Back in the day, having the latest trendy items was a huge deal. People would go crazy over new gadgets, fashions, and products that were seen as super cool status symbols. You were automatically popular and envied if you had the “it” thing everyone wanted.
But looking back now, a lot of those former “must-have” status symbols just seem embarrassing or outdated. Things we once proudly showed off now make us cringe a little.
In this blog, we’ll look at 18 former status symbols that most people are embarrassed about these days.
Huge TV Armoires
Remember those absolutely massive wooden TV cabinets that took up entire walls? Having one of those behemoth armoires in your living room used to be a major status symbol that made you look super fancy.
But nowadays, they’re just embarrassingly outdated eyesores. Who needs that much dark, heavy wood surrounding a thin modern TV? Talk about wasting space and making your house look old-fashioned.
Walkmans/Portable CD Players
In the era before iPods and streaming, being able to play your music anywhere by carrying a portable CD player or cassette Walkman was the ultimate cool kid move.
You felt so modern and hip with those big headphones on, blasting your favorite tunes. But looking at those chunky hand-held relics now is cringingly low-tech.
Beepers/Pagers
Oh man, remember when every teenager dreamed of having an actual beeper or pager clipped onto their belt loop or waistband? In the 90s, that was definitely a huge status symbol that made you look and feel super important – like you were always ready to be summoned for something urgent.
But now that we all carry smartphones everywhere, the idea of still using those incredibly basic, limited pager devices is pretty laughable.
Fax Machines
In the era before email and scanners, having an actual fax machine in your home or office was a big deal that made you look professional and cutting-edge. Faxing was legitimately the fastest, most high-tech way to instantly transmit all kinds of documents remotely.
But now that we can effortlessly send digital files and info from our phones and computers, the idea of still using a fax machine seems hilariously outdated and inefficient.
VCRs
Ahh, the classic VCR and proud collection of VHS tapes – those were the days! Having stacks on stacks of video tapes and a VCR to play them on used to be so trendy and normal. You weren’t a true movie fan without them.
But now we just hit a button and movies play effortlessly, with no need for rewinding or wrestling with physical tapes and games of VCR Repair Tetris.
Big Projection TVs
Y’all remember when one of those massive rear-projection TVs was the ultimate entertainment centerpiece? Having one of those gigantic boxy sets meant your TV watching game was on point and super impressive. Until flat screen TVs hit the scene, that is. Then suddenly, those crazy bulky projector TVs started looking hilariously outdated and desperate for an upgrade.
Camcorders
Ah yes, the old camcorder days when filming everything meant lugging around those big handheld video cameras everywhere you went. Having a camcorder and being the designated video-taker felt so important and cutting-edge in the 90s and 2000s.
But now that our phones can capture incredible video any time, those brick-shaped camcorders just look silly and dated as hell.
Landlines with Cords
Having a home landline phone used to signify that you were a real, established household for a long time. But looking around and seeing those tangled phone cords in weird colors snaking across every room is such an eyesore nowadays. While landlines without cords are still common, those unsightly cord monstrosities look delightfully obsolete and messy.
Rollerblades
Ooh, remember how badly every kid wanted a fresh pair of rollerblades back in their peak 90s heyday? Those things were the epitome of looking skillful, athletic, and effortlessly cool while gliding around the neighborhood.
But that wave of rollerblade popularity lasted approximately one year before people realized they were a horrible idea that led to countless skinned knees and broken arms.
Boomboxes
In the era before portable speakers, carrying around a massive boombox blasting your favorite jams was legitimately the ultimate flex. These ludicrous shoulder stereos meant you got to musically impose your vibe on everyone within a two-block radius, whether they liked it or not. But looking back now, that level of sonic inconsideration seems downright obnoxious.
Furby
Back when they first launched in 1998, having one of those bizarre Furby robot pets talking in random gibberish made you look so modern and on top of the latest toy trends. Their big adorbz eyes and eerily lifelike movements were all the craze at the time.
Floppy Disks
If you were lucky enough to have access to computers back in the 90s, there was nothing that made you look more studious and tech-savvy than diligently carrying around a stack of floppy disks for all your files. Having a binder clip or rubber band full of those floppy guys meant you were Someone Who Computed, ready for any homework or coding assignment.
Tamagotchis
As kids, we all not-so-secretly thought being entrusted with your own needy little Tamagotchi digital pet made you seem so responsible and nurturing for your age. Having that little egg-shaped doodad to constantly check on and keep alive meant you were essentially practicing for future pet or baby ownership.
DVD Players
Ah, the glory days of making the leap from VHS tapes to shiny, scratch-prone DVDs! There was a time when having a DVD player and an impressive tower of DVD cases made you look like you really had your home entertainment system figured out. Seemingly endless disc libraries were a point of pride to show off your movie/TV tastes.
Desktop PCs
For a long time, having a big ol’ desktop computer setup in your home meant you were seriously plugged into the tech world. Those bulky desktop towers and chunky monitors signaled that you were using cutting-edge personal computing power.
PDAs
In the late 90s and early 2000s, having one of those little personal digital assistant devices essentially signaled that you were an ultra-organized road warrior.
PDAs like the Palm Pilot made you look seriously on top of your scheduling game before smartphones existed. But now, those tiny stylus-enabled PDA screens and cramped keyboards just look laughably impractical compared to our modern handheld computers.
Puka Shell Necklaces
Ah yes, the classic puka shell choker necklace that every beach bum and So-Cal beauty had to have in the 90s and early 2000s. Rocking one of those chunky shell-adorned necklaces meant you had that laid-back, sun-kissed, island vacay vibe on lock.
Tiny Sunglasses
In the early 2000s, the tinier your sunglasses were, the more fashionable and glamorous celebrity-esque you supposedly looked. Bigger shades were considered hopelessly out of style, so everyone’s sunglasses kept shrinking down to minuscule, unflattering lil’ ovals that barely shaded anything.
Conclusion
Isn’t it wild to look back at all those former status symbols that we once obsessed over, only to realize how absolutely cringeworthy they are now?
The stuff we once treated as the ultimate must-haves and flaunted as major status symbols have quickly become artifacts that just make us shake our heads. But here’s the real kicker – the very things we’re currently treating as major flex-worthy status symbols could easily end up on a humiliating list like this in 10-20 years too!
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