Why I Miss the 1980s

Susan Poole
7 min readApr 9, 2024

With some exceptions for sure.

Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

I’m driving down the road when Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf comes on the radio. I turn the volume up full blast and suddenly feel like a much younger version of myself.

My ponytail morphs into a tangled mess of teased curls and reach-for-the-sky bangs as the smell of Aqua Net nearly chokes me to death. The wrinkles around my eyes disappear under layers of bright blue eyeshadow highlighted with matching liner and mascara. My yoga tights trade places with parachute pants and neon leg warmers.

Ahhh, the 1980s welcome me back!

Some of the best days of my life — high school and college — took place in the 80s. Despite the awkwardness of those formative years, coming of age during that time was special and unique. Universally, it was a time of bold fashion choices and unforgettable pop culture. For me, it was also a time of simplicity, hard work, and expanding my view of the world.

As I prepare to attend my 40th high school reunion this summer, it’s fun to reflect on what I loved about that time. Big and small, there’s so much I miss about the 1980s — and plenty of things I’d rather forget.

So, whether bitchin’ comes to mind when describing that era, or you’d more likely say, gag me with a spoon, please join me in a walk down memory lane.

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Susan Poole

Mother, lawyer, nonprofit executive, breast cancer survivor, and women's fiction author. https://susanpooleauthor.com