The 1980s were all about Top of the Pops Thursdays, tea times in front of the television to watch Kylie and Jason in Neighbours and collecting as many stickers as humanly possible. While the ’80s may be associated with disco, pop and rock also reigned supreme during this decade. If you were a child or teenager in the 1980s, there’s every chance you had a lot of these things pride of place on your bedroom walls…
Smash Hits posters
An iconic magazine of the era, any posters of pop stars from here were straight up with Blu Tack – if it was a centrefold, you were winning.
DIY collages
Bespoke posters made up of clippings from your favourite mags were commonplace for creative types. Karen Silas, our Senior Lifestyle Editor, reminisces: “Pictures and words cut out from magazines was like having an analog Pinterest!”
© Alamy Stock PhotoNeighbours memorabilia
The Kylie and Jason romance was big during this time and the lovebirds lined the walls of so many 80’s kids’ bedrooms.
Dolphin items
The ‘It’ animal of the decade, it was cool if it had a dolphin on. Dolphin and glitter? Even better.
A-ha stickers
A-ha stickers were universally fabulous. Ideal for lining your school book, jazzing up your walls, or even as a funky border around a mirror. Deputy US News Editor, Hannah Hargrave, even plastered her bed with them.
© Getty ImagesCereal box stickers
There was nothing quite like the buzz of seeing what you’d get from a new box of cereal. Popular options at the time were Mr. T and Chucky stickers.
Athena posters
The place to go if you were seeking a new poster for your wall was the shop Athena. The chain sadly collapsed in 1995 and all remaining stores closed in 2014.
© Alamy Stock PhotoHorse posters
If for some reason, music mania escaped you, perhaps you were a stable girl who had pony pictures to line the walls? Deputy Features Editor, Sophie Hamilton, confessed she “loved lots of pony posters”.
Fuzzy coloring
Distinct posters with black velvet-like material and space for you to colour in-between the lines. Isabel Mohan, Second Act Editor, had plenty of “works of art” on her walls.
© Alamy Stock PhotoCD towers
By the late ’80s, CDs were dominating and having somewhere epic to store your impressive collection was a must.
Kate Bush posters
Running Up That Hill songstress Kate Bush was a low-key obsession for many, and she had her resurgence in 2022 when hit TV show Stranger Things featured that iconic song.
Iron Maiden album covers
Katherine Robinson, VIP Editor, remembers her brothers having Iron Maiden posters and covers hanging on the walls, which she admits were “terrifying” for her younger self.
© Alamy Stock PhotoManchester United shirts
Sir Alex Ferguson took over Manchester United in 1986 and the club entered its trophy era. Loyal fans had shirts and scarves proudly displayed on the walls.
Corkboards
The perfect place to keep your gig tickets, instant camera photos and general hand-drawn gems.
Puppy calendars
A predictable but enjoyable gift each Christmas, a fresh calendar for the year ahead usually with puppies, kittens or a mix of both.
Glow-in-the-dark stars
Lucky children in the ’80s convinced their parents to get them glow-in-the-dark stars for their ceiling and walls.
© Alamy Stock PhotoWorld maps
The bigger the better, having a world map was always a good option to add interest to a blank wall.
