Cursive Writing
Although it looks beautiful, there really is no practical use for writing in cursive. It was the bane of many of our elementary school days, and luckily it has pretty much phased out of being an important life skill.
Cursive Writing
China Plate Sets
While collecting china is totally understandable, what is unfathomable for generations younger than Boomers is the fact that they tend to buy and collect these sets, only to never use them. Often reserved for the most special occasions, these expensive sets end up spending most of their time inside of a cabinet, which really doesn’t make any sense.
China Plate Sets
24-Hour News Networks
The 24-hour news cycle was once a staple in every single American home. Mostly unbiased reporting helped Americans rely on their daily news broadcasts. However, as time and money has changed these news networks, it seems like only the Boomers are still tuning in to traditional mainstream media channels. Besides, most younger people don’t even have cable at all.
24 Hour News Networks
Diamonds
We all know that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” because of Marilyn Monroe and commercials that popularized these stones throughout the late 40’s and 50’s. Nowadays, we know that a lot of diamonds are mined in inhumane conditions, and we have the option of buying cubic zirconia that looks just as nice and actually costs way less.
Diamonds
Patterned Wallpaper
Patterned wallpaper used to be all the rage, which is why Boomers tend to have them in at least one part of their home. Nowadays, most people opt for a coat of paint, which is often much simpler and less expensive to use to decorate a room’s walls. Many choose a bold color in order to keep things interesting.
Patterned Wallpaper
Unpaid Internships
This is the big one: unpaid internships became the norm and many a young professional hopeful spent summers (and often longer) fetching coffee, photocopying, and filing for absolutely zero compensation. They suffered silently in order to receive the coveted letter of recommendation. While this was totally normal for Boomers, many people in younger generations are fighting back against unpaid internships. All work should be compensated properly.
Unpaid Internships
Crocs
First debuting in 2002, Crocs became a huge hit despite the fact that they originated as boating gear. Boomers fully embraced these comfortable foam shoes, we’re assuming because they’ve reached the point in life where choosing comfort over fashion is totally acceptable. We totally respect that, but these shoes are still so cringe-worthy.
Crocs
Blaming Millennials
As Millennials began graduating college and becoming young professionals, it became quite popular to complain about every little thing they do. These complaints often came from Boomers, who especially railed on these “snowflakes'” daily coffee purchasing habits as well as how much they enjoyed ordering avocado toast.
Blaming Millennials
Home Shopping Channels
Ask any Millennial or Gen-Zer and we guarantee you that they have absolutely never purchased anything from a home shopping channel. Of course, these channels have been widely popular, and it is due to Boomers’ willingness to watch an extended information and call the hotline in order to purchase whatever unnecessary product was being promoted.
Home Shopping Channels
High-Waisted Jeans
Although they have recently come back into style, Boomers and especially Boomer moms were well known for their affinity for high-waisted jeans that are not necessarily the most flattering pants out there. Affectionately called “mom jeans,” they are often paired with a polo shirt or boxy button-down shirt, cementing the unflattering look completely.
High Waisted Jeans
Writing Checks
While many Millennials still had to learn how to properly write a check during early schooling, when most of them grew up this skill had pretty much become totally obsolete. Boomers will still try to pay for things with checks, and they often end up holding up the line at the store since it is much more time consuming to write a check than to just swipe a credit card.
Writing Checks
Landline Phones
Landline phones were truly a marvel when they first came out, as people didn’t have to rely on public pay phones anymore in order to make a call. While these were a great innovation at the time, in a day and age where portable phones are available, it doesn’t make much sense to pay for a landline phone any longer.
Landline Phones
Fossil Fuels
While fossil fuels were undoubtedly a huge part of what made America an industrial powerhouse, unfortunately the continued use of fossil fuels is having a devastating effect on our planet. The U.S. is not the only country that has this issue, but many older Americans refuse to believe that this is even a real problem at all.
