The cultural phenomenon Stranger Things hit our Netflix accounts last summer, and it was an instant hit.
It was like the Duffer Brothers sat down one night while the IT mini-series was on TV and asked: “What would happen if we were to write a show that cashed in on the nostalgia of two different generations?”
This is what happened and they did an AMAZING job.
UPDATE: With Stranger Things’ Season 2 now having crushed us the best way it knew how — Lovecraftianly, I might add — we decided to bring back the best Stranger Things merchandise out there just for you and yours.
NO DEMOGORGONS ALLOWED. (Unless they’re in the form of Stranger Things merchandise or Stranger Things pops…)
1. A Waldo-Style Where’s Barb? Book? Yes, Please!
Source: thinkgeek.comWhere's Waldo? books defined my childhood in the early 90s. I loved nothing more than when school friends would bring their Where's Waldo? books on school trips (I never had one myself, I always wanted one) so I could find the red and white stripped geek (like me). I didn't think there would ever be a way to best that until Stranger Things teamed up with the people behind the Where's Waldo? books to create Where's Barb? Find Barb the way you would have done Waldo, in a bunch of different scenes that are inspired by and taken straight from the TV show!
Get the Where's Barb? Book on thinkgeek.com
2. Stranger Things + Cats = this “Mangier Things” Metallic Print
Source: etsy.com
Never could I have imagined that anything could be cuter than the Demogorgon itself until I saw a cat cosplaying him. This print is adorable and funny, and Barb-cat remains the coolest of the litter.
Get the Stranger Things Cat Poster on etsy.com
3. Barb “Missing” Enamel Pin #JusticeForBarb
Source: amazon.com
It surprised some people that a character whose arc lasted two episodes, pre and post-mortem, became so popular, but not I. With her blouse and her oversized glasses, Barb was clearly just a time traveling hipster.
Get the Barb Pin on amazon.com
4. Gorillaz’ Demon Days Inspired Character Tee
Source: teepublic.com
Nostalgiaz may even be a catchier name than Gorillaz, but don’t tell Damon Albarn. He may get cross. This crossover t-shirt is such a good idea and perfect for music nerds everywhere.
Get the Stranger Things Shirt on teepublic.com
5. Color in Some Stranger Things Than Pokemon
Source: amazon.com
Art therapy in an Upside Down bound form? I’m sold. My favorite thing when it comes to coloring books is coloring them however I like. If I want Joyce Byers to have a rainbow complexion and neon orange parker, then by DemoGODgon, she’s gonna.
Get the Stranger Things Coloring Book on amazon.com
6. Stranger Things Text Logo Ringer Tee (aka EPIC Stranger Things Merchandise)
Source: amazon.com
Not sure when it was exactly that ringers came back into fashion, but when they did, I instantly wanted all of them. They just so happen to fit the Stranger Things aesthetic perfectly, too.
Get the Stranger Things Ringer Shirt on amazon.com
7. “Leggo My Eggo” Earrings
Source: amazon.com
The boys didn’t do too bad of a job dressing El up in drag using Nancy’s clothes, but don’t you think Mike would’ve gotten kissed sooner if he’d have gifted her waffle earrings?
Get the Eleven Waffle Earrings on amazon.com
8. Be a Barb Tri-Blend T-Shirt #JusticeForBarb
Source: amazon.com
In a world full of Nancys, you must be a Barb or die trying. Why? Because while being unique is a surefire way to get you killed in an 80’s movie, at least you get to die fabulous.
Get the Be a Barb Shirt on amazon.com
9. Eleven’s Eggo Waffle Scented Candle
Source: amazon.com
I’m probably going to get one of these for the next time I summon Baphomet, but until then, I might just get one to make my room smell like breakfast. It’s soy, right?
Get the Eleven’s Waffle Scented Candle on amazon.com
10. LIMBO-Stranger Things Mash Up Tee
Source: teepublic.com
LIMBO is a fantastically different video game with a style that does well in rivaling Don’t Starve, with a story to back it up. It’s a mash-up appealing to multiple levels of geekery, what if Will is in LIMBO? (Also, if you like LIMBO — the game, not being in it — check out these awesome LIMBO shirts and LIMBO gifts!)
