Back in MY day…
You know how it goes.
The past is always considered a “golden age” by those who lived through it.
Everything was simpler, somehow better. Men were gentlemen and women were ladies (and people will swear that there was nothing in between).
Of course, the truth is that not much has changed about people themselves. And while, sure, things are more complicated in an interconnected world, it’s also safer and slightly more equal…sometimes. Well, at least we have seatbelts.
“The world’s going to hell in a handbasket” some people say – and their parents said it to them, and their parents before them.
But nostalgia is a real phenomenon and no matter how much people try to tear your wonderful memories of the past away from you, you remember those wholesome family Christmases, car trips, beach parties, etc. – and you remember them your way. So will today’s kids, someday.
They shout back “OK, Boomer,” and you brustle. Well, WE say “OK, Boomer, here’s a look at some blasts from the past that you might enjoy.”
Click ahead to see some highlights from the past, in living color:
1. Old school in every way
And is that not the most old-school dad you’ve ever seen? Or is he the car salesman?
No, wait, a woman wouldn’t be choosing a car for herself in the 50s! Gasp! But she does have a waistline to die for.
How many miles to the gallon you reckon’ that bad boy gets?
2. Groovy library
Aside from the hair, the clothes are pretty on-trend for these days.
Pardon us while we reminisce about the card catalog…
3. Fine young lads
They have nostalgia in other countries too, ya know.
We’re sure they were off to do something very responsible and upstanding with their time after this photo was taken, as all young men did back in the 60s.
4. It’s cool to be prepared
The cool thing about this is that his kids can wear that uniform now and their friends will think they’re referencing Moonrise Kingdom, but dad will know they’re just trolling him.
5. Ancient meets modern
Boomers, you should have taken a page from your parents’ vacation handbook when it came to looking good on the Acropolis AND passed that on to the next generation!
6. Road trip!
In all seriousness, the kids were probably miserable and everyone was sweating, but what an absolutely fabulous photo!
It’s certainly one that must bring out the family stories around the holidays.
7. Family lineup
Aside from the cars and the tucked in shirt, we’re not sure a group of men headed off to work – or do whatever manly thing they were off to do – would look much different these days.
8. A sign of the times
We certainly don’t recognize this 50s version – in fact, it wasn’t until we saw the Flatiron Building that we believed it was really NYC.
9. Itemized
Everything about this is pure old school – from the number of days mom stayed in the hospital (4!) to just how little it cost to do it.
10. The 70s were a trip
This side-by-side of the same man is so incredible because you can see a difference in every little thing – from the collar on his shirt to…well, all that hair!
11. Ready for some football
We’ll grant you the sweatshirt makes it a little more wholesome, but it was probably a cold night. We give them sweatshirts today too.
12. Best friends
He sure does look comfy for a kid who no doubt has to get up every few minutes and fix the antennas though.
Remember those days?!
13. “Fresh air”
Looks like you had to head for the water if you really wanted some fresh air.
14. Family fun
They just try not to knock over the 72″ flat screen television while they do it.
Remember when you couldn’t knock over a TV even if you tried?!
And, oh, those curtains!
15. Safety first
Whatever happened to driving gloves anyway? Can we bring those back?
In 1959, Volvo invented the 3-point seat belt, then gave a free license to all other car manufacturers to use it. from r/TheWayWeWere
16. The price of education
But wow! Without a $30 million recreation center on every corner of campus, it turns out college could be affordable.
But then what would donors put their names on?
My dad’s total cost for a semester of college back in 1970. Would be $250 today! from r/TheWayWeWere
17. Studying the past
That hair, on the other hand…
18. Blue light special
The main difference is that all the parents are forcing their kids to behave – and the parents are behaving too.
19. Prodigal son
Can you imagine how much that a wine of that vintage might be worth these days?
Cheers!
20. Customer service
Have you ever seen someone look so happy and fulfilled handing over a soda and 5000 calories worth of food?
21. Fancy pants
What a fabulous photo though – we wonder what the occassion was.
22. The pinnacle of style
And they looked slick as all get-out!
Too bad it wasn’t Ali’s best showing – but at least he kept fans entertained for 15 rounds!
A pair of extravagantly dressed fans as they pose next to a Cadillac car outside of Madison Square Garden prior to a boxing match between Muhammad Ali & Oscar Bonavena (December 7, 1970). Photo by Bill Ray from r/TheWayWeWere
23. Marketing meyhem
Now someone would call the cops in just about any neighborhood if they saw kids this young on their own.
