Fads/Inventions

What is the weirdest fad or invention (at the time) that you remember?

Nifty Notebooks (had filler paper with holes punched in the top instead of sides). One year all the cool kids at school had them. They were unwieldy because they opened up and hit the head of the kid sitting in front of you. When they went out of style after about a year, you couldn't get the filler paper, a consolation for those of us whose mothers refused to buy us one.

Also: white lipstick, though later on that could be kind of fun if you were at a party with a black light (another fad in and of itself), vinyl mini-skirts, and paper dresses with Op Art prints. Anything orange or turquoise.

The "Pet Rock," which was a genius of marketing.

I always thought platform shoes were a ploy by orthopedic doctors to increase their business, but was repelled by the ones (shoes, not doctors) that were made of acrylic and had goldfish in them.

>4 WholeHouseLibrary: My platform sandals were orange suede.

>4 WholeHouseLibrary:

I'm glad you clarified that, although the thought of an acrylic doctor with goldfish inside is intriguing...

Sea monkeys, aka brine shrimp! They were even advertised as being able to do tricks and be trained. I, of course, did not have any because my mother thought they had something to do with real monkeys.

>7 Tess_W: Oh, yes! My brother got some. Alas, they didn't have those little crests. He also had some Moon Rocks and an ant farm.

>3 vwinsloe:

I once gave my sister a Pet Rock.

She photographed, and wrote reviews of, rock concerts. I saw a Pet Rock that had several smaller rocks on it, dressed as musicians. You got it - it was a “rock band”.

>2 nohrt4me2: Interesting, I never saw that reoriented filler paper. If you will, what time frame and or location were in you in?

>10 LarryPepper: Ca 1963. If you Google "vintage nifty magnetic notebook" you'll see some photos. I forgot how to embed images on here.

>9 lilithcat: Creative!

>7 Tess_W: >8 nohrt4me2: I had sea monkeys. Was sorely disappointed in them.

I graduated from sea monkeys to mood rings.

Late fifties, for a while we had foil-wrapped tablets that you dropped in water to make an instant flavoured fizzy drink. I thought they were fantastic for a few months. No idea what they were called.

>14 librorumamans: Fizzies?

Although they're apparently still around, I remember when mood rings came on the scene. The change in the color of the stone or band was supposed to be indicative of one's mood.

Of course it was all heat related, but they were very popular among my friends at the time. Early 1970s, I think?

I don't remember any of the above, except platform soles, which fortunately I was never tempted to wear. Are they all US things, or did I just lead a sheltered life in the UK?

And, of course, hula hoops. Also late fifties.

>18 librorumamans:

Ah, those I do remember.

>14 librorumamans: >15 nohrt4me2:
I loved Fizzies! We even tried just putting them directly on our tongues. As I remember, that was not good!

>15 nohrt4me2: That's what I remembered too. The grape ones taste was appalling.

>21 jjmiller50: >20 Hope_H: Yes, they tasted like flavored Alka-Seltzer. I guess that's pretty much what they were if Wikipedia is to be believed: They were invented by the person who developed Bromo-Seltzer.

Ah. But what about Pop Rocks?

red wax lips, candy cigarettes. I had platform shoes too in the early 70s. They were black with colorful day-glow flowers on them and they looked fantastic when I went to a disco with strobe lights. And speaking of dancing - how about some of the dance step inventions: the Monkey, the Freddy, the Mashed Potatoes, the Jerk...

>24 LadyLo:
I'd forgotten about wax lips. Were they flavoured? Did we eat them? I can't remember.

Cap guns were pervasive in my childhood. Nowadays, where kids are still allowed such toys, I suppose they're real.

When did kids stop playing alleys before class and during recess? I'm assuming they stopped. We used to carry around sacks of the things (Crown Royal bags with their drawstrings were preferred). God help you if your bag spilled during class!

>25 librorumamans:

My favourite cap gun was a German Luger. My dad's old officer's Sam Browne belt and leather holster were still somewhere around the house and I used to like wearing gun and holster, probably unaware of the irony of wearing an enemy gun in a British army holster. Although we occasionally played Cowboys and Indians, we much preferred to play at being World War II soldiers.

>25 librorumamans: No the red lips were not really eatable. They tasted kind of like candy, but were very waxy. Oh, and Pez - remember them. I think the kids that smoked ate them to disguise the bad breath, but we all ate them - different flavors that you loaded into those tiny plastic containers. Fun! And bubblegum. Remember that song, "Does your chewing gum lose it's flavor on the bedpost overnight?"