9 things every teenager wanted in their bedroom in the 80s and 90s

• What was your bedroom like as a teenager?
• From tech to fashion, there were some items almost every teen wanted in their room during the 80s and 90s
• Did you have any of these things?

If you were a teenager in the 80s or 90s, you’ll remember what it was like growing up in a world without streaming and social media.

That didn’t mean there wasn’t lots of new tech to obsess over, and the pressure to sport the latest styles could still be intense.

There were some things that almost every teenager wanted in their bedroom, from fashion accessories to games consoles, and even the 80s answer to the fidget spinner.

The biggest pop stars, films and TV shows helped popularise some of the era’s biggest trends, while others spread via word of mouth in school playgrounds.

Below are nine things teenagers wanted in their rooms in the 80s and 90s, including a few design classics.

Sony Discman

The Sony Walkman was released in 1979 and became an icon of the 80s, freeing people up to listen to music on the go.

It was just five years before the Sony Discman came along, as CDs gradually replaced cassettes.

The Walkman and Discman weren’t just for listening to music out and about. They also allowed you to curl up in your bed and shut out the world as you lost yourself in the latest album by Madonna, Prince, U2 or one of the era’s other biggest artists.

The boombox was another 80s and 90s design classic - perfect for listening to with friends or getting a party started. As well as classic grey or black, they often came in the pastel shades that defined the era.

Polaroid camera

Before digital cameras came along, the Polaroid was the only way to see your snaps instantly - perfect for capturing a special moment with a friend or boyfriend/girlfriend.

You just had to be patient enough to let the ink dry, waving it in the air to speed up the moment.

If you happened to smudge the photo with your thumb, that just added to the authenticity.

Rubik’s Cube

The world’s most famous puzzle was actually invented back in 1974 by the Hungarian Ernő Rubik, and was initially called the Magic Cube.

But only after it was renamed and released internationally did it become a worldwide phenomenon.

People of all ages spent hours trying to solve them, but how many actually managed it without looking up the answer or peeling off the coloured stickers?

For most owners, they were like the fidget spinners of their day, keeping your fingers active and helping to relieve stress.

Hair crimper

Along with the mullet and the perm, crimped hair was one of the classic styles of the 80s.

Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Boy George were just some of the big names who rocked the look.

A hair crimper became a must-have gadget for teenagers wanting to recreate the style at home.

Nirvana T-shirt

Nirvana were not only the sound of the late 80s and early 90s for teenagers growing up then, they also helped define the grunge aesthetic that was everywhere at the time.

One of the band’s biggest contributions to fashion was the classic band T-shirt featuring the yellow smiley face on a black background.

The logo first emerged in 1991, the year Nirvana released their classic album Nevermind.

Kurt Cobain’s tragic death three years later brought a new audience to their music, boosting demand for the band T-shirts.

These days, it seems like Nirvana must have sold more clothes than records, with even young children often sporting their T-shirts.

Another major influence on teen fashion in the 90s was the awesome, groundbreaking drama My So Called Life, which still feels ahead of its time three decades on.

It made stars of Claire Danes and Jared Leto, with the latter’s popularity turning flannel plaid shirts into the height of cool.

Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

The Nintendo Entertainment System, better known simply as the NES, was released in 1983, but only made it to Europe three years later, in 1986.

With classic games including Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, it has been credited with saving the video games industry, following the crash of 1983.

It was succeeded by the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), which won a hard-fought war with rival console the Sega Mega Drive, most famous for Sonic the Hedgehog.

For portable gaming, the Game Boy and Game Gear were at the top of every teen’s wishlist.

Earlier tech must-haves included the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum, both released in 1982, and the Apple Mac, which changed the face of home computing following its launch in 1984.

Friendship bracelets

Before Taylor Swift made them cool again, friendship bracelets were big in the 80s and 90s.

If you didn’t have the multi-coloured threads knotted around your wrist to prove it, were you really even friends back then?

Calculator watch

The Casio F-91W is perhaps the most iconic watch of modern times, with its simple, durable design, and features including the calendar, chronograph and backlight.

Around 120 million of the watches have been sold since it was launched in 1989.

But it’s another classic Casio watch - the C-80, released in 1980 - that many teenagers desired most.

Having a calculator on your wrist felt so futuristic back then, appealing especially to the nerdier schoolchildren among us.

The 80s and 90s were also a golden age for the Swatch. The bold and colourful designs chimed with the era’s aesthetic, and the biggest fans sported several on each arm.

Space helmet TV set

Which teenager didn’t want a TV in their bedroom in the 80s and 90s, freeing them up to watch whatever they want in privacy?

If you were particularly lucky, you might have had a Philips Discover TV set. Designed to look like a space helmet, complete with a working visor, it felt like the pinnacle of cool at the time.

As for the ultimate luxury, your own VHS video - perfect for sleepovers - was something most teenagers could only dream about, given the price tag back then.

What was your favourite possession during your teenage years, and what did you most want back then that you never got?

If you’re feeling nostalgic for the 80s and 90s, you might enjoy this look back at some of the popular comfort foods back then that we have lost.