24. Sixties summers
That is, until you see the prices!
And who, exactly, is ordering asparagus at the beach?!
25. Too risqué, or just like today?
Some of these old school photos will make a hypocrite out of a parent or grandparent real fast.
Fashionistas Back When Short Shorts Were Still Widely Considered Risqué – Los Angeles 1950s from r/TheWayWeWere
26. 7/11 will outlast us all
But 7/11 is still there for us when we forget the milk on the way home.
27. Swingin’ Sydney
You just weren’t likely to find a Vauxhall Viva skidding around the streets.
28. Hippies were everywhere
But don’t think cultural movements didn’t make their way all the way around the world.
29. Junior high history
Little did anyone know that a few decades later some schools would send a female student home for those bare shoulders.
30. We want one!
We don’t even know why you’d want to sit backwards in a car, we just know that the combination of hot pink and a rotating seat is really working for us.
31. Reality
Don’t you love how literally every dad in the neighborhood came out to help hook up that boat?
32. Better days
It’s nice to see it in its Christmas-y heydey.
33. Memphis hair
We’re not sure what’s happening here but it’s a beautiful photo of a lovely lady. And aside from the hair we’re pretty sure we have that whole look somewhere in our closet.
34. Little princess
Potato chips, cake, some dolls, The Beatles – and all the candy cigarettes you can possibly “smoke” to look cool with your friends.
35. She’s got legs
In this case, it’s just all about the legs. After all, no one can ride a scooter in a dress that short!
36. Theme party
We just have one question – how did girls not end up with bathing suits uncomfortably full of water with all that extra fabric around the midsections?
37. Big girl sleepover
From the curlers to the nightgowns this is one sweet sleepover.
38. Family meal
Or maybe Thanksgiving since it looks like there might be two sets of grandparents.
Either way, that’s one impressive stack of white bread on the table!
39. Going out of the house “like that”
Is the grocery store not “out”? We’re pretty sure it’s a public place.
40. Sad beauty
It doesn’t take long to realize this is part of a more shameful past – one that was happening side-by-side with all the rest of these fun-loving photos.
41. Throwing back
Props to her no matter what the situation.
42. They’ve got class
We remember lining up on those bleachers and being shifted around constantly by the class photographer.
We’re just pleased they got those epic knee socks in the shot!
43. Just friends
But it’s more about the fabulous formalwear anyway.
44. Fly the friendly skies
We will think of this with great bitterness next time we get on a red-eye flight and cram ourselves into 1 square foot of space.
45. The rhythm is gonna getcha!
But that looks like a truly excellent party!
46. The Christmas spirit
Apparently that’s what passed for fancy back in the 50s.
47. Sweet as can be
This little girl is the picture of 70s childhood perfection in her ruffled dress.
48. Saturday night fever
It’s always best to look for them if you’re a teenage girl about to ask if you can wear something she might consider too revealing.
49. Pink poodles
In the meantime, make sure you find pet-safe dye if you’re going to do something silly like make your dog pink.
In the fifties Poodles became the most popular dog in the US and dyeing them was common, Nebraska, 1958 from r/TheWayWeWere
50. Buzzing
We imagine you have to be really careful at the pool so you don’t mess that up.
51. First-class
It’s gonna be a LOOOOONG time before we see a cheese cart on an airplane again.
52. Flower power
Were eyes less sensitive to color clashing in the 70s?
53. Woman, camera, car, hair
And can we just talk about how long it must have taken for mom to get her hair that big? We hope she’s going somewhere besides the garage.
54. Work style
His, not so much.
And we think she might be loading tapes into a computer mainframe. But honestly, we’ve never seen a computer that big in our lives.
55. Banana board vs. space shuttle
Apparently, there were fewer safety precautions in place in the 70s.
A brother and sister pose for a photo in front of the Space Shuttle Enterprise in 1977. from r/TheWayWeWere
56. That’s so 70s
Not that we can see what he’s really feeling – other than ruffly.
57. Lookin’ good
It usually had a piano in it.
This one has a TV though, so perhaps this dapper young man’s family really did sit on that plastic while hanging out in the evening.
58. Wolverine, sans X-men
We don’t understand it and it seems like it would be pretty uncomfortable, but they were around in the centuries before as well, so they must have some appeal.
59. Family picnic
We love dad in his suit and tie, not wanting to get dirty on the family outing.
60. My how things have changed
But some of those antique shops are still there!
As for saddle shoes and plaid skirts – not so much.
People post all sorts of family photos that are sure to take you back down memory lane.
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