How Retro.com

Rag Curls

Years ago, way back when I was a pig-tailed precocious brat in Primary School, there was a girl in my class called Dorothy. Everything about Dorothy was nice - from her perfectly packed, healthy lunchbox to her beautiful manners and impeccable clothes....and most of all her hair.

Retro Knitting Patterns

The Knitting Revival

Retro Knits by Voyageur Press

Old knitting patterns have become very popular of late - mainly because there are some great retro styles to be found among them that just aren't available today.

Once upon a time, knitting was a standard activity for many women, however as more women entered the workforce in the latter part of the 20th century and were pressed by time constraints and other distractions, the popularity of knitting receded. In addition cheap, mass produced knits made the labour intensive art of knitting even less appealing.

But...store bought machine knits just don't have the feel and look of a hand-knitted item. It's the blood, sweat and tears of working those needles over and over again that weaves a kind of history and individualism into the knit. In the 21st century the age old art of knitting has made a resurgence.

It Makes Cents!
1966 was a big year for Australia - for one thing, it was the year our currency changed from pounds, shillings and pence to the decimal system. The changeover at the Royal Mint in London was given the title "operation fastbuck" - everything had to be ready by the 14th of February and new coins dispatched Australia-wide to the banks. At first there was public resistance to the change and a transitional period of dual currency but the government kindly provided the population with a catchy little jingle to help us along...

Modern Raggedy Anne doll by Russ Berrie

Before Bratz dolls and before Barbie and friends, there was Raggedy Ann-an old-fashioned gal who wore bloomers, button boots and a pinafore. A little behind the times fashion-wise, yes...yet the doll has a kind of timeless appeal and for very young children, she still presents as a simple, friendly face with a cosy, huggable body.

Bubbles are still fun for kids. Source

Bubble pipes have been around for gosh knows how long and they're still good for some inexpensive, old-fashioned fun. I say pipe but most bubble blowers these days have dispensed with the pipe shape due to the smoking connotations - no-one wants to encourage children to emulate a smoker, so they've gone the way of chocolate cigarettes and candied cigars. The original idea for the pipes could well have been inspired by the exotic hookah - a traditional pipe where the smoke is cooled by water, making a characteristic bubbling sound when sucked on.

Elizabeth Arden

There's big money in beauty. For proof, one need look no further than the compelling story of cosmetics giant Elizabeth Arden (born Florence Nightingale Graham), who, at the peak of her career, was considered the wealthiest woman in the world. Quite an achievement for a Canadian nursing school drop-out, at a time when few women could climb to the top in the male-dominated sphere of big business.

Arden's venture into cosmetics began in New York in the early part of the last century, when she worked as a book keeper for a pharmaceutical firm, picking up some valuable information about skincare along the way. This was followed by a brief stint working for Eleanor Adair, a beauty consultant, or as it was known then, a 'beauty culturalist'. In turn, this lead to a partnership with another culturalist, Elizabeth Hubbard. The partnership was dissolved soon after but in its place, Elizabeth Arden was born, run solely by its proprietor, Florence Graham. The name was a fusion, formed from Hubbard's Christian name and a narrative poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson - Enoch Arden.

Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald

Tis Love and Love alone

If any couple can be blamed for unrealistic Hollywood notions of true love and eternal happiness, it's Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. The two popular singers embodied an irrepressible optimism about life, love and the happy ending. Utilising their warmth, natural charm and sweet voices, they sang and acted their way through a series of films that played heavily upon the emotional strings of viewers.

In the 1930s, when the world was less cynical about such things, these two were a huge box office draw. Via beautifully contrived and poignant plot lines, they had audiences dabbing their eyes and leaving the theatre with an uplifting view that there might be hope for the human race after all. Even today, it's hard to resist them -at least for anyone with the remotest flicker of romantic yearning.