Have you ever felt that you lived in the wrong decade? I have always envisioned myself living in a time where the closest thing to technology was a Walkman and everyone's head wasn't buried in their phones. All my thoughts, along with my morals, and the ways I do things don't equate to what people do in this period in time. I'm beginning to realize more and more how I don't fit into this generation. I have always felt closer to one time period in particular: the 80's!
I have always imagined myself being a teenager when movies like "Stand By Me," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," or "The Breakfast Club" came out. Waiting patiently for the film to start in the movie theater, then yearning afterwards for spontaneous trips or having a rebellious attitude that made you feel indestructible. The 80's were filled with cinematic masterpieces. Imagine realizing how these movies would be so significant for future generations. Pop culture was at its prime. I imagine being incredibly eager to go to the store just to get magazines like Tiger Beat, just so I could get posters of River Phoenix or Corey Haim to hang up on my wall.
And what about the music? Music of all different genres were accepted universally. Popular artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Queen started emerging quickly into the music world. Imagine being a part of an era in which one hit wonders like "Come On Eileen" were released and knowing MTV as solely a channel that played music videos and not futile reality shows? Being apart of the generation that hosted the greatest and most memorable concerts to date, like Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man" Tour, is unthinkable.
The fashion was unlike anything you could ever see today. The saying "less is more" did not exist in the 80's; more was more. From the generation that made Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers still popular to this day, the typical day would include a huge colorful hair scrunchy and wearing dancewear for whatever occasion. The best part: it was totally acceptable. The fashion was undoubtably distinct and can not be mimicked.
Lastly, you can't forget about the lingo. Being able to say "Bite me!" or "Gnarly" and not getting strange looks for it would be awesome. There was something so innovative and creative about the 80's that no generation can replace. The actors, the movies, the fashion, the music, and the culture is something I hold very close to my heart, and although I'll never be someone who was a teenager during this time, living vicariously through it is good enough.