Fossil Fuels
Shopping Malls
Shopping malls became a massive part of American culture but due to the rise of online shopping are now experiencing a decline. Many malls are closing all over the United States. However, many Boomers still rely on these brick and mortar stores to do their shopping. They prefer to shop in person and don’t understand how young people like shopping online so much.
Shopping Malls
Khaki Capri Pants
Capri pants, which have also been called flood pants, highwaters, and clam-diggers, are really the prime example of bad taste in clothing. Sorry! However, there’s really no excusing these cropped pants and we really don’t understand why they seem to be so popular with Boomers in particular.
Khaki Capri Pants
Wide-Fitting Denim
Similar to mom jeans, wide-fitting denim that does not look good on anyone was and still is a popular choice amongst Boomers. These also apply to these unfortunate wide jean shorts worn by many Boomer men and are typically paired with white “dad” sneakers, too-tight belt, and a tucked in shirt.
Wide Fitting Denim
Jell-O Desserts
Jell-o has always been a popular dessert option, but for some reason in the 60’s and 70’s it became popular to combine Jell-O with other ingredients. For example, Jell-O mold recipes like Jell-o salad were invented, and for the life of us we cannot understand why you would combine pineapple, lime flavored Jell-O, vinegar, onions, and peppers. Just why?
Jell O Desserts
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias are a fantastic source of information on a huge array of subjects and topics. The one problem with them is that they take up a huge amount of space due to the sheer amount of volumes that comprise an entire encyclopedia. Boomers still love to have physical copies, but younger generations prefer the online and digital versions instead.
Encyclopedias
Socks With Sandals
This is yet another commonly seen fashion faux pas that should absolutely be avoided at all costs. It’s really unclear why anyone would pair socks with sandals, since the whole point of sandals is to air out your feet, especially in warm weather. Not only does it not make sense, it looks absolutely horrible.
Socks With Sandals
Phone Books
Phone books are just that: a giant book containing phone numbers for private individuals are businesses alike. Once again, these have become pretty obsolete due to the rise of the internet, but many Boomer still like to have these physical books and refuse to switch over to looking for contact information online.
Phone Books
Shag Carpets
Shag carpets became the height of cool during the 1960’s and 70’s, but unfortunately, most of them have not aged well. Unless you are a professional interior designer, you most like won’t know how to style a shag carpet in a more modern home. That’s why younger generations tend to stay away from them altogether.
Shag Carpets
Visors
Visors became a popular accessory with the Baby Boomer generation and for a brief moment for younger people in the 1990’s, but they’ve pretty much been phased out completely for Millennials and Gen-Z. We imagine that you can still see plenty of visors at a golf course, especially if it happens to be an expensive and exclusive one.
Visors
Fuzzy Toilet Seat Covers
This one we will simply never understand. Why people chose literal carpets as toilet seat covers will never make sense to us, but for some reason these were all the rage for a while. It seems like these are the least sanitary option for a toilet seat cover. Besides, they don’t even look good, so what is their point at all?
Fuzzy Toilet Seat Covers
Records
While records are also coming back into style, there’s no doubt that there are much more convenient ways to listen to music these days. The main issue with record players is the fact that they are not portable at all, and record collections end up taking a huge amount of space in the house. However, there is no denying that special sound that only records can provide.
Records
Not-So-Skinny Jeans
In addition to hating jeans with holes in them, Baby Boomers seem to have an aversion to skinny jeans in general. Perhaps it is a generational thing, but Boomers have stuck to their bell bottom and flare jeans throughout the years, holding out for the inevitable day when these would come back into style. Hey, that day might not be so far away anymore.
Not So Skinny Jeans
Patterned Vests
When it comes to patterned vests, these were mercilessly mocked as “geeky” in the times that Gen-X and Millennials were in high school. These were very popular when Boomers were school aged, so it makes sense that they continue to wear them without a care in the world. Hey, maybe Gen-Z will bring back the patterned vest look.
Patterned Vests
Linoleum Flooring
Linoleum flooring became all the rage for a while, as people loved the idea of getting the hardwood floor look without the maintenance or cost of a real hardwood floor. That’s why these became so common in Boomer homes.
