The Retro Blog

I have gained two things by watching this commercial. The first is the knowledge that Pop Tarts are a lot older that I originally thought. The second is that putting ice cream on a pop tart is a brilliant idea. How did I never think of it before?

This Foreign Policy article called Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan… brings us images of an Afghanistan wholly unlike the ones we see today. Scans from 1950s and 60s show a country where women were able to pursue careers in medicine and Western clothing was hip. In the picture above two pencil skirt wearing women browse for music at a record store.

13 year old Jimmy Page (of Led Zeppelin fame) plays some hokey music about cotton fields and nervously explains how he wants to study germs.
[via Laughing Squid]

I always wanted to visit Children’s Fairyland in Oakland when I was living in San Francisco, but they had this pesky rule about adults needing to be with a kid to get in. I had plotted to drag a friend’s baby brother there, but that just seemed like too much work. Thankfully this 25 minute commercial for the 60 year old theme park on youtube gives you a pretty good idea of what a visit is like. I love how epic it is. America the beautiful plays as the narrator tells us about man’s modern wonders like skyscrapers, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Children’s Fairyland theme park.

[via boing boing.]

If you skipped the post title, you might have no idea who the model with the 1920s inspired look is. Yes, it’s Mad Men’s Betty Draper, who recently did a whole series of vintage Paris inspired photos at MARKTBeauty.

As a West Coast girl, my body is simply not supposed to suffer through the humidity of a Japanese summer. I’m dreaming of lakes with rope swings and picnic baskets of icy lemonade. What goes better with that than a retro swimsuit? Here’s a few I’ve got my eyes on.

1. The Barbie suit. Just like Mom’s Barbie. Love it.

2. The Sailor Suit. Classic Americana look.

3. Black Polka Dot One Piece. Simple and adorable.

4. Royal Blue One Piece. A classic retro shape in a less common color.

5. Retro Navy Bikini. I don’t like to show too much skin but this is one of those rare bikinis that doesn’t go too far for my tastes. Now I just need to find a hat an a plane to go with it.

It’s already the 4th of July here in Japan, not that it has any significance here. For you Americans that actually get to enjoy a three day weekend, here are some tips for having a fabulously retro Independence Day. I really need to get me a retro swimsuit…

Oh Jello. How you were abused in the 1950s. This list of12 Terrifying Jell-O Recipes. Bad ideas include cheese, meat, salmon, mushrooms, chicken, beef tongue, horseradish, and lobster. ::shudders::

Pink Tentacle has a lovely collection of 1930s Japanese illustrations of transportation from the future. This is a giant wheeled car, and other illustrations include a boat that holds smaller boats and a fun two-wheeled monorail.

Slapping a camper onto a Volkswagon Beetle might seem a little sketchy to some of us, but this post at Web Urbanist proves that it can be done.

[via dude craft]