20 Things About 1973 That Boomers Forget

TV lied, parents nodded, kids panicked

Ah, 1973. The year pants got wider than your patience, and disco beats invaded every living room. Boomers call it a time of freedom, but plenty of moments have slipped their memory: fashion disasters, bizarre gadgets, and trends that now make us cringe.

While they perfected the hustle and experimented with avocado everything, the world kept tossing oddities their way: gas pumps bigger than heads, phones that required an engineering degree, and office wardrobes that doubled as punishment.

Here’s a trip through some wild, forgotten snapshots of 1973. Laugh, groan, and marvel at how anyone survived without common sense or style.

Silent Recession

Groove didn’t pay bills; unemployment lurked behind the glitter.

Home Disco Hell

DIY strobe lights turned living rooms into noise hazards.

Portable Music Bulky

Carry cassettes anywhere, if you liked dead arms.

Macramé Madness

Everyone owned knotted necklaces, belts, even plant hangers.

Dollar Disappearing Act

Abandoning gold made money feel thin and confusing.

Wide Tie Torture

Office carnage via psychedelic wallpaper-like neckwear.

Pocket Calculators

$100 for basic math, innovation or extortion? You decide.

Skylab Snafus

America’s first space station, awkward and in need of DIY fixes.

Pong as Luxury

Home video games looked futuristic and cost more than rent.

Watergate Brewing

Nixon’s scandals simmered while the dance floor grooved.

Protein Brick

Dense brown bread pretending to be health food, flavor optional.

Quadraphonic Confusion

Four-channel sound system promised heaven, delivered headache.

TV With a Message

Parents nodded; kids absorbed subtle chaos from the screen.

Poly-Knit Sauna

Polyester sweat traps guaranteed in summer and winter alike.

Mood Ring Madness

Color-change jewelry "revealed feelings," mostly hand temperature.

Gasoline Panic

Lines stretched for blocks, tanks only half full. Anxiety sold separately.

Cigarette Box Chic

Ashtrays and branded packs as essential décor. Smoke freely.

Avocado Apocalypse

Kitchens full of green and orange appliances nobody asked for.

Rotary Phone Hell

Mis-dial the last digit and start over. Every. Single. Time.

Platform Shoe Torture

Towers of foam and leather that ruined ankles faster than disco music.

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