Old School No Frills Brand

Pathmark supermarket No Frills brand.

Growing up on Long Island in the 1980s, Pathmark was our grocery store. For some reason, I remember being oddly attracted to the No Frills brand. No Frills was their line of less expensive, no-nonsense generic foods, beverages, paper goods, toiletries, etc. 

No Frills brand from Pathmark

I was mystified by the design because no matter what the item, it was always packaged in white with black lines or lettering. Seriously, no matter if it was chips or fake Country Time lemonade ... you could find it in white paper, tin or cans with simplistic lettering and nonexistent design. 

We've come a long way since those days ... Today we refer to these items as, "store brands" and they don't look as dull.

Four Out of Five Dentists Recommend Trident

As a kid growing up in the 1980s, this popular Trident Sugarless Gum slogan was often joked about ... "Four out of five dentists recommend Trident to their patients who chew gum." It's one of those phrases you never forget. Sort of like, "Oh what a feeling, Toyota!"

Ironically, in my adult life I worked for an advertising agency and Trident (Cadbury) was our client. Funny, right?

Too young to remember this terrifically memorable campaign? Please watch this commercial with Peggy Fleming from 1981.

Skidz Pants | 80s Baggy Pants

Skidz were popular baggy pants back in the '80s.

Skidz (pronounced Skids) were baggy, pajama like comfy cotton pants that were almost like the pants version of Jams (shorts). Often cuffed or folded at the bottom, Skidz were extremely popular with white Keds or slip-on style sneakers. They came in a variety of prints and pasterns and featured a yellow and black logo showing a vehicle skidding. These soft, baggy pants were available at most malls all over America.

Skidz pants were loved by most high school kids throughout the late 1980s and faded out by about 1990.  

Skidz pants went well with big hair and
were loved by '80s guidos or mall girls.