Many of us girls who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s are still secretly (or not so secretly, in some cases) obsessed with our pop culture interests of yore.
While we may now be sophisticated lady folk in our 20s and 30s, we can’t shake our love for the silly shows, hilarious movies and cultural icons we loved when we were kids and teens.
Now, perhaps this is because these things remind us of a simpler time in our own lives. But for those of us in the Oregon Trail generation, there’s also the thought that these cultural signposts of yesteryear bring us back to a simpler time in history ― the days before everyone’s lives were painstakingly documented on social media and when our futures were still so bright we had to wear shades.
We still love Zach Morris and Cher Horowitz because they exist in a beautiful bubble untouched by student loan debt, wars, global financial crises and the general stress of adulting.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
So, instead of hiding your love the way Jordan Catalano hid Angela away in the boiler room, you should shout it from the roof tops.
Start by picking up a few of these gloriously nostalgic items that are sure to bring a child-like smile to your face each time you see them.
1. Twinkle Tootsies Light Up Unicorn Slippers
This one’s for all you My Little Pony and Rainbow Brite fans...you know who you are. If you still get an inexplicable thrill of delight when you see the visage of a unicorn, you need our Twinkle Tootsies light up unicorn slippers. And before you go worrying that they’re for kids, we should tell you that we only make them in adult sizes, so BOOM!
Each slipper has a color-changing LED light inside so you get a rotating display of color in the unicorn’s sweet cheeks. Plus, they’re super comfy and warm so they’re not just for proving your 80s girl street cred. You should probably go ahead and get a few pairs before we run out - one for yourself and a couple for your favorite gal pals.
Twinkle Tootsies Light Up Unicorn Slippers
2. All the John Hughes Products
If Molly Ringwald was your spirit animal (and maybe still is), you probably already own the John Hughes box set and can never decide if 16 Candles or Pretty in Pink is your all time fave. We feel you.
Luckily so do the genius artists who sell their handmade wares over on Etsy. A casual search turns up items like an I ♥ Jake Ryan candle (in birthday cake on Jake Ryan’s dining room table scent of course), a Ducky tote bag and a Abe Froman Sausage King of Chicago shirt... and that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
If you want to get really crazy, you can buy a print of the Breakfast Club stoned library dancing scene that shows the characters with pug dog faces. Ummmm what? Kind of amazing though, right?
3. Inigo Montoya Mug
Rest assured that you're not the only one who hears, "Hello, my name is" and wants to finish it with, "...Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Dear Princess Bride lover, you are not alone. You can make sure everyone in your office knows what you're about by drinking your coffee out of this fun name tag mug.
4. 80s Alphabet
Capture a bunch of your favorite 80s icons in one fell swoop with a poster that presents 26 classic cartoon characters of the decade in the shape of the alphabet. It would be pretty darn cute in a kid's room but it would also be rad in an adult's living room.
5. Jem & The Holograms Shirt
Please, don't even bring up that live action nonsense that came out last year because we only recognize the legit 80s cartoon. There are some very cool shirts that honor these bad ass girl rockers and also have a sort of David Bowie vibe - get you one.
6. Bluetooth Zach Morris Phone
Ohhhh the Zach Morris phone, how we love to hold you up as a hilarious symbol of just how far technology has come in a couple short decades. While today's kids may scoff at such a ginormous cell phone that had but one function alone, many of us actually remember using these mammoths. I still vividly recall pulling one out of my mom's car glove box and having to plug it into the lighter to turn it on. Wow.
To get that old familiar feeling, you can hook up your futuristic smartphone to a Zach Morris phone Bluetooth handset. Use it at home for fun or on the street or train for laughs.
7. Mix Tape Flash Drive
Before digital playlists, real music fans were masters of the mix tape. We would spend hours crafting the perfect song order that communicated our complex feelings of friendship or true love, and can still probably remember titles of our favorite mixes.
If that's your jam, you need this cassette-shaped case that has a cut out spot for your flash drive. You can even write what's stored on the drive in the place where you would have written your song list.
8. Whatever Necklace
There was actually a time when many of us said, "Whatever" to reject something we didn't like in a non-ironic way... and that time was the mid 90s. Thank you, Clueless.
But let's face it, even in our adult lives there are a great many moments in which we'd like to just roll our eyes and hold up our thumbs and index fingers in a W shape in the face of whichever major loser is totally bugging us out at the moment. In lieu of that, there's this necklace.
9. 90210 Baby Onesie
For the love of the Walsh Twins, the babies in your life need to rep the hardcore 90210 adults in their lives. And thanks to these sassy little onesies, they can. You’ve got the Brenda special for your favorite little girl or the Dylan McKay Bad Boy for your favorite tiny fella. Truth be told, I kind of want the t-shirt version of the Brenda one.
As you can well see, you absolutely need each and every one of these products. Fortunately, gift-giving season is upon us! So go ahead and throw these in your letter to Santa... or just post this on Facebook as a not so subtle hint to the ones you love.