Get the Stranger Things and Limbo Mashup Shirt on teepublic.com
11. Stranger Things Vol. 1 OST CD Official Stranger Things Merchandise
Source: target.com
A lot of my music discoveries came from tv shows and movies. If there’s a kid who didn’t know Jefferson Airplane before Stranger Things and is now obsessed? There is a God and They have great taste. – Official Stranger Things Merchandise from Netflix.
Get the Stranger Things Music on CD on target.com
12. Mornings are for Stranger Things Glass Coffee Mug
Source: amazon.com
Mornings are for coffee, contemplation, and a lot of other things all of which include coffee as an entity. Coffee is for coffee, coffee, and coffee, and with this quote mug, you get it all. And as a coffee fan, you’ll for sure appreciate these Wonder Woman mugs, Star Wars must-haves, Walking Dead coffee mugs and, in theme with Stranger Things, Ghostbusters mugs.
Get the Stranger Things Glass Coffee Mug on amazon.com
13. Replica 1983 Hawkins Middle School T-Shirt
Source: amazon.com
Is Dustin not your fave? HE’S MINE. I did actually almost cosplay him last Halloween but opted for Dale Cooper because I couldn’t find this shirt.
Get Dustin’s Middle School Shirt on amazon.com
14. Stranger Things Have Happened Than Will Byers Going Missing…
Source: amazon.com
Stranger Things has a hundred scenes that could stand out when you think of the series. Eleven with her bloody nose and blonde wig, Joyce smashing a hole in the wall a la Jack Torrence in the Shining. Even the kids riding their bikes as an homage to Spielberg’s E.T. And then, there’s the scene where they find Will’s bike. This is such a cool piece of art depicting just that. Kinda makes you want it on your office wall, huh? Some other cool, geeky art can be found in some of these video game wall art prints.
Get this gorgeous Stranger Things wall art on amazon.com
15. Eleven’s Vortex of Eggos T-Shirt
Source: bustedtees.com
Honestly, everybody identified when Eleven bought up all those waffles. Waffles give us a one-track mind. Look into it, and you’ll find.
Get the Eleven Eggo Shirt on bustedtees.com
16. Other Patches Don’t Have a Patch On This One
Source: amazon.com
I’m a huge fan of patches in that way that most people these days are a fan of patches. (Mostly, in the way that the 80s have come back so harshly that fanny packs are often covered in them). With patches, you can make any piece of clothing you own entirely unique. Two kids have the same denim pilot jacket as you? Doesn’t matter! Sew a geeky patch onto the sleeve or back that you love and it can never be the same. Not even if said kids get the same patches as you and put them in the same place. That’s NEVER gonna happen. Not even in the Upside Down!
Get this Welcome to the Upside Down iron-on patch on amazon.com
17. Dustin’s Tri-Color Mesh Trucker Hat
Source: amazon.com
Another thing I couldn’t find! This trucker hat is basically identical to Dustin’s in the show, and caps are cool again. All signs point to you getting it. We’ll form a cult.
Get Dustin’s Baseball Cap on amazon.com
18. Nightmare Before Christmas-Inspired Eleven T-Shirt
Source: teepublic.com
Wherein the moon is a waffle, Eleven is Jack, and we all love Tim Burton again. (Did we ever stop? Were we supposed to?)
Get the Nightmare Before Stranger Things Shirt on teepublic.com
19. Funko POP! Collectible Figure: Demogorgon
Source: amazon.com
[wipes away single tear] It’s so beautiful. Like a homicidal flower with teeth. I personally think this POP! would look killer (ha!) beside a Disney Princess one. But, as with many things, that’s just me.
Get the Demogorgan Funko POP on amazon.com
20. Expose Your Inner-Barb with these Earrings
Source: etsy.com
I would (and I will) wear these all day, every day. I want Barb dangling from my ears because I know that she. is. still. alive. (At least I think so…)
UPDATE: DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT BARB OR BOB. IT’S STILL TOO RAW. Instead, have some Harry Potter jewelry.
