For the love of Retro..

Parle-G Day

2011-05-08T20:44:00.005+05:30

I know I haven't updated this blog in a while; life has been unforgivingly busy. But here it is my latest post, an ad from the yesteryears. For over 6 decades now Parle G has served every generation to cross its path. Of course, being an Indian product, only those of you from India will be able to relate to the nostalgia this print ad depicts.

Smokin'

2010-09-30T22:54:00.003+05:30

It's been a while since I posted a retro advert, my first love, on this blog. So here it is, from the days when cigarette ads were legal and smoking was actually a cool thing, a series of ads for the Chesterfield Cigarettes.

Old Fame

2010-09-14T13:40:00.006+05:30

Yay! I'm famous.. I won an award!

I was chosen amongst the Top 40 Modern Art blogs of 2010 by BestBlogger! :D

Well, I definitely, owe it all to you. So, just for being such a nice reader, this week I'll treat you to a piece of the celebdom.

Below, are some retro pictures of some of the very famous celebrities of our time. I'm sure you may have seen most of these, but just putting them all together here..

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The Wilde Wilde Oscar

2010-07-20T22:51:00.003+05:30

This is a very popular portrait shot of the much theologised writer Oscar Wilde. I have read him too little, to judge but nevertheless, I simply adore this sepia tainted, time lorn picture of him.

I love to watch him just sit there in his fur cloak and the handsome cane an look right back at you. Yes, I admit I have a secret crush on him (which I suppose isn't a secret anymore!)

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Kissed by a Sailor

2010-06-15T00:49:00.004+05:30

Thousands of people gathered at Times Square on the 14th of August, 1945 in New York City to listen to the official announcement of the 'End of the War'. And when that sign flashed at 7:03 with the much awaited message by President Truman, it was like the heavens had opened it's door at Times Square.

There were cries of victory, laughter amongst the cheering crowd, strangers hugged each other and sailors kissed their maidens...

This one above is taken by renown photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, but the one below is the same picture, taken from a different angle, by Navy photographer Victor Jorgensen, who has received little credit for his work which some say is more published than the other usually to the credit of the Navy and sometimes, mistakenly, to credited to Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Either ways I love both these photographs, gives you that mushy kinda feeling of love, despite war!

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UP

2010-06-03T23:38:00.004+05:30

My most favourite mush movie of this century was UP! and I couldn't be more excited when I found this retro style poster/s of the movie.

So here it is in all it's fading colours and glory,

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Pin me up... again!

2010-04-21T09:33:00.005+05:30

A few months ago I posted an article about the vintage glory of the Pin-Up girls. Now here it is, the second in installment, just as I promised.

From the days forgotten..

2010-03-24T07:46:00.003+05:30

Things you won't believe they tried to sell - 2

2010-03-20T16:20:00.004+05:30

A few months a go I wrote a post about some adverts of the weird vintage products they tried to sell. Well, the good news is that it doesn't stop there. Here is second in installment of the funniest products they tried to sell..

Stay away from her

2010-02-09T03:02:00.004+05:30

An advert from the war times asking men to 'save' themselves from the wrath of the hookers. Of course, someone with STD is one less soldier on the battlefield, so I can understand the intentions of this ad. But, something about it is very twisted and disturbing and its not just one thing that I can't place my finger on.

Besides, I feel extremely sorry for that model. This definitely wasn't a highlight in her career/resume.

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Baby Gator

2010-01-26T04:16:00.004+05:30

A funny vintage picture that I came across on Nether Region of the Earth, one of the many cool blogs run by Argentum Vulgaris.

What Doreen does best? Those men behind her must be her body guards, incase the Alligator changes his mind about giving Baby Doreen a gator-back!

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Don't call us, we'll call you!

2010-01-21T23:04:00.002+05:30

An interesting ad from the war times, reflects the era of rising CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)...

I lost my appetite (4)

2010-01-06T12:34:00.002+05:30

And worms they fed us.... in all its Golden Glory!

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"Its in the fridge!"

2009-12-23T22:43:00.006+05:30

The line we use ever so often - "Its in the fridge" and the one thing we just can't live without. Below are some of the ads that traces the evolution of this super appliance, in no particular order, - The Refrigerator!

Retro Nagging?!!

2009-12-09T15:25:00.005+05:30

Click to enlarge..you won't regret it! :)

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Things you won't believe they tried to sell - 1

2009-12-03T23:14:00.005+05:30

A few inventions from the past. Some worked (although, not quite the way it was planned!!), some didn't...

Watch this space for more!

