# Nostalgia: What would you bring back? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 13, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799 "2009-07-13T00:29:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/41 "2009-07-13T17:22:51Z")
Short-shorts and tight jerseys on professional basketball players. Rowr. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/42 "2009-07-13T17:47:58Z")
The Music Industry. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/43 "2009-07-13T17:52:11Z")
Pre-MTV, pre-digital age rock n roll. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/44 "2009-07-13T18:32:49Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Pre-MTV, pre-digital age rock n roll. Hmm, careful here, as that could conceivably cover Journey, BTO, Kansas, and many other purveyors of 1970s corporate rock, as a counterpoint to early Bruce Springsteen or middle Pink Floyd
 And what’s with all the love for hats, anyway? Hats that serve a purpose (say billed-caps when your working outdoors, or straw hats/brush hats, or woolen caps for cold weather, and so on) make sense to me, but wearing a hat for the heck of it? Bah! As I look at older images of street scenes of the 1940s and 1950s of such sleepy villages as Manhattan (NYC), Chicago, and Philadelphia, it strikes me how many men are NOT wearing hats by then (of course by the late 1950s they’re starting to wear polo/golf shirts and shorts in public, so the revolution had already begun), but of course our concept of the era is probably colored by the suit&hat heavy movies, TV shows, and other posed-images of the era. Hmm, I wonder if the dress code of the ‘typical office’ of the day insisted on hats - how would they enforce that? Maybe those men without hats (no, not the band!) were self-employed. And I’ll live with the ladies no longer wearing stockings to work, as long as I don’t have to wear a tie - actually, have ladies worn stockings to the office (without having plans to go out afterwork) since the 90s anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/45 "2009-07-13T18:38:12Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > And I’ll live with the ladies no longer wearing stockings to work, as long as I don’t have to wear a tie - actually, have ladies worn stockings to the office (without having plans to go out afterwork) since the 90s anyway? In my experience, no woman would choose to wear stockings in a social setting who wouldn’t also choose to wear them to work, while there may be some women working for businesses with really antiquated dress codes who are forced to wear them to work but would never wear them socially. ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/46 "2009-07-13T20:22:38Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > Technology that went out of its way to look mechanical and fancy, what with brassy polish and whatnot. Steampunk is trying to appropriate some of that look to our more understated gadgets, such as this [laptop](http://www.geekologie.com/2007/11/13/steampunk-comp-1.jpg). Or architecture that went out of its way to make the functional look attractive. Compare the gracefulness of flying buttresses, or drain pipe gargoyles, to the ugly, hulking, gray chunk of an industrial air conditioner stuck on the roofs of modern buildings. Functional doesn’t have to be ugly, people! It makes me crabby to see a beautifully restored historic building with a nasty air conditioner slapped on the top. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/47 "2009-07-13T20:56:13Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > In my experience, no woman would choose to wear stockings in a social setting who wouldn’t also choose to wear them to work, while there may be some women working for businesses with really antiquated dress codes who are forced to wear them to work but would never wear them socially. Heh, in my experience it’s been the exact opposite (although in reality, the numbers are skewed low enough, so that we’re talking anecdotes, not data here). ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/48 "2009-07-13T21:20:37Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > Heh, in my experience it’s been the exact opposite (although in reality, the numbers are skewed low enough, so that we’re talking anecdotes, not data here). Could be a case of our ages and the ages of people we work with, too. Or how stylish we are. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/49 "2009-07-13T21:39:21Z")
- Kids playing outside - fireflies - frogs - the one tv show the whole family watched together - the sense that my employer won’t downsize me the moment it’s momentarily more profitable to do so ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/50 "2009-07-13T21:46:13Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Could be a case of our ages and the ages of people we work with, too. Or how stylish we are. 😃 The women, they are 20s-40s, and stylish. Me, I am not stylish
 I still remain skeptical of hats, and so-called safety razors (the single edged razor blades are used by hobbiests like me to chop pieces of wood and styrene, so I’m not too keen on scraping that against my face) - I have shaved w/ a safety razor, and find it to give a worse result than a standard track-II cartridge type (I stopped at 2 blades, didn’t see much sense in going on) - if you want real closeness in your shave, you’ll need a straight edge like a barber uses - and I don’t have the time nor the cajones to use one of those on myself.. What the heck, if some young-un wants to know, here’s a link to the[Wiki on Safety Razors over the years](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_razor). ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/51 "2009-07-13T21:48:11Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > The women, they are 20s-40s, and stylish. Weird. I don’t know anyone (mid-20s to mid-30s) who wears stockings/nylons/whatever out. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/52 "2009-07-14T01:47:52Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > The absence of cell phones. More specifically, I’m nostalgic for the days there were no cellphones in theaters or concerts. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/53 "2009-07-14T02:02:09Z")
