Time Machine Clicks: Photos That'll Transport You Back in Time

3. Our Heads Hurt Just Looking at These

Advertisement

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.