Decade Shopping Guides: Fashion, Home And Tech By Era

A buying guide for each decade: the clothes, the books, the records and the gadgets, with honest advice on where the genuine items come from.

Useful for a themed party, a milestone birthday, or a present for someone who grew up in a particular era.

We don't sell clothing, books, records or technology - we make cards, prints and badges, and stock party decorations.

Pick a decade

• 1920s - Beaded dresses, cloth caps, cheap reprints of the great novels and a wind-up gramophone. Guide: /blogs/news/1920s-shopping-guide
• 1930s - Bias-cut dresses, orange Penguin paperbacks, big band 78s and the first television sets. Guide: /blogs/news/1930s-shopping-guide
• 1940s - Utility clothing and make do and mend, wartime paperbacks, big band records and a family wireless. Guide: /blogs/news/1940s-shopping-guide
• 1950s - Circle skirts and teddy boy drapes, early Penguins and Puffins, rock and roll 45s, and a radiogram. Guide: /blogs/news/1950s-shopping-guide
• 1960s - Shift dresses and Chelsea boots, Penguin Modern Classics, Beatles and Motown 45s, and a Dansette. Guide: /blogs/news/1960s-shopping-guide
• 1970s - Flares and platforms, orange Penguins and annuals, glam and disco vinyl, and a music centre. Guide: /blogs/news/1970s-shopping-guide
• 1980s - Shoulder pads and shell suits, blockbuster paperbacks, 12 inch singles, and a Walkman. Guide: /blogs/news/1980s-shopping-guide
• 1990s - Bucket hats and combats, Britpop vinyl and CD singles, a Game Boy and a stack of Now albums. Guide: /blogs/news/1990s-shopping-guide
• 2000s - Low-rise and velour, airport paperbacks, indie 7 inch singles, a flip phone and an iPod. Guide: /blogs/news/2000s-shopping-guide
• 2010s - Normcore and athleisure, the vinyl revival, a smartphone in every pocket and a Fitbit on every wrist. Guide: /blogs/news/2010s-shopping-guide
• 2020s - Loungewear and Y2K revivals, cookbooks and audiobooks, vinyl outselling CDs, and everything streaming. Guide: /blogs/news/2020s-shopping-guide

Rules that apply to every decade

• Reproduction for clothing, genuine for objects - nobody can tell in a photograph, and the saving is large.
• Boxed doubles or triples the price of any toy or gadget. Buy loose unless they collect.
• Reissues are fine for books and games. They are not fine for records, where the pressing is the point.
• Charity shops, car boots and eBay beat any retro gift website for genuine items.
• Shop the year they turned eighteen, not the year they were born.

Shop prints and posters

How to write it so it lands

• Pair a decade's shopping guide with its playlist and party guide and the whole event is planned.
• Charity shops price by age, not by era - the 1990s and 2000s are still the best value decades to shop.
• Agree a budget per person before a group buys for a themed party, or somebody always overspends.

Where to shop next

• 1920s shopping guide
• 1930s shopping guide
• 1940s shopping guide
• 1950s shopping guide
• 1960s shopping guide
• 1970s shopping guide
• 1980s shopping guide
• 1990s shopping guide
• 2000s shopping guide
• 2010s shopping guide
• 2020s shopping guide
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• The 1950s: the whole decade
• The 1940s: the whole decade
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The 1920s: the whole decade
• Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
• Decade shopping guides by era
• Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
• Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
• Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
• Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Decade calendar: every year from 1920
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Milestone birthday cards
• All decade guides in one place
• Decade history by era
• Decade films: best movies and directors
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends
• Decade games: board, card and video games by era
• Decade quizzes: questions and answers by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade quiz: test your memory
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Good luck cards
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What decades are covered?

Every decade from the 1920s to the present, each with clothing, books, music and tech to buy.

Are the items real?

Yes. Every book, record, garment and gadget named existed in that decade, with publication and release years given where they matter.

Do you sell any of this?

No. We make greeting cards, art prints, pin badges and stickers in the UK, and we stock party decorations. The rest is advice.

What is a good example of decade shopping guides?

"Reproduction for clothing, genuine for objects - nobody can tell in a photograph, and the saving is large." is one of 16 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.