Get the Barb Earrings on etsy.com
21. Let’s Just Bear in Mind That Halloween Came BEFORE Dart
Source: gamestop.com
Little does wee Ghostbusters Dustin know, after they’ve been trick or treating, that Ghostbusters spirit box right there is gonna be home to a strange, tadpole-like creature that he’s going to name after D’Artagnion (much to the protest of his friends). Even littler does he know, said tadpole-like creature is going to eat his cat and turn into the big bad they spent the entirety of Season 1 tracking down. You’re lucky you’re hilarious, Dustin.
Get the Ghostbusters Dustin POP on gamestop.com
22. Will Gets MVP For His Acting This Season
Source: gamestop.com
Equally, he gets MVP for his Beatles-like hair (also known as a bowl cut and a hairstyle every 80’s kid had, regardless of gender). It was really cool to get to see more about Will Byers, even if a lot of it was witnessing him the supreme kind of pain that had Joyce clinging to Bob instead of her phone this time around. I mean, his scenes with Jonathan even made Jonathan have a point besides being a stand-in for the writers. And that, my friends, is what we call character growth.
Get the Ghostbusters Will POP! on gamestop.com
23. Mike’s Attitude Problem is Nothing Compared to Dart’s
Source: gamestop.com
He’s only slightly — if not actually intensely — mean to Max for a majority of the season, but it’s all because we’re supposed to believe that he and Eleven are In Love. These kids have done Romeo and Juliet in English lit, right? Max totally isn’t there to replace Eleven, and I kinda hope next season we’ll get some scenes with Max and Eleven without the guys’ involvement. That’d be really rad. Minor whining aside, Max is pretty cool.
Get the Ghostbusters Mike Stranger Things POP! on gamestop.com
24. Lucas and His Walkie Talkie Are Clearly OTP
Source: gamestop.com
Forget Lucas and Max and their hand-holding (for tween-age crushes happen and will continue to happen but also unless it’s Chloe and Max (or Rachel, cough), love is a concept that was invented by Hallmark. I do love Lucas on his own, though, and seeing Steve help band the kids back together gave me warm fuzzies. Not to mention, season 2 and Lucas made for the best new character on a TV show since Michonne in The Walking Dead: ERICA.
25. Their Faces When They Find Out MADMAX is a Girl is How I Feel Playing Video Games Online…
Source: amazon.com
It’s super nice to know that things haven’t changed in 30 years in regards to female gamers. But then, it’s also as surprising as the sun rising every day or Darth Vader being Luke’s father. Max was a really intriguing and interesting addition to the group that kinda reminded me a little of Beverly in IT (the movie of which was totally fantastic). I can’t wait to learn more about her family after that cliffhanger, either.
Get the MADMAX Funko POP! on amazon.com
26. Crazy, Mad, Curly-Haired Eleven is My Favorite
Source: amazon.com
Is it just me, or do I say every kind of Eleven is my favorite. Probably, but it is also because, despite the episode that was almost resoundingly hated due to it feeling like the pilot of a spin-off, Eleven is my favorite and punk! Eleven is already on my shortlist for next year’s Halloween costumes. Seeing Hopper look out for her and take care of her was one of my favorite parts of the season. And, since unlocking her character on the 8-bit game, I no longer use any of the others. (That said, if someone could explain Max’s damage being psychic, it would be hella appreciated…)
Get this Season 2 Eleven Pop Vinyl on amazon.com
27. Sorry, Though, Season 2 Needed Way More Joyce
Source: amazon.com
Granted, I think everything in the world needs more Winona Ryder in it. Joyce Byers made her name as the crazy mother of the missing child last season, and this season, she recovered remarkably well. Still understandably neurotic as far as Will is concerned, she gained a love interest who saved the day before going the way of Barb. (SERIOUSLY, IT HURTS). I want more, though. I’d like to know what Joyce is going through and why she is the way she is. I guess we’ll have to wait ’til next season to see…
