozart, Wikimedia Commons
Decorative Owls
For a while, America collectively decided that owls belonged everywhere. Ceramic owls. Wooden owls. Owl clocks. Owl cookie jars. If there was an empty shelf in the house, someone probably thought an owl would improve it. Today, they're one of the easiest ways to date an old family photo.
AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons
Fake Wood Paneling On Everything
There was a time when fake wood paneling somehow made everything look more luxurious. Basement walls. Family rooms. Station wagons. Even televisions. Some refrigerators even wore fake wood trim. Looking back, it's hard to believe so many people thought covering perfectly good surfaces in fake wood was the height of style.
Shixart1985, Wikimedia Commons
Disco Fever
Let's be honest. Plenty of people who now insist they 'never liked disco' absolutely packed dance floors every Saturday night. White suits, mirror balls, flashing lights...for a few glorious years, disco wasn't just popular—it was unavoidable. Funny how so many people suddenly forgot they owned a pair of platform shoes.
Black Light Posters
Nothing made a bedroom feel cooler than a black light and a fluorescent poster glowing on the wall. Whether it featured psychedelic artwork, a favorite rock band, or a fantasy scene, plenty of Boomers thought they had created the coolest room in the neighborhood.
Hendrike 16:20, 9 August 2007 (UTC), Wikimedia Commons
Collectible Commemorative Plates
Those late-night TV commercials made commemorative plates sound like tomorrow's collectibles. Plenty of people filled entire cabinets with them, hoping they'd become more valuable over time. Instead, many ended up becoming family heirlooms that nobody in the family actually wanted.
Nicolet1327, Wikimedia Commons
The California Raisins
Who would've guessed that singing clay raisins would become genuine celebrities? Their commercials were everywhere during the late 80s, spawning toys, TV specials, records, and enough merchandise to fill entire store shelves. They seemed unbelievably cool at the time. Today...they're just singing raisins.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Bean Bag Chairs
At first, bean bag chairs seemed like the greatest invention ever. You could flop into one from almost any angle and instantly relax. Getting back out, however, often required a strategy, a nearby table to grab onto, and a little more dignity than most people had left.
Every Generation Has These Moments
Looking back, that's really the whole point of a fad. It feels perfectly normal while everyone else is doing it. Then one day you stumble across an old photo and wonder, 'What on earth was I thinking?' Don't worry. Someday today's kids will be asking themselves the exact same question.
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