> Remember When ...

Some of our fondest childhood memories consist of playing outdoors in the summertime, giving our parents some solitude while we terrorized the neighborhood. Children growing up in the ’80s had no shortage of fun, wacky and potentially dangerous outdoor toys to cause a ruckus with, and some favorites are highlighted here.

We all have photos of ourselves back in grade school or high school that we have needed to hide or burn because our fashion sense was brutally embarrassing. In fact, members of our generation often wore several items that are now considered fashion faux pas in one outfit. Now is the time to rehash some of these fashion fads we pretend we did not follow.

Tight-rolled pants

You can’t deny it. You have class pictures from elementary school and high school yearbooks to prove it. Odds are, you have committed at least one of the following scary hairstyle crimes, err, trends. If you’re still stuck in one of these styles, it’s time for a makeover.

Freakishly high bangs

They don’t make boxes of cereal like they used to. We used to get toys buried inside and the words “less sugar” never graced the package. A decade or two ago, the appeal of cereal came not from the taste or the nutritional value, but from the goods and nutritional garbage inside.

Ice Cream Cones cereal

Words and phrases we used to sound cool saying but should now remove permanently from our vocabularies.

Airhead

Maybe these toys didn’t creep us out back when our innocent minds embraced any toy we were able to get our hands on, but looking back now, it’s easy to see the freak factor in a lot of 1980s children’s toys. Here is a brief list of just some of the toys we loved that now perplex and horrify us.

Stretch Armstrong

They’re soft; they’re cute, or at least they try to be. They kept you warm at night and content during the day, and some had the ability to double as weapons to use against bratty siblings. Here are some of the stuffed animals that may still be hidden within our childhood closets. If they’re still on your bed, for the sake of your roommate and love life, it might be time for an extreme dorm makeover.

Hugga Bunch

Halloween is coming soon, and while we may be too old to go trick-or-treating, no one said you can’t buy candy to pass out to the youngsters, and then eat the majority of it yourself. Here are some candies you probably received as Halloween treats years ago, but may have trouble tracking down today. Don’t forget to brush your teeth after your candy binge!

Cry Baby bubble gum

Have you ever wondered what happened to Punky Brewster or the Karate Kid? If so, you’re in luck. Several child stars from our childhood years faded quickly from the lime light as we — and they — grew up, but they were still on the radar, just harder to find. Here is a roundup of some of the most famous young entertainers from decades ago who may disappeared from the leading credits but hope they’re not forgotten.

Most of us still have vivid recollections of Dick Cheney shooting his hunting companion and George W. Bush’s numerous mispronunciations, which can make us wonder just how credible our nation’s leaders are today. Don’t worry, times aren’t changing too significantly — few politicians complete their terms without making a mockery of themselves at least once. Here are some “whoops” moments in the lives of politicians they’re hoping we’ve forgotten about.

Attack of the single mom

Most of us looked awkward enough decked out in stretch pants, neon, acid-washed denim and/or tight black Guess jeans back in our childhood years, but usually we added to the fashion chaos by adding odd accessories. Here are a few of the short-lived worst.

Snap/Slap bracelets

An advertising slogan can make or break a brand’s selling goals. Most of us remember classics such as Wendy’s “Where’s the beef?” and “Just do it” by Nike, but less successful slogans can be quite memorable as well. Here are some ad slogans that, looking back, may not have been the best choice.

Slogan: “Bring out your best”