Small luxury purchases people splurged on in the ’80s
- - Small luxury purchases people splurged on in the ’80s
Ricardo RamirezDecember 4, 2025 at 2:56 AM
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Small luxury purchases people splurged on in the ‘80s
Set the scene for the 1980s: the fashions, pop culture, economy, and the rise of consumer culture. Home shopping sales grew from $1 million in 1982 to $1.4 billion by 1989, reflecting consumers’ growing appetite for small indulgences. Even small splurges could feel indulgent and glamorous. You won’t believe what people considered a treat back then.
Consumerism marked a significant cultural shift characterized by ostentation, luxury, and emphasis on material wealth. Recession recovery brought disposable income, pop culture influence from TV and movies shaped desires, and a growing “treat yourself” mentality emerged. Accessibility through malls, catalogs, and specialty shops made luxury feel attainable.
The Geffen Company
Fashion and beauty
Designer sunglasses became popular fashion choices during the 1980s, with Ray-Bans saved by Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Branded perfumes and colognes, high-end pens, trendy shoes, and haircare products, seen as splurges, signaled status without breaking the bank.
Image Credit: istockphoto/jirkaejc.
Electronics and gadgets
Thirty million Americans played Pac-Man in 1982, spending $8 million weekly. Portable cassette players, Walkman headphones, video game cartridges, mini calculators with flair, and small kitchen appliances like fancy coffee makers represented technological luxury that felt both practical and indulgent.
Image Credit: Sana Grebinets/Istockphoto.
Food and drink
Fancy chocolates, imported candies, gourmet coffee or tea, premium-label alcoholic beverages, specialty baking items for entertaining, and small, trendy dining experiences brightened daily life through accessible indulgence.
Image Credit: igoriss / iStock.
Leisure and entertainment
Movie tickets, plus concession splurges, pop culture memorabilia, magazine subscriptions, music records as collectibles, and small toys for adults created aspirational fun through cultural messages from ads and TV.
20th Century Fox
Home and décor
Decorative trinkets, fancy candles or incense, luxurious linens or small throw pillows, art prints or posters, and seasonal décor splurges turned houses into personal sanctuaries through affordable touches.
Image Credit: MarkPiovesan / istockphoto.
Food for thought
Similar small luxury trends exist today through coffee culture, tech accessories, and subscription boxes. The meaning of splurging has changed, but the human desire for accessible indulgence remains constant. Which of these would you have splurged on back in 1982, or maybe still would? Check your attic; you might still have a small luxury treasure hiding there.
Related:
Forgotten luxury cars that remind us nothing lasts forever
These ’80s status symbols are pretty worthless now
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