Remember When Everything Had Color? These 18 Things Definitely Did

There was a time when even the most ordinary things were bursting with color.

Your tissues came in soft blues and cheerful pinks. Your paper towels had patterns, florals, and holiday prints. Even toilet paper could match your bathroom tiles.

But now?

We’ve swapped charm for minimalism, and for some reason, we all agreed to pretend it’s better. Here are some everyday things that used to be colorful but aren’t anymore.

Lunchboxes

Lunchboxes were once a walking billboard for your personality.

Kids carried brightly colored boxes with cartoon characters, wild prints, glittery designs, and holographic effects. The lunchbox was a daily conversation starter. E

ven adult coolers came in bold colors or stripes.

Today, most lunch carriers are gray, navy, or black. They’re soft-sided and practical. But they’re not exciting. You don’t see anyone showing off their lunchbox at work or school.

We traded fun for functionality. But in our eyes, it didn’t have to be one or the other.

Tissues

There was a time when the tissues you pulled from the box were blue, pink, or yellow.

Colored tissues were everywhere in the 1980s and 1990s. They matched your bathroom or bedroom and made something as unglamorous as blowing your nose feel a little more flashy.

You could even get seasonal shades or floral patterns if you timed your shopping right.

These days, tissues are all white. The boxes still have color, but the tissues inside are clinically plain.

Some say it’s about removing unnecessary dyes. But a little color used to go a long way in brightening a sick day.

Kitchen Appliances

Kitchens used to be full of color.

Appliances came in shades like avocado green, harvest gold, and soft pink. Blenders matched your tile. Toasters had a turquoise shine. It made kitchens feel like a creative, inviting place instead of a showroom.

Today, stainless steel dominates, as do matte black and glossy white. It’s sleek, but also cold.

Everything is designed to be neutral or disappear into the background.

We used to design kitchens around fun. Now we design them around color-neutral quartz.

Phones

There was a time when a phone’s color said something about you.

Rotary phones came in fire engine red, powder blue, or soft green. Even cordless phones had bright buttons and flashy bases.

In the early 2000s, flip phones came in metallic pink, neon orange, and sparkly purple.

Now, phones are mostly black rectangles. Sure, you’ll see navy, rose pink that barely looks pink, or white, but that’s about it.

Phone cases have become the only way to add color, and even those tend to lean neutral these days.

Cars

Look at a parking lot today, and it feels like a grayscale movie.

Modern cars are usually black, white, gray, or silver. Dealership lots look like they were ordered in bulk from a single color wheel.

But it wasn’t always this way.

In the 1950s through the 1980s, cars came in every color you could imagine. Baby blue. Cherry red. Sunshine yellow. Even two-tone combos that made each vehicle look unique.

People used cars to express personality, and the roads felt livelier because of it.

Now, most cars aim to blend in rather than stand out.

TVs and Remotes

Watching TV used to feel playful.

Older television sets had wood paneling, big knobs, and sometimes gold trim. Remotes were chunky and came with giant colorful buttons—red, blue, green, and yellow.

Even the power button had flair.

Now, remotes are slim, black, and barely labeled. TVs are sleek black rectangles that melt into the wall.

The experience is still there, but the excitement is gone from the design.

Paper Towels

Paper towels were once a showy piece of every American kitchen.

Not only did they come in soft pastel shades, but they also featured fun patterns, fruits, florals, and seasonal graphics. Your kitchen roll used to match your mood, your dishes, or the time of year.

Today, most paper towels are plain white. If there’s a print, it’s barely noticeable and often faded. It’s more about function than fun.

But many of us miss the excitement of picking a roll with tiny strawberries or little blue teacups.

Alarm Clocks

Alarm clocks used to scream style.

You could find them in bright orange, fire engine red, and even see-through plastic. Some had flashing lights, rotating numbers, or neon digits that glowed through the night.

They were practical, but also fun.

Today, most alarm clocks are black or white boxes, if people even have them at all. Most younger folks rely on their phone’s alarm.

The colorful, loud personalities of alarm clocks are a thing of the past.

Clothing Basics

Even your socks used to have something to say back in the day.

Socks had stripes. Underwear came in rainbow packs. Undershirts weren’t always white.