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The Children of the Past

2009-11-23T00:03:00.010+05:30

Just when you thought that little kids could sell your ads better, think again. Here I have a small compilation of the adverts endorsed by the creepy kids from the past.

Disclaimer: Although, these kids are mostly the figments of the artist's imagination. (Makes you wonder, about his childhood?), please forgive me if any of these pictures below resemble your kids or are them. And I am really really sorry (believe me!) if they are your pictures! ;)

Wonder blood!

So you think I'm cute & innocent?!

I love these wormy things!

Oh goody! more wormy stuff...

One thing is for sure that kids back then loved gory food... ;) I should have probably tagged this under Creepy foods too (I Lost My Appetite)

The life and times of Betty Crocker

2009-11-17T20:10:00.004+05:30

The ionic housewife of the ages - Betty Crocker, too has waded through the drift and tide of times. Despite this she has always been symbolic of domestic perfection to some and ideological decadence to others.

For those of you who don't know who she is, hang your heads in shame and then read this, for the others here is an interesting collage of her metamorphosis through the ages,

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I lost my appetite (3)

2009-11-11T22:42:00.003+05:30

You like Salad. You like Jello. How about a Salad Jello? :P

Buy a housewife instead...

2009-11-08T23:22:00.007+05:30

Women did a lot of selling back then and even now, the difference was that back then they more or less kept their clothes on!!

That should solve Billy's problems at school!

This one, on the other hand, seems to be more visually honest...

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Ah-men

2009-11-06T08:30:00.007+05:30

We'll burn your fat

2009-10-26T05:56:00.009+05:30

These are a few advertisement from World War II, urging housewives to save cooking fat and turning them in for the use of the American troops during war. Impressively, for their time these ads are not only very creative but also quite humorous considering the serious tension of that hour.

Please click on the images for a larger view to read the text!)

Pin me up!!

2009-10-10T03:02:00.014+05:30

I would never want to use sleaze to sell my blog, but then it would be a shame to not mention Pin-Up models whilst discussing the true Retro. Now I am not talking about Heffner's blonde muses, but when I say 'Pin-Up', I talk of the true American Pin Up girls like Bettie Page and artists like Gil Elvgren, who in their own way, 'inspired' the men in our history books with their colours, beauty and pantyhose!

So here I present, trying hard not to steer towards perversity, some pictures from the bunker wall of any Average Joe American U.S. marine, soldier or cop from the 50's.

So much for now, but I'll be back with some more. So, stay pinned! :)

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Ironic Depression

2009-09-29T18:05:00.004+05:30

Shall I say dark humour or a very dirty joke, but either ways this makes a very interesting photograph from the depression days.

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I lost my appetite (2)

2009-09-23T03:16:00.005+05:30

A follow up to my ealier post about creepy food product ads. What were the thinking?!

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Premonitions - 9/11 (Creepy!)

2009-09-11T14:34:00.008+05:30

It seemed so apt to put these ads up today. Funny, how the world goes around!

And this one below, although not real, was one of the really creepy pranks that went around the internet. It also apparently won a best 9/11 Photoshopped picture contest.

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Retrograde Again..

2009-08-31T15:58:00.009+05:30

I had earlier published a post with a few regressive ads that were very derogatory to the 'weaker' sex. Well, here is the second installment of the follies of the past. Click on the images for a larger view.

(The text reads as'Surf helped her prove she was such a scatterbrain after all..') Hmmph?!!

(Since when is wife beating a 'daring' task??!)

(And where, may I ask, is that??!)

(And how would you like it if she spit in your face??!)

I am sorry for Communism...

2009-08-30T13:56:00.006+05:30

...and I'm sorry about the oil!!

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Creepy Pre 9/11 Advertisment

2009-08-26T13:10:00.008+05:30

Some really creepy adverts that featured before 9/11,

1979

1984

1990

...and the most creepiest!

oddee.com

The spots on my pans!

2009-08-16T09:03:00.005+05:30

Couple of funny ads, a reminiscence from the days when a washing powder could save your marriage...

An answer to the Cold War...

2009-08-13T08:55:00.004+05:30

... soft tissue papers!!

(Click to enlarge image!)

I lost my appetite (1)

2009-08-13T07:32:00.003+05:30

This advertisment was probably made with good intentions, but really, what were they thinking.

Just for him

2009-08-07T01:54:00.004+05:30

1970, featuring Veronica Hamel.

Text reads as follow,

"Sure. You live with him and take care of him and hang up his clothes. But just because you do the things a wife's supposed to do, don't forget you're still a woman.

