Nostalgic Flashback Of The 1950s Era

Since I grew up in the 1950's it is fun for me toshoes or saddle
reflect on someshoes that came in all color combinations and styles
of the nifty things during that era.Drive In Theatresfrom light
Known then as the "passion pit", Drive In Theatresweight to the original heavier oxford in black and
bring backwhite.
many happy memories!The sleeves were always cuffed and rolled on the
My birthday being in July was the prime season forgirls short
Drive Insleeve shirts, and finished off with a scarf around
movies. I would invite all my friends over tothe neck.
celebrate myWool skirts with the length at the middle of the calf
birthday complete with my mother's homemadewith a slit
barbeque sandwiches which was my favorite.Shein the back. The favorite hair styles were pony tails,
would make it from sliced rump roast and then layand
the meat in an electric skillet smothered in barbequeshoulder length hair that was rolled at the ends with
sauce. Just before dark we would all pile into a carbangs and
and head for the drive In. I still remember theusually a side part. Barrettes were often used as
intermission jingle "Let's all go to the lobby" with thedecoration and
hot dog, soda drink and popcorn dancing across theto hold the hair away from the face. The boys
screen.typical clothes
The Drive In was the favorite place to go on a datewere blue jeans with cuffed legs, a t-shirt with rolled
and the aftersleeves,
the show we would go to the Steak n Shake for aor a shirt with the back of the collar turned up. They
hamburger andwore
fries.various short hair styles ranging from the butch to
At that time you stayed in your car and your foodslightly
was brought tolonger Elvis style that was combed back and held in
you. A tray holder was placed on the drivers sideplace with
window to hold the food. It was just brought to myVO5 Hair Dressing into a duck tail or DA as it was
attention from my teenage grandchildren that "goingcalled.
steady" is no longer used.Going to church on Easter Sunday was a sight to
I asked them what do you call it now? They repliedbehold! All the
just "goingwomen and young girls (me included) wore a hat
out". Makes no sense to me, but that is how timesadorned with
change. Back in the 50's and 60's when you wereartificial flowers along with white gloves.Toys and
"going steady", the girl would be given her boyfriendsHobbies
ring to wear. Because they were always too big toI wasn't much into dolls as a child because I
fit, we would wrap the back with white bandagepreferred to be
tape and then cover that with fuzzy angora yarn inoutside exploring or making something with my
different colors.. way too cool!hands. The one doll
The only place you could buy the angora in mythat I did enjoy for a short time was the Ginny Doll
town was athat is
department store downtown and I can stilltucked away in a closet complete with all the
remember that they didclothes,
not have cash registers at the counters, but insteadaccessories and furniture along with a Toni Doll still in
the clerkthe
would send your money through a vacuum tubeoriginal box almost untouched. The Toni Doll was a
that led upstairs toChristmas gift
the cashiers office. It was much like the drive inand I was evidently at the age that it just didn't
banking tube that is used today.Rock n Rollinterest me
The summer of 1955 with Bill Haley's song "Rockmuch.
Around the Clock"Easy Bake Oven has been around for 50 plus years
changed the music we listened to forever. I wasas I was given
hooked.one for Christmas when I was 8 years old and
Then came Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Fatsmade and ate all the
Domino, andcakes the first night. Needless to say, I got very
the rest is history. Every Saturday I would walksick later
downtown tothat night!
Lindstrom's Record store and listen to the latest hitsOne of my weekly downtown stops was the local
and alwaysHobby Shop that
come home with at least one new 45. In mysold Paint by Number products. I would sit at a desk
bedroom next to my bedin the
was my radio that I would listen to every night justsunroom and paint for hours. I painted a black tole
to hear thewaste basket
newest songs. Radio at that time was AM only andand Kleenex box holder that was given to my
at night withMother as a gift.
less interference in the airwaves I could pick up aThey also sold magic tricks that fascinated me and I
station fromwould give
Little Rock which was about 600 miles from where Imagic shows at home on the piano bench covered
lived. Thewith a black
commercial that I will never forget was for Whiteantique crazy quilt. Two other toys I have fond
Rosememories of was the Hula Hoop and the Slinky.Burma
Petroleum Jelly. I was so excited the night I heardShave
the song "SeaThe old motels are now a thing of the past having
Cruise" that I ran down to Lindstrom's to buy it onlybeen replaced
to find outwith travel hotels. More rooms in a smaller space,
that it wasn't available yet.but not as
My parents did not like Rock n Roll and would say itconvenient as the motels where you would park
sounds likeright in front of
noise. They did however "put up" with it and allowedyour room.
me to playWhen our family would take car trips we would see
my record player as loud as it would go which wasthe Burma Shave
not very loudsigns along the road and read them out load as we
when compared to today's stereos. Now we have apassed them.
stereo in theDON'T TRY PASSING, ON A SLOPE, UNLESS YOU
living room, a portable stereo in the garage completeHAVE, A PERISCOPE, BURMA-SHAVE.If computers
withhad come along 45 years sooner, I think my life
subwoofer, subwoofers on our computers and awould have been very different. Oh well, better late
subwoofer in thethan never.Barbara Wangelid along with her husband
car. My love for music has stayed with me and theTobbe are the owners of
music and thewhere you can purchase vintage and retro
equipment to play it with just keeps gettingreproduction signs, enamelware, antique labels, 1950's
better.Clothesretro, and classic pedal cars.
Cuffed bobbie socks worn with suede "buckskin"