The Coolest People Who Grew Up In The 70s & 80s Still Keep 10 Totally Rad Things In Their Car
pisaphotographyAsk any Gen Xer what possession they prized most during high school, and the answer will likely be their car. Given how much this generation values their independence, it should be no surprise that the machines that enabled them to get where they wanted to go when they wanted to go there would hold such a special place in their lives.
Even now, nearly half a century since they were teens, people who grew up in the 70s and 80s still keep specific items in their cars that make them feel happy and safe. Younger people, especially their own children, may find many of these things completely outdated, but Gen X doesn't care. They're still rad, and they know it.
If someone grew up in the 70s and 80s, they probably have at least some of these super rad things in their car
1. A planner or notepad
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Despite being technologically savvy, often to the point of bridging the gap between their older counterparts and younger generations in the workplace, many Gen Xers still appreciate both the nostalgia and the practicality of analog tools. Whether it’s a small notebook they keep in their purse or a paper planner they stick in the console of their car, they keep a pen and paper on hand just in case they ever need them.
Handwritten grocery and to-do lists are convenient alternatives to logs kept on phones and computers, but for Gen X, sometimes the traditional way feels more secure and comforting than saving a bit of time. Besides, you never know if your phone will have an issue working right when you need to jot something down.
2. Coins and cash
Despite not using cash to the same extent as their boomer parents, many Gen Xers still appreciate having cash on hand in case they need it. Knowing there's some money tucked away in the center console or the glove compartment makes them feel satisfied that they'll be able to handle an emergency or unexpected situation.
Most Gen Xers have debit cards and digital wallets they use to pay for everyday expenses, but you never know when you'll need to park somewhere that will only take coins or make a purchase at a place that unexpectedly only takes cash.
3. Old-school mixtapes or CDs
Despite being fully aware that they can stream their favorite music via satellite radio or CarPlay, many Gen Xers yearn for the days when their glove compartments were stuffed with cassette tapes and their visors were weighted down by CD holders. While some have classic cars that they can still use these in, others, at the very least, have their own version of a mixed tape on hand in the form of an old-school playlist.
Having their favorite music ready to go makes Gen X's day. Surveys show they are the generation that is the most likely to blast some tunes while they're driving.
4. A scrunchie or two
Younger generations have caught on to the joy that is the scrunchie, and Gen X drivers are especially likely to keep these useful staples from their teens in their vehicles. It may not be as cool to rock one in your hair as it was in the 1980s, but that doesn't make them any less useful when you need to get your hair off of your neck or out of your eyes.
Yes, there was a time when these innocent hair ties became one of the most hated fashion items that ever existed, but alas. One thing Gen X knows is that they don't need anyone else's permission to wear whatever they want.
5. A road atlas or paper map
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Even if it’s not necessarily the picture of coolness for most people on the road today, Gen Xers often still keep paper maps and atlases in their vehicles just in case. Especially now that they’ve become such a popular topic of conversation about old-school memories, along with handwritten notes and book-eared pages, they’re not only practical, but they also make Gen X happy to have them around.
Their Gen Z and millennial kids probably can’t read or use them, but they’re still handy to have along in case you drive through an area where your GPS goes out due to a lack of reception.
6. Sun shades
They may have gone out of style for a while, despite being practical tools for keeping their cars cool in the hot summer months, but many Gen Xers still keep a sunshade in their cars to protect themselves from the pain of getting into a car that's been sitting for too long in the scorching sun.
Not only were these bulky and somewhat awkward visors a massive success back in the 1980s, but they really did work. The vintage look brings back all kinds of nostalgic warmth for Gen X while keeping their skin from burning the moment they touch the seat of their car.
7. Dashboard hula dancers or bobbleheads
Gen X loves nostalgia, so it's not much of a surprise that some still have a special place in their hearts for these classic car decorations. Having a solar-powered hula dancer or spring-loaded bobble head inside your car is a great way to guarantee smiles the moment you get in. They’re fun and eccentric, directly contrasting with many of the modern, sterile, overly clean vehicles being produced today.
Even if they sometimes get in the way or feel annoying to passengers, they’re a picture from the past that people raised in the 70s and 80s still appreciate in the modern world.
8. Old-school Ray-Bans
Both a pillar of popular culture in the 70s and 80s and an investment that was made to last, it’s no surprise that many Gen Xers still have at least one pair of old-school Ray-Bans in their cars today. Unlike cheaply made alternatives today, they can still use the ones they spent ages saving for as teenagers or bought as an investment in early adulthood.
These sunglasses are not only nostalgic but also practical, and once they’ve found a home in a Gen X car, there’s no getting rid of them.
9. Dice or another object hanging from the rearview mirror
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Much like all the other nostalgic, classic 70s decor, hanging dice from the rearview mirror is a rad addition to any Gen X car today. Even if they keep their car relatively simple, they might still be hung up on hanging something up, with these objects serving as a nostalgic look back on their early adulthood years when everybody wanted them.
Old concert lanyards and graduation tassels might have eventually taken their place, but for those who still keep the dice swinging, there’s no doubt that they’re cool.
10. Beaded seat covers
Because investing in their cars' interiors was an important act of self-expression for Gen X as teens, they spent money and time on things like beaded seat covers, sheepskin steering wheel covers, and the aforementioned items to hang from their rearview mirrors. Their cars were an extension of themselves, and while that’s certainly still true today, younger generations tend to keep their cars looking a lot less vibrant and creative.
Even if their now adult kids make fun of the way they accessorize their vehicles, these small touches remind Gen Xers that all that matters is what they think is cool.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
