This one's fairly simple: Any short-lived pop culture phenomenon that could be considered a fad. That includes toys, games, novelty products, clothing fashions, dance crazes, and silly stunts. I'll allow media images, but no fantasy or sci-fi. Usual rules apply: maximum 200 x 200 pixels and 1 MB. You may enter up to three avatars. My entries: Pet Rock, 1975 Roller disco, late 1970s Macarena, 1996 So let's get those entries in, folks. Who knows, some of them might make a comeback!
Dug into my memories of my own youth for these: #1 Tamagotchi #2 Smurf figures from Schleich (they lasted a long while, actually) #3 The Wackeldackel (a bobble-head dachshund, most often put in cars back in the late 90s in Germany)
I hear crickets. Let's have some entries, people! The Hula Hoop? The Twist? Mood rings? Leg warmers? Streaking? (SFW, naturally.) Volkswagen stuffing? (Yep, that was actually a "thing.")
3 days in and I have to bump the thread to the top again! I thought the response to this contest might be a bit more, well, enthusiastic. The fads don't have to be recent, you know. I'll accept flagpole sitting. Although "ether frolics" might be going back a bit too far.
fidget spinners Pez Buttons / and smiley faces (two in one) although these old smiley faces have become emojis so yeah they have evolved I guess.
I'd like to get a few more entries before I post the voting thread. Some suggestions: Women's shoulder pads, big hair, parachute pants, mullet haircuts, Cabbage Patch Kids, Valley-speak -- and that was just the '80s!
How have I never heard of Pet Rock? I want one! I don't think roller disco is a fad though because it was popular since the Northern Soul days to the 90s and I remember going to Rollers in Milton Keynes in 1989. It will make a comeback someday.