7 Smells That Defined Fall in the 1980s

What a wonderful time of the year fall is. Every season holds its charms, but there is something potently nostalgic about that time of the year when the days are shortening, the temperature is cooling, and the leaves are turning golden brown. Fall arrives with its own unique smells, and the 1980s were full of iconic scents. Combine the two, and you have a palette that will send you right back to your adolescent days.

1. Candy
2. Home Baking
3. Composting Leaves
4. Apples and Pumpkins
5. Overpowering Perfumes and Colognes
6. Thanksgiving Feasts
7. Fresh Cool Fall Air

Candy

Fall means Halloween and Halloween means candy! This is a big time of year for manufacturers of kids' confectionery, and the 1980s saw the introduction of several legendary candies, each with its own special character and smell. There were the classic Fleer Pumpkin-Face Bubblegums. Shaped like a giant jack-o'-lantern, they had a sharp, sweet odor and would transform into bubblegum when chewed.

Elsewhere, who remembers Nerds, the candy with a mind-blowing concept—two different flavors in one box! Lemonade and apple, sour lemon and apple, lime and pineapple were just some of the punchy combos available. Let's not forget Sour Patch Kids, Airheads, and Reese's Pieces. For anyone who was there, these sweet scents are unforgettable.

Home Baking

Home baking enjoyed a major resurgence in popularity during the 1980s, and with the weather turning colder and the days drawing shorter, whipping up some tasty pies, bakes, and fancy desserts for the household proved an attractive fall proposition. These would, of course, feature classic fall ingredients such as cinnamon, apples, nutmeg, and, of course, pumpkin—all those warm, welcoming scents that never fail to get an appetite working. Despite having first launched in the 1930s, Betty Crocker's Creative Recipes with Bisquick still ruled during the 80s and featured a wealth of heart-warming delights.

Composting Leaves

Fall brings the pretty, wistfully beautiful vision of falling leaves. All those reds, browns, and yellows look beguiling upon their branches, or when fresh-fallen onto the earth, but soon they would be littering up the lawns and sidewalks and, in the former case, as an '80s kid you might well be tasked with sweeping them into nice, compostable piles. Freshly fallen leaves have their own, distinct "woody" smell, but composted leaves definitely hold their own appeal. Then again, heavy rain mixed with air pockets can turn any decorative leafy pile into an emanator of rotten eggs and sour compost!

Apples and Pumpkins

The 1980s in the U.S. saw many farmers having to adapt to challenging financial situations by finding alternative means for income. This led to a boom in family activities such as pumpkin and apple picking, where an everyday farming activity could be turning into an entertaining day out. There was something magical about visiting a field full of row upon row of orange pumpkins or bountiful apple trees. Of course, once you'd filled your baskets and transported them home, the real fun could begin. Apple pie and all manner of savoury pumpkin treats would be fashioned, decorated, and eaten with joy.

Overpowering Perfumes and Colognes

In the 1980s, bigger was better, more was more, and subtlety was out of the window. This held when it came to deodorants, aftershaves, and perfumes, with several iconic, nose-assaulting ranges making their debuts. With the nights drawing in, and more time spent in the house, your adolescent nose would have encountered Calvin Klein's Obsession, with its heady cocktail of mixed spices and vanilla. Yves Saint Laurent's Opium brought a heavy, floral aura. Christian Dior’s Poison attacked your senses with a sledgehammer hit of grapes. Estée Lauder’s Beautiful brought a more romantic barrage of flowers.

Thanksgiving Feasts

Thanksgiving is still an important time of year, when people gather to celebrate and feast, but the 1980s saw a particular focus on large, family-centric festivities, and food was always the centerpiece. A roast turkey was the main attraction, but what else would a 1980s family have enjoyed? Pumpkin pie, of course, and sweet potatoes, and cranberries, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, oyster stuffing, creamed onions, mashed turnips, and boatloads of gravy! Jell-O salads were a certainty, piled up and decorated with tinned fruits. Everything else would be homemade, and in vast quantities. Close your eyes, and you can just imagine those delicious smells!

Fresh Cool Fall Air

Summer can be glorious yet stifling, winter crisp and clear but bone-shiveringly cold. Spring is full of flavour and promise, but nothing hits quite like the freshness and cleanness of cool fall air. This isn't just your imagination, fueled by the shorter days and changing trees. During fall, relative humidity drops, the ground cools, and air temperature sits at the perfect level for healthy lungs. Early evening across fall is the perfect time to go for a walk and breathe in that unique atmosphere. This, of course, is just as true today as it was in the 1980s, but back then we had far fewer distractions and temptations to prevent us from exploring the world outdoors.

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