I read in Johann Huzuinga’s “The Waning of the Middle Ages”, that as the Middle Ages gave way to the modern era (1400s), there was a wave of nostalgia for the “good old days”. Some monarchs actually went to the extent of attempting to revive old customs (like jousting, knighthood, etc.). there is a touch of this in Cervante’s “Don Quixote”; the hero really wants to live in an earlier time, which he imagines is much more interesting.
has anyone today (designers, stylists, etc.), ever successfully revived styles and customs from the past eras?
Jousting wasnt out of fashion in the 15th century aaik. Henry 8th suffered the horrific injuries that turned him into an obese megalomaniac jousting.
Steampunk attempts to bring back Victorian style. Whether it has been successful or no is a matter of opinion, but I’m aware of at least a couple of weddings posted about on the Dope where it was all the rage.
How far past?
The 20 yo waitress at dinner last night was wearing Converse All Star high top sneakers. I usually find something personal to say about the waiter/waitress during their little intro spiel. So I said her sneakers looked nice & comfortable. She gushed about how new and fashionable and wonderful they were.
I told her I had a pair just like that when I was 6. They were all the rage for kids then. That was 51 years ago. She looked very confused by this news.
Does 51 years ago constitute an earlier era?
What about hipsters guzzling Pabst Blue Ribbon? That’s another triumph of retro marketing. It sucked then; it sucks now.
Chrysler’s PT cruisers, the last 10-ish years of Ford Mustangs, etc.
Need I go on?
This is ralph you’re talking to.
One old custom to mull over. Used to be laws restricting the style and type of clothing one could wear. Not just by social class, but also by profession. E.g., the chef’s toque was legally restricted to chefs in some countries.
Could be handy. “Ah, gold neck chain, gold teeth, I see you are in the drug trade.”
Wonder what the requirements for a computer geek would be? I hate sweat pants.
Pizza stains on the shirt?
Am I alone in thinking the good old days weren’t that great with the possible exception if you were on top of the pile?