By Rupali Jeganathan
What do walkmans, puffed-up hairstyles, and iconic movies like The Breakfast Club have in common? If you answered with ‘iconic trends from the ‘80s you’re bang on!
Maybe you look back at your old high school photos and cringe at that era’s neon fashion trends. Or maybe you’re in high school now and think the 80s were outdated. No matter what, though, you have to admit that the 1980s were pretty influential and had a lot of cool things that today’s kids won’t experience.
Whether you want to reminisce about your formative years or compare modern high school to yesteryear, let’s go on a trip down memory lane by taking a look at what high school was like in the 1980s, with real 80s yearbook photos to match!
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| Key Takeaways – Fashion in the ’80s: Bold and expressive looks took stride, with neon colors, legwarmers, acid-wash jeans, big hair, leather jackets, and layered accessories defining teen style. – 80s teens were shaped by iconic pop culture: High schoolers watched shows like Saved by the Bell and The Wonder Years, and flocked to movies like The Breakfast Club, E.T., and Back to the Future. – Music was at the heart of teen identity: Teenagers blasted artists like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, and Guns N’ Roses, often via Walkmans and shared earbuds. – Low-pressure lifestyle: Teens took things slower and emphasized friendships and personal growth. They were not nearly as academically pressured as teens are today. |
What Did 80s High Schoolers Do for Fun?
Picture this. It’s summer. You and your friends are sitting in your room, drinking Slurpees and gossipping. The wall is covered with posters of your favorite actors and musicians, making you daydream of meeting them every time you look at them. There’s a boombox in the corner belting out your favorite songs. Sounds serene, right?
This was what life was like in the 80s. There were no cell phones, so teenagers hung out with their friends after school and during the holidays, watching soap operas such as Days In Our Lives, riding their bikes, cooling off at the pool, or playing at the arcade. Diners (with vinyl booths and checkered tiles), movies, and ice cream parlors were hangout hotspots.
Other popular activities that teenagers in the 80s enjoyed included roller skating, school dances, climbing trees, and just spending quality time with their friends. And if you wanted to gift something to a friend or a crush? You made them a mixtape by carefully picking out songs, all while imagining how they’d react when they listened to it — an enjoyable activity by itself.
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What Fashion Trends Were Popular With High Schoolers in the 1980s?
High schoolers in the 80s were all about acid wash jeans, neon fits, and frizzy, voluminous hair that needed its own zip code. Everything was bold, vibrant, and maximalist. Vivid prints, puffy sleeves, chunky jewelry, fanny packs, and flared pants were very in vogue.
Walk into any high school, and you could see a myriad of fashion statements being made — ones that would put even a rainbow to shame.
- Punk Rockers: Punk rock aficionados gave off an effortlessly cool look with oversized leather jackets, mohawks and mullets, ripped jeans, and chunky boots, accessorized with pink hair, chains, and safety pins to complete the look.
- The Boujee Crowd: Then you had your preppy chic fashion à la The Breakfast Club with polo shirts, open collars, khakis, and loafers.
- Athletic Wear: It was also the time when athleisure started becoming a thing. Legwarmers and spandex leggings, off-shoulder sweatshirts, and headbands worn on your forehead (yes, really) were stylish fashion choices. Denim on denim — often with personalized touches such as doodles and pins — was a rite of passage.
What Hairstyles Were Popular with Teens in the 80s?
As for hairstyles, girls often rocked big hair with scrunchies adorned on top of the head or in a unique side-ponytail. Spiky layers, mall bangs, shaggy mullets, perms and curls, and crimped hair with its signature zig-zag texture were all popular.
High school boys weren’t ones to fall behind on the big, bold hairstyles trend. Mullets, slicked back hair, quiffs, curls, bowl cuts, and flattops were all cool back then. And let’s not forget the fringe haircut! Subtlety? The ‘80s had never heard of her. But she did know hairspray. Intimately.
80’s Pop Culture Explosion
What TV shows were 1980s teenagers watching? What movies did they sneak out to with their dates? And which teenage anthems did they blast in their room?
What Were Popular TV Shows with Teens?
Teen dramas and family sitcoms took center stage during this time as cable TV became mainstream. You could see high schoolers glued to the TV, watching daytime shows like
- The Wonder Years
- Square Pegs
- The Facts of Life
- Saved by the Bell
- Head of the Class
- Doogie Howser M.D.
