Category Archives: Consumers

vintage family riding a soad bottle

Selling the Nuclear Family

Has the selling of the 1950’s nuclear family finally reached it’s expiration date? In a consumer culture of unlimited choices, Madison Avenue has long sold only one brand of the American family…and it is now a bit shopworn. Never was

vintage family riding a soad bottle

Selling the Nuclear Family

Has the selling of the 1950’s nuclear family finally reached it’s expiration date? In a consumer culture of unlimited choices, Madison Avenue has long sold only one brand of the American family…and it is now a bit shopworn. Never was

collage sally edelstein art vintage images

Nuclear Family Meltdown

The nuclear family was once as American as the nuclear bomb. But by the end of the 1960’s the nuclear family detonated along with our notion of marriage and motherhood. Parenting and partnering were not a priority for the newly

collage sally edelstein art vintage images

Nuclear Family Meltdown

The nuclear family was once as American as the nuclear bomb. But by the end of the 1960’s the nuclear family detonated along with our notion of marriage and motherhood. Parenting and partnering were not a priority for the newly

vintage illustration girl eating bread

Dubious Diets- The Bread Diet

  Dubious diets are as American as…well…. all-you-can-eat apple pie. Relying on fad diets to shed a few pounds has been handed down from gullible generation to gullible generation willing to swallow anything promising a trim figure. In 1938 The

vintage illustration girl eating bread

Dubious Diets- The Bread Diet

  Dubious diets are as American as…well…. all-you-can-eat apple pie. Relying on fad diets to shed a few pounds has been handed down from gullible generation to gullible generation willing to swallow anything promising a trim figure. In 1938 The

Betty Francis’s Space Odyssey

The dawning of the Space Age may have caused some business men to ponder their obsolescence but homemakers needn’t worry- their jobs were secure. With Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 Space Odyssey looming over Mad Men, it would be no surprise if

Betty Francis’s Space Odyssey

The dawning of the Space Age may have caused some business men to ponder their obsolescence but homemakers needn’t worry- their jobs were secure. With Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 Space Odyssey looming over Mad Men, it would be no surprise if

vintage illustration 1933 Man vs Machine

Man and Machines

Are machines after your job? A struggling middle class grappling with unemployment, frets over headlines warning “How Technology is Destroying Jobs!” Sounds familiar, but the warning is from 1933. Looking to place the blame of the economic woes of the

vintage illustration 1933 Man vs Machine

Man and Machines

Are machines after your job? A struggling middle class grappling with unemployment, frets over headlines warning “How Technology is Destroying Jobs!” Sounds familiar, but the warning is from 1933. Looking to place the blame of the economic woes of the

picture mother daughter laundry 1950

Like Mother, Like Daughter

  Mid century mothers and daughters were clearly tied together not only by their apron strings but the same set of cultural expectations.  Not only did they share darling matching outfits but the same sunny enthusiasm for household chores. And

picture mother daughter laundry 1950

Like Mother, Like Daughter

  Mid century mothers and daughters were clearly tied together not only by their apron strings but the same set of cultural expectations.  Not only did they share darling matching outfits but the same sunny enthusiasm for household chores. And

vintage illustration Green Giant in Mexican outfit

Mexican Mid-Century Style

  Toss on your suburban sombrero, gather your mariachis and lets celebrate Cinco De Mayo mid-century style. Tequila, salsa, tamales, mole, No importa! For a real south of the border taste treat you couldn’t beat a can of Green Giant

vintage illustration Green Giant in Mexican outfit

Mexican Mid-Century Style

  Toss on your suburban sombrero, gather your mariachis and lets celebrate Cinco De Mayo mid-century style. Tequila, salsa, tamales, mole, No importa! For a real south of the border taste treat you couldn’t beat a can of Green Giant

Worlds Fair Flintstones Comic

The Flintstones at the Worlds Fair Pt II

  The NY Worlds Fair in 1964/65 attracted a boatload of luminaries, but none more incredible than Fred Flintstone. Traveling all the way from prehistoric Bedrock, Fred and Wilma, Barney and Betty couldn’t wait to see that showcase of mid

Worlds Fair Flintstones Comic

The Flintstones at the Worlds Fair Pt II

  The NY Worlds Fair in 1964/65 attracted a boatload of luminaries, but none more incredible than Fred Flintstone. Traveling all the way from prehistoric Bedrock, Fred and Wilma, Barney and Betty couldn’t wait to see that showcase of mid

cartoon Flinstones Worlds fair 64

The Flintstones at the NY Worlds Fair

If the NY Worlds