Kids’ clothes were full of bright colors and bold patterns, even in the basic sections. Adults had fun with colors too, especially in casual or workout wear.

Now, basics mostly come in white, black, gray, or beige. That goes for socks, bras, tees, and anything sold in a plastic bag.

It’s all about simplicity and matching. But in our opinion, the fun got lost along the way.

Toothbrushes

Toothbrushes used to be borderline silly in the best way.

They came with glitter, cartoon characters, neon grips, and multicolored bristles. They looked like toys.

Even adults could get fun ones with electric swirls or bright designs.

Now, toothbrushes are sleek and mostly white with a splash of blue. The electric ones are designed to look like high-end electronics.

The bristles are simple. The packaging is subdued.

They still clean your teeth, of course. But they don’t spark the same kind of joy as in the past.

Toilet Paper

Gen Z would never believe it, but toilet paper once came in a full range of colors.

In the 1960s and 1970s, you could buy rolls in soft pastels like pink, blue, mint green, and even lilac. People coordinated them with their tile and towels.

It was stylish and considered modern at the time.

Eventually, concerns about dyes and skin sensitivity led to a decline. By the 2000s, almost all colored toilet paper vanished from American store shelves.

White is the go-to option now. It’s practical, sure. But it also makes bathrooms feel less personal.

Colored rolls were once standard. Now, they’re practically collector’s items.

Dish Soap Bottles

One glance at a sink decades ago used to make you smile.

Dish soaps came in bottles shaped like bubbles or teardrops. The liquid inside was neon pink or deep green. Labels had smiling bubbles, little cartoon sponges, or fun fonts.

Today’s bottles are designed for simplicity. Clear containers. Neutral tones. Minimalist fonts.

They look nice on modern countertops, but they don’t exactly make you (or your young kids) excited to clean.

Birthday Candles

Lighting a cake used to be almost more fun than eating it.

Birthday candles came in every color of the rainbow. Some were striped. Some were glittery. Others were shaped like animals, balloons, or stars.

Today, most candles are gold, silver, or pale pastel. They’re designed for “aesthetic” cakes and Pinterest photos.

They look fine enough. Just don’t remind anyone of being eight years old and blowing out a giant number five made of wax.

The party moved to Instagram, and the color got left behind.

Crayons

Even crayons have dulled down these days.

Crayola still has plenty of bright options, but cheaper brands and school supply packs now come in limited palettes.

You’ll get red, green, blue, yellow, and maybe one brown. No more metallics. No neon. No special packs with wild names.

Crayons used to be a celebration of color. They came in boxes too big to hold and offered every shade under the sun.

Now they’re pared down to the basics.

Food Packaging

Food aisles used to burst with color.

Cereal boxes had crazy fonts and cartoon mascots. Soda cans came in bright reds, greens, and purples. Frozen dinners had wild backgrounds and overly dramatic meal names.

Everything was loud and exciting.

Today’s food packaging is sleek, white, and often hard to distinguish. Companies want to look premium or natural, which means soft tones, lowercase fonts, and lots of beige. It’s clean, but it doesn’t feel fun.

Grocery shopping used to be more colorful than the food itself.

School Supplies

School supplies were once a kid’s form of self-expression.

Notebooks came in animal prints, glitter designs, or neon colors. Folders had holograms. Pencil cases were shaped like aliens or soda cans.

Even erasers were tiny works of art.

Now, everything is gray, navy, or earth-toned. Some brands offer stylish prints, but most stores sell neutral basics. Back-to-school shopping looks more like stocking an office supply closet.

Kids still use their imaginations, but their supplies often don’t reflect that as much anymore.

Storefronts

Even stores used to be colorful.

Pharmacies, grocery stores, and diners had big neon signs, cartoon mascots, and window paintings that changed with the seasons. A storefront had energy. It pulled you in.

Now, most businesses go for minimalist branding. Small fonts. Black and white color schemes. Uniform windows.

The personality has been polished out of sight.

It’s efficient. It’s professional. But it doesn’t feel warm.

Toys

Toys were once unapologetically bold.

Plastic came in every color imaginable. Blocks were rainbow. Dolls had hot pink accessories. Racecars were fire engine red. Every toy exploded with energy.