- Hey Dude
- Fame
A few other favorites that rippled over into the next decades were Pee-wee’s Playhouse, The Golden Girls with the sassy grandmas, Small Wonder, with the robot designed to look like a girl, and The Cosby Show.
You often had to wait an entire week for the next episode, though. But, hey, you had plenty of time to discuss the episodes with your friends. Plus, the anticipation and having something to look forward to? A truly special feeling.
What Were High Schoolers Favorite 80’s Movies?
Ever watched E.T. with its heartwarming storyline and the “E.T. phone home” quote that’s enough to bring tears to your eyes? What about the famous Back to the Future that’s referenced even today? Not to mention The Terminator that slingshot Arnold Schwarzenegger to stardom.
All of these were 80s classics. Some other gems included Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, Footloose, and the original Karate Kid. Imagine getting to experience these for the first time in a theatre!
What Songs Defined the 1980s Youth?
The 80s were truly the golden age for music, which is why they still feature on so many people’s playlists. It was the era of MTV, hip-hop, and rock, sung by singers who had charisma and a flamboyant stage presence.
With Michael Jackson and his famous moonwalk, Madonna, Prince, David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, and U2 taking center stage, it was truly a revolutionary era for music. They had The Metallica, Beastie Boys, and Depeche Mode all releasing new albums, while icons like Queen, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, and Bruce Springsteen all went on tour.
The thrill of saving money to buy that newly released album, or waiting with bated breath till Tuesday to catch the next episode of your favorite show — they bring back so many nostalgic memories.
What Was Technology Like in the 80’s?
The 1980s saw the emergence of personal computers, walkmans, CD discs, and VHS tapes.
High schoolers began walking around with walkmans loaded with a curated playlist of their favorite songs. Wired earphones found their way into cool fashion trends. Sharing one earbud with your friend or your crush as you both listened to the same song? It was practically the same as saying ‘I love you.’
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What Tech Was Used in 1980s High School Classrooms?
A few high schools began teaching students basic computer skills, although the number of desktops were often limited to just one per school. It was also at the tail end of the 80s that Nintendo released its first Game Boy, which paved the way for portable, personal entertainment.
What Paths Were High Schoolers Interested In During the 1980s?
High school classes and subsequent career paths were quite different back then, including:
- “Shop” class where you learned woodworking and other basic skills that could be applied in the trades upon graduation. Good things like these have unfortunately been scrapped for good now at many high schools.
- “Home economics” where girls were taught how to sew and roll dough to be good homemakers.
- Typing courses also became more normalized in the 80s (while many people that went to high school at the time said they thought it was a waste of time — could you imagine!)
High schools also taught roman numerals, cursive handwriting, and life skills.
What Were Post-Graduation Career Paths?
After graduation, many kids went to work at factories or mills, manufacturing a variety of items. Desk jobs at offices where you worked as a bookkeeper, data entry operator, or a secretary were also pretty common. Clerks, bank tellers, and teachers were some other career paths for 80s high school students.
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What Was High School Like in the 1980s vs. Today?
School Was Simpler in the ‘80s
The 1980s were a far simpler time. Everyone took notes on paper, and there were pens that changed color when you clicked on them! Your friends and teachers could also tell who was who based on handwriting, which was actually pretty cool. If you wanted to talk to a schoolmateclassmate during class, you simply passed notes.
Less Emphasis on Grades
There was also a lot more freedom and a lot less pressure to succeed academically. You could also stroll right out of school whenever you wanted. And if you needed to look something up? You had to go to the library and sift through books till you found the info you needed. In short, life was slower than it is today.
Technology & Academic Pressure Dominate Modern High Schools
High school today is marked by the extensive use of technology — kids wearing smart watches, typing away on their smartphones in the hallways, and taking notes on their laptop. And if they’re stuck on an assignment? There’s always AI to break them out of their funk.
There’s also so much academic competition and a lot of focus on extracurriculars. Students are expected to be very well-rounded when they graduate high school.
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Relive your 80s with Classmates®
Whew! All this time travel has got us feeling nostalgic. And we bet you’re feeling it, too. Maybe you’re thinking of reaching out to a high school friend and reminiscing about the good ole’ days. Or maybe you’re wishing you had your high school yearbooks handy.
Worry not, for Classmates has an extensive collection of 1980s yearbooks from all over the country! Register for free, scour through the archives to search forfind yours, and relive all of your best high school memories.
Get going on searching for your original high school yearbooks for free today on Classmates! And consider inviting all of the high school alumni for your 40th high school reunion by registering now.
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