The teen fashion frenzy of the ‘80s was a landmark in consumer culture. Female teens spend $8 billion on fashion. That grew to a $22 billion market with a parental boost. The message was clear: Brands were king. The label obsession was a nationwide wave, with advertisers keenly redirecting their focus towards the youth. “Be cool, wear this,” the ads seemed to say. Dr. Ellen Frank’s insights reveal that this wasn’t merely about clothing—it was about belonging, a critical step in the teenage journey towards independence. WATCH the video to relive the ’80s fashion frenzy and rediscover why it was called the Decade of Decadence.If you liked this story, here are a few more blasts from the past.Cabbage Patch Kids were ridiculously popular in the ‘80sCabbage Patch Kids, inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2023, were so popular 40 years ago that they were being sold for ridiculous amounts of money.RETRO TECH: Portable CD players took the world by storm in 1986CDs revolutionized how we listened to music. The new tech was added to boom boxes, home systems and cars. Check it out!RETRO FIND: Do you remember these rad gadgets and games from 1989?A wave of new gadgets, gizmos and games became available in the ‘80s as technology raced to keep up in the “Decade of Decadence.” A reporter explored the new tech in 1989.

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