Argos is an institution. It’s as British as the Queen and as reliable as Trump tweeting something stupid and offensive before the year is out. It’s iconic, a beacon of commerce that’s outlasted HMV and Woolworths (RIP Woolies).
In part, its resilience and retail fortunes have to do with its catalogues. Like a wonder of the modern world, they tantalise with high-tech electronics, state-of-the-art gizmos and, of course, toys. Looking back, the catalogues from years gone by are like unspoiled time capsules that transport us back to a simpler time.
Reflecting on the the 1999 Argos tome, it’s like reading back through our (still unfulfilled) childhood Christmas list. Remember easy bake ovens? And, Baby Borns? Take a walk through memory lane and see what your younger self yearned for...
14 Things We Still Want From The 1999 Argos Catalogue
1 of 141. Easy Bake Oven
What says a young girl constrained by the gendering of their sex more than a desperate desire to be the sole proprietor of a kitchen tool?
2 of 142. Discman
SO high-tech for 1999.
3 of 143. The Way Things Worked
You knew you were a cool kid when you had this series before the school library did.
4 of 144. Pocahontas Costume
In the woke light of today, it's a no.
5 of 145. Mr Frosty Ice Cream Factory
Never trust a child that makes their own ice.
6 of 146. Baby Born
On reflection, what was possibly fun about having a doll that constantly needed feeding and then weed everywhere?
7 of 147. CD Stereo
On reflection, it makes sense why our parents wouldn't buy us a portable radio, because really what self-respecting adult can listen to B*Witched blaring at top volume all hours of the day?
8 of 148. Themed Bedsheets
Making sleepovers better since 1999.
9 of 149. Polly Pocket Mansion
Fact: Polly Pocket had a nicer house than anything available on Help To Buy.
10 of 1410. GameBoy
More advanced than an electronic Disney game, less hardcore than a PlayStation. Otherwise known as the dream.
11 of 1411. Cosmetics Collection
It's super creepy for a child to have a bigger make-up collection than me, a 28-year-old beauty editor.
12 of 1412. Play Till
Who else learnt basic arithmetic on one of these fake tills?
13 of 1413. Spinning Sindy
Seriously, what was more fun than a doll that could also be used as a weapon?
14 of 1414. Educational Electronics
When we were young enough to be fooled into thinking that learning could be fun as long as it came with an electronic accessory.
All images courtesy of Retro Mash
This article originally appeared on Grazia.
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