Retro Musings includes magazine adverts and catalogue scans from 1930's to 1990's, plus anything else which takes my fancy (like LP covers and knitting patterns).
Go to Brands & Products to see a list of all the items I have added so far, or view by category or decade via the menus above and below.
“Eva Joia fun fashions for girls only!” Here are some Gitano “Eva Joia” girls fashion adverts from 1985-87. I’d totally still wear the knitted cat jumper…
Build This Patio Appliance Centre These are my favourite DIY and home improvement projects from various 1969-1975 editions of Popular Mechanic magazine.
“Contain yourself!” These colourful adverts for Contain Wares date from 1986-89.
“Switch To Swatch!”These Swatch Watch ads are from 1983 to 1989. Swatch are still going strong to this day, with many designs which look straight out of the eighties!
Ahh. Memories of scratch n’ sniff stickers! Here are a selection of sticker adverts from 1984-87. I now feel like covering everything in sight in technicolour, scented stickers!
“A rubber neck I seem to be, but you really are my speciality.” Here’s a selection of creepy clown themed Valentines cards.
“It’s loaded, but only with love for you.” Here’s a selection of weapon themed Valentines cards, featuring an array of guns, knives, hammers, and even a tank!
Swatch (from Swiss Watch) began production in 1983. Below are my favourite geometric/graphic designs designs from 1983-1993. They started off quite plain, but by 1988 they had got really bold!
At the bottom of the page are my favourite Pop Swatch designs from 1988-1993. They first made an appearance in 1987 with a plain strap and face, and became more fancy the following year.
“Her eyes light up for the man with P.A!” These adverts for Prince Albert Cigarettes are from 1944-49. They all feature chaps going about their business, adoring toothy women, perfect hair and pipe appeal!
“All the taste, all the time.” These adverts for Viceroy Cigarettes are from 1970-72 and mostly feature fussy couples out shopping, handling the goods with one hand whilst flicking cigarette ash over everything with the other.
“If you like things neat and clean you’ll like Parliament.”These adverts for Parliament Cigarettes are from 1961-63. They all feature blue backdrops with glamorous, white glove clad women having a smoke.
“Get in on thin.”These sleek, black and white adverts for Silva Thins cigarettes are from 1968-71.
“This is L&M – super bad.” These adverts for L&M Cigarettes are from 1971-73. They all feature funky smoking couples on dates.
“Smoke pretty. Eve.”These adverts for Eve Cigarettes are from 1971-72. With their floral packaging and filter tips, these cigarettes were marketed solely at women.
“How cool it is!” These funky adverts for Winston Cigarettes are from 1971-73. The men are all situated at the front and looking directly at the viewer, whilst the women are positioned just behind looking on at the men with a range of slightly bemused or grumpy expressions.
I came across an amazing book of knitting patterns by Columbia-Minerva recently called “Fables and Fabulous Yarns: Knit Fashions for Boys & Girls” (1970). Not only does it the most fabulous photographs inside featuring floral backdrops and slightly creepy stuffed animals, but it also has a short story and poems written by Christie White Dauphin. Concept, photography & lithography by Low’s Inc.
During the 1980’s-1990’s, Intarsia (a UK based company) produced over one hundred super cool knitted jumper patterns of cartoon TV characters (plus a few non-cartoon characters too). They are out of print these days, but still circulate on the second-hand market.
“Save with Spuds!” These adverts for Spud cigarettes are from 1939-40.
“All music sounds better on a Webcor.” These Webcor ads for their high fidelity fonografs and tape recorders date from 1956-58.
“Fashions For Men” These adverts for US mail order company Sedbury date from 1970-73. Bell bottom pants, open-front vests, wide lapels, cape shoulders, and all in a choice of scene stealing colours! Order mine in avocado.
“Slippers for little dreamers.” Here are some super cute furry slippers from various catalogues from the 1960-70’s.
“A pretty girl steps inside a latex balloon.”I recently came across this bizarre article from 1939, demonstrating the use of latex wrapping on meat by placing a semi-dressed lady inside a giant balloon and shrink wrapping her.
“You don’t have to be big on comfort to be big on The-Comfort-Shirt!” These adverts for Sears Men’s Store “The-Comfort-Shirt” date from 1970-72.
This series of adverts for Sears “The-Men’s-Store”, dating from 1968-69, were photographed in the New York Playboy Club.
Bill The Hatter was (and still is) a mail order company founded in Chicago in 1949 dealing in men’s hats, shoes and clothing. The ads here are for their funky 1970’s men’s fashions.
“A pencil case can only take so much!” This ad for various WHSmith stationary dates from 1988.
Bananas wearing zebra print bikinis, koala cheerleaders, kittens with rainbow coloured angel wings and ice cream sundae’s in space? It can only be Lisa Frank!
Television, toys, games and movie cereals from the 1980’s-90’s. Mmm, artificially flavoured goodness! Oooh, and apparently peanut better and chocolate-flavoured crispy sweetened 2-grain cereal is E.T.’s favourite flavours…