I would love to see a return to a time when self-esteem was something that was earned rather than “gifted”. By that I mean when kids (or adults for that matter), earned respect for an outstanding accomplishment or honour instead of the “everyone-is-a-winner” mentality. I really think that this philosophy is at the heart of the entitlement generation we have to deal with today. Please note, I do not endorse humiliation of anyone, especially children. That said, what is wrong with notes/certification of participation instead of the “everyone is number one” malarky. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/54 "2009-07-14T02:17:18Z")
I miss the days of hats also (I have a few I like to wear myself), but I think if we’re to return to those days, we’re going to have to insist on proper hat etiquette. That means no hats are to be worn indoors by gentlemen at any time, no matter where indoors happens to be–school, church, office, pub, bar, club, etc. In other words, no more baseball caps, cowboy hats, Bob and Doug toques, Blues Brothers porkpies, Indiana Jones fedoras etc. worn inside. I guess I’m old fashioned, but it disturbs me to see so many men wearing hats indoors. To me, a man indoors wearing a hat just doesn’t seem right. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/55 "2009-07-14T02:59:10Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I miss the days of hats also (I have a few I like to wear myself), but I think if we’re to return to those days, we’re going to have to insist on proper hat etiquette. That means no hats are to be worn indoors by gentlemen at any time, no matter where indoors happens to be–school, church, office, pub, bar, club, etc. In other words, no more baseball caps, cowboy hats, Bob and Doug toques, Blues Brothers porkpies, Indiana Jones fedoras etc. worn inside. But why? It’s completely arbitrary. Should people have to remove their shoes indoors? Their watches? Their earrings? Their shirts? Then why hats? It’s a silly rule, and it’s always been a silly rule. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/56 "2009-07-14T04:37:25Z")
Bring back something? **Dinosaurs!** No, I don’t foresee any problems with that
 why do you ask? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/57 "2009-07-14T10:44:12Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > Bring back something? > > **Dinosaurs!** > > No, I don’t foresee any problems with that
 why do you ask? 😃 Oh, yeah. Oooh, ahhh, that’s how it always starts. Then later there’s running and screaming. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/58 "2009-07-14T15:00:44Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Oh, yeah. Oooh, ahhh, that’s how it always starts. Then later there’s running and screaming. 
 and then someone loses an eye! One of the things I love about my podunk little town – one of the things that moved us out here – is the lack of McDonalds or other fast food joints, the prevalence of Classic Car nights around town, the five or six independent ice cream parlors, and of course, the drive-in movie theater. _Two_ of them. Sure, we can be back in midtown NYC in about an hour or so, and sure there are plenty of box stores around if we look for them, but this little time warp of a 'burg is pretty great. ---
**Author:** ![vifslan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f4b2a3/32.png) [@vifslan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vifslan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/59 "2009-07-14T19:06:16Z")
From the really old-time nostalgia, in no particular order: 1950’s cafĂ©s and bars, 1920’s sports fashions, Art Nouveau architecture and commercial art, and the kind of mythical time when people knew to dress up when they went out instead of throwing on jeans and a t-shirt and calling it a day. And monocles, I’d really like a monocle. From my parents’ days, the kind of dairy shop my mum grew up with, where you brought your milk bottles and cream jugs for refilling. From my own childhood and youth, a particular brand of liquorice in shapes of Asterix figures, which we always bought on travels. Our local ice cream factory, which was bought by a rival and closed down, and their secret ice cream recipe, which was almost a century old, was lost in the process. And the Mission Impossible TV series from before anyone had ever heard of Tom Cruise. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799/60 "2009-07-14T20:54:04Z")
Drive-in Theaters Coney Island in its heyday (circa 1900’s) Soda Fountain Pharmacies Zoot suits and fedoras ubiquitous for the men Bouffant and beehive hairdos for the ladies Tin Pan Alley Music Jazz Age Slang Currier and Ives type prints Egg Creams Fizzies Bosco 1950’s modern home dĂ©cor Streamline moderne autos Art Deco appliances Duels of Honor, with throw away shots being the norm (to “delope”) Chivalry Barley Sugar Candy Burlesque Vaudeville [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgia-what-would-you-bring-back/502799.md?page=4)