On of the nicest things you can do for a man is take good care of your skin. That means Sardo. No other bath oil or bead has Sardo's unique dry skin formula. It's pure bath oil. The richest. The best. 3 out of 4 women saw and felt and loved the difference after just one Sardo bath.

How about you? Why don't you do something soft and young and special for him. Feel wonderful all over with Sardo."

Hmmph!! So, After I do all THAT for him, I still need to do more??!

If my husbands 'deserves' good skin after I have hung his clothes and cooked him dinner he can get one for himself and if he demands for one he can simply take a hike. I can sure do well without him. For one, there will be a lot less clothes to hang!

Retro Royalties

2009-07-31T19:19:00.019+05:30

The recent death of the last queen from India, Rajmata Gayatri Devi, saw a wave of nostalgia across the nation for our royalties. Hundreds of her old pictures have bedecked the media last few days. Today's, post will feature some of those majestic images of India's most glorious regnant, a reminiscence of the splendiferous days, now past.

She was a beautiful women, to hard to be compared with any other, yet has sometimes been called the India dream in a Sari. She is listed as one of the 10 most beautiful woman by the Vogue.

Rajmata Gayatri Devi was born in 1919 in the royal family of Cooch Behar.

This is a 1962 picture with Jackie Kennedy.

This is a picture with her husband (notice the car behind them!)

She was a fine markswoman and had slain her first leopard at the age of 12!

Another picture with her husband, dated May 17th, 1956.

Although, she remained an epitome of style and glamour even in her later years, she earned her respect among the masses for other ideals, too. She was elected to the Parliament three times between 1962 and 1971 and was also popular amongst the lower classes and women for her relentless work for their cause. She also strongly opposed the emergency of 1975 by Indira Gandhi.

But she quit politics after a 5 month stint in Tihar Jail for tax evasion violation.

The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen.

Commonplace India

2009-07-28T13:42:00.005+05:30

This a 1952 Ad for Marlboro, for chain smokers, they say! Click on the inage for a larger view.

Escape from the 'commonplace'. And what common place is that - India? Hmmph!

Btw, Kathmandu is not in India, as the ad suggests. It's in Nepal, a country neighbouring India, has always been. Smoking kills the brain cells, now we know!

Rita Hayworth & the cola redemption!

2009-07-25T12:37:00.004+05:30

Another Endorsement. More primitive. More simplified. Beautiful.

Action Jeans!

2009-07-22T22:58:00.006+05:30

...and won't rip from the middle!!

For times when you need to get into a fight.

Endorsements..

2009-07-22T21:30:00.006+05:30

In case you didn't know, here is Elizabeth Taylor telling you how she washes her face!!

The funny thing is, Lux hasn't seem to change it's advertising strategy and brand placement in ages. We still get the same ad's, with exact same tag line - A soap for the star (In Hindi: Sitaron ki pasand!), with the only difference of a new celebrity every few years.

A White Man's Burden

2009-07-21T14:12:00.010+05:30

This is a poster of an ad for Union Carbide to its market in India in the year 1962 (Click on the image for a larger view). The visuals of this ad are painfully mocking to its succeeding catastrophe. The tag line is even more apt - 'A hand in things to come'.

For those of you who don't know, Union Carbide was responsible for the Bhopal Gas tragedy in India in the year 1984, which not only took many lives, but people are still enduring long term health consequences, only because they decided to wash their hands off whole business. The victims of the tragedy and the victims of the later consequences, till date have not received any form of rehabilitation. Read more about it here and see some of the horrifying images of whats left today.

Indian God?

2009-07-21T01:59:00.006+05:30

I have lived in India all my life. I know my people tend to boast of their 84k Gods, but I am pretty sure I never heard of 'Perry Davis' - The God of medicines.

Now Really?? Hmmph!

Retrograde

2009-07-20T07:22:00.007+05:30

You know how it is these days, the little kids seem to be an object of every advertisement. Be it floor cleaning acids or life insurance, you are bound to be treated with a widely grinning rugrat. Well that was the case with the women in the 50's and 60's, always the object!

Here are a few of those regressive ads. Have a good laugh, girls!

dailymail.co.uk

Welcome

2009-07-20T06:29:00.001+05:30

Hi,

Welcome to my new Blog - For the love of Retro.

The post here will satisfy my fascination for all things retro and old.

I will regularly update it with Retro artwork, advertisements & snippets.

Although, I will try my best to provide due credit for all information and images, please forgive me if I let slip on any copyright territory. In such a case do mail me and let me know, I will address the issue immediately.

Peace,
Ruchi

Something about..

2009-07-19T06:53:00.000+05:30