3. Our Heads Hurt Just Looking at These
Ouch, our brains truly do hurt just by glancing at this photo; mostly, this reminds us of far too many painful memories. These items looked great but were really uncomfortable; if your hair was curly, the suffering was roughly five times worse. Though we really didn’t mind the discomfort, if we did, it’s not like your parents would let you take it off anyhow, regardless of the terrible headache.
Made by Kid Zone, the bubble ponytail holders in this photo truly epitomize 80s and 90s hair accessories: charming, vibrant, collectible, and also definitely unpleasant. Every child who wanted to be popular went through these tiny spheres of torment as a normal course of events. The idea sounded straightforward enough: put your hair through the opening, wrap it around, and fasten it with the elastic that comes attached. Actually, it was more like hand-to–hand battle using your own scalp. As you styled your hair, the plastic bubbles would catch and draw at every thread to produce a symphony of “ouches”. For fashion, though, the suffering was well worth it. We would proudly display these vibrant orbs, neglecting the tangles that would surely develop and the pulsating in our minds. And heaven forbid you try to eliminate them at the end of the day; that was a whole different degree of hair-raising experience. Still, we couldn’t resist gathering them in every hue and pattern that was on offer despite the discomfort. The tiny cost paid for playground popularity was worth it.
4. We Don’t Know What the Purpose of These Was, but Every Kid Had One
Though they clearly didn’t do anything beneficial and Koosh balls didn’t light up or make noise, none of the kids hated them. Perhaps it was the small rubber stands’ pleasing squishiness or their frenzied jellyfish-like bouncing. Maybe it was simply the delight of belonging to the Koosh club; everyone had one, and you were rather deprived of the fun if you lacked one.
These vintage Koosh toys were like the Kardashians of the toy industry: they were everywhere but nobody really knew why since they didn’t really do anything. Still, their aimlessness was maybe their strongest suit. Koosh balls were rebels without a cause in a world when every toy appeared to have a definite application or educational worth. Existing just for the pleasure they offered, they rejected rationality and reason. Children would spend hours throwing them at walls, seeing them stick momentarily before flopping to the ground. Before fidget toys were ever a thing, they were ideal for spontaneous juggling acts, homemade stress balls, or just as tactile fidget toys. Running your fingers through the rubbery tendrils was strangely comforting, and the vivid colors were an eyes feast. Koosh balls also had a remarkable capacity to go beneath couches or under beds and then resurfaced months later, dusty but still as bouncy as ever. Everybody could appreciate a decent Koosh ball, regardless of their interests or level of ability, therefore they were the perfect equaliser.
zi ang