Linoleum Flooring
Conspiracy Theories
We’re not sure what it is about conspiracy theories exactly that seems to draw in a lot of Boomers. Maybe it’s that classic American “think for yourself” attitude, but the rise of conspiracy theories coincides with many Boomers joining the internet, namely social media sites like Facebook.
Conspiracy Theories
Avon
Door-to-door direct sales company Avon was wildly popular for a while, and was perhaps one of the first multi-level marketing companies to become so successful. Many mothers looking for a fun and part-time job loved the idea of becoming an “Avon lady” but it’s important to know that a lot of the products being sold were not worth the Avon price.
Avon
Gendered Everything
This is a contentious one: gendered clothing and products have always been very popular with Boomers, but are falling out of favor with younger generations, especially with Millennials, and fiercely by Gen-Z. Many people are no longer identifying as just one gender and choosing a color to represent each gender is pretty sexist, so having gendered products probably don’t make much sense anymore.
Gendered Everything
Golfing
There’s a reason why golfing is so popular with Boomers: it’s very low key. For many people, that means it is very boring, but a lot of Boomers spend their retirement mostly at the gold course. This slow and methodical sport takes a lot of time, which probably explains why most people who love it are retirees with plenty of time to spare.
Golfing
Too Many Throw Pillows
What is the deal with having so many throw pillows on the couch? So many people have a pile of pillows on the sofa, making it actually difficult to take a seat on it at all. While throw pillows can add a nice touch for the decor, they shouldn’t make the furniture uncomfortable or uninviting.
Too Many Throw Pillows
Giving Retail Workers A Tough Time
Anyone who has worked a retail job knows that often, Boomer customers love to pull the “let me speak to your manager line,” especially when they don’t get their way even if their demands are unreasonable. A lot of Boomers don’t remember what it’s like to work a minimum wage job where your opinion doesn’t matter at all.
Giving Retail Workers A Tough Time
Cruises
Boomers absolutely love to take cruises, especially ones with all-you-can-eat buffets and on-board entertainment like shuffleboard. This is another activity that appeals to people with a lot of time, which is why it is so popular with Boomers who are retired and looking for a fun adventure.
Cruises
Paper Bills
Paper bills are becoming less and less popular due to the rise of everything becoming digitized. A lot of younger people will pay for anything and everything with a credit card or Apple Pay, even if the item costs $0.99. It seems like only older people are hanging on to paper bills and paying with them, which makes sense because it is what they have used for the majority of their lives.
Paper Bills
Infomercials
We’re not sure what it is about TV advertisement and infomercials, but they just do not appeal to generations other than Boomers. Most Millennials and Gen-Zers mock these over-the-top ads and marketing techniques and their ways to try to trick customers into thinking their products are less expensive than they are by offering 4 “low” payments of $19.95.
Infomercials
Catalogs
Browsing through catalogs used to be the only way to know what a store has to offer if you didn’t feel like going to the physical location. Of course, the internet has changed this as well, but for some reason, there are still physical catalogs floating around the world. Many Boomers enjoy perusing through these as a form of entertainment.
Catalogs
Potpourri
It’s safe to say that you probably will never find a bowl of potpourri in the home of a Millennial or Gen-Zer, but this air freshening technique is still very popular with Boomers. They can definitely add a nice touch of decor, but many times end up looking a bit out of place, especially when the pieces in the bowl are strangely shaped and unidentifiable.
Potpourri
Sweepstakes
Who’s going to tell Boomers that most sweepstakes are a giant scam? Even if they aren’t malicious, many times you don’t end up receiving your winnings because of some loophole in the terms & conditions that nobody bothers to read. However, for some reason sweepstakes are still around and have yet to die out.
Sweepstakes
In Person Banking
Try to tell someone under the age of 30 to go to a bank to make a payment instead of using their bank’s app on their phone and see how they respond. Younger generations will do anything to avoid going to the bank in person, while Boomers are still familiar with this concept from the pre-online banking days.
In Person Banking