STRANGER THINGS FROM THE 1985 JCPENNEY CATALOG
A few years ago I came across this 1985 JCPenney catalog in a pop-up thrift shop. It was Christmas and I thought the catalog would make for some entertaining conversation with family as we flipped through some of the fashions and trends from the era of shoulder pads, rolled-up sport coat sleeves, and hair with so much hairspray people needed to slap “flammable” stickers on their foreheads. It did not disappoint.
Now, with the return of Stranger Things on Netflix, it seems like another great opportunity to revisit this 80’s time capsule. If you’re not already aware, season 3 of Stranger Things is set in 1985, and an incredibly realistic 80’s mall plays a significant role in the plot. A number of interior mall shots from the show highlight some now-defunct mall tenants (Sam Goody, Waldenbooks) and a few that are still kicking. Curiously, JCPenney isn’t making a major effort to cash in on the nostalgia-fueled cash grab the way other brands are.
I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid no back-to-school shopping trip was complete without my Mom forcing me to try on a million pairs of pants at “Penneys” and then wondering aloud whether or not the “husky” size would fit better. Luckily I slimmed out and life went on and eventually I grew up and got into this upside down world of product development. Regardless of the Stranger Things tie-in it’s really interesting to look back on some of the popular housewares products from back in the day.
Consumer products have come a long way since 1985. Spend 5 minutes flipping through this catalog and you’ll wonder just how much polyvinyl chloride was produced in the 80’s. Fortunately emphasizing design, function, and materials have allowed retailers like Target to carve out owned brands that give consumers better options for items that previously were treated as commodities.
Scroll down for some highlights from the catalog.
titles and prices are accurate. Descriptions may be slightly modified…
