10 ’80s Photos That Aged Well, and 10 That Didn’t at All
For some of us, the 1980s feel like they were only yesterday, and yet the decade was over more than 35 years ago. Still, the quality of the pictures we have of the time make it almost timeless, a fond moment where many cornerstones of filmmaking and pop-culture were being decided. Remove those rose tinted glasses, though, and you’ll notice that not every little thing was perfect.
Of course, we love the 80s, so anything we say as criticism comes from a place of profound respect. After all, if you can’t see the negative of something you love, do you love it at all? These are ten photos highlighting the 80s, and ten doing just the opposite.
The Good: Pool Days
Pool parlours are a thing even today, letting people practice and socialize around the famed green table. As such, this could easily be mistaken as a modern picture if you just glance at it.
Grandma
The visible age of the picture only adds to the sense of warmth it exudes. Sadly, the pictured grandma passed away in 2022, but the grandchild will always have this picture to remember her by.
Totally Fried
This 1980s picture looks strangely modern, since teens are constantly taking their own pictures nowadays in front of a mirror. Sure, it’s way easier now with smartphones, but the visual result is the same.
Mudd Club
With people going out less and less, it’s easy to forget it once was the norm. Granted, there’s still a night life to be had, but it’s not as prevalent as it was back in the day.
Family Bench
It’s hard to argue against the cuteness of this picture, and no one is really doing so. The juxtaposition between the wise-looking old man and the little girl seems like something out of a fantasy story.
Adventure Time
Kids of the 1980s didn’t watch someone have adventures, they went out and had their own, at least if this picture is to be believed. It honestly looks a little bit too dangerous, now that we think about it.
Life Companion
Pets are the most loyal friends we can have in our lives, but sadly they are part of only a short period of them. Unless you get a turtle; those reptiles will outlive you.
Burger Squire
Working at a fast food restaurant is no easy gig, but it’s ideal for teens looking for some extra cash. At least, it seems it was for this girl working at a Burger King.
Barn Mail Box
When mail was the main means of communication, customizing your mailbox was something fun to do. Not that long after this picture was taken, however, the advent of the internet made mailboxes useful to get tax letters you didn’t even want anyway.
Japan Shopping
Going to the supermarket as a family activity is not only still a thing, it is something people do all over the globe. The main difference now is that the kid would be holding a tablet.
The Bad And The Ugly: Disgruntled Fans
These New Orleans Saints ‘fans’ made an effort to show their discomfort during a game, something highly disrespectful to their team, and something that totally isn’t still a thing nowadays.
No Gas For Soviets
A Canadian gas station refused to give gas to Russian-made cars as a way to protest against the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. One wonders if they did the same to American-made cars a few years later.
No Like Picture
A birthday is meant to be a moment for celebration, particularly for the person whose birthday is being celebrated. Not so much for this kid, since the camera’s attention is a bit too much sensory overload.
Arizona Tour Group
This tour group was mostly made of the retired and the elderly. While they no doubt aged well to reach this moment, we doubt they are still ‘aging’ at all today.
Old Gown
This gown might once be meant to be used at galas and celebrations, but already in the 80s it seemed like something out of a horror movie. Believe it or not, this gown is still around today, albeit too fragile to be actually worn.
AMC Gremlin
Some car designs were outlandish back in the 80s, with some, like the Gremlin, combining both bad looks and poor execution. Granted, the visuals are subjective, but it ends up being a vehicle both too small for practical purposes, and too big to fit in most places.
Gaming Mode
In a way, this picture has aged well, since people still treat gaming this way. But for being the precursor of a bad stereotype of lazy beer gaming, we’ve decided it aged bad, actually.
Drug Use
This good fellow was quite proud of his ‘plant collection’ back in the 80s, but now, with kids that can see and laugh at him due to this picture, perhaps he is a little bit less proud. Or more, who knows!
Eerie McDonald’s
Moments in the McDonald’s play area were no doubt filled with joy, not unlike what must’ve been happening in this picture. How it ended up coming out, however, it looks strangely eerie, like something out of a missing persons’ documentary.
Attempted Costumes
Kids during Halloween love to don costumes, the problem comes when you don’t know what they’re supposed to be. A bee? A sad shepherd? And what seems to be a plain old box. Either mom ran out of imagination, or it was dad’s turn to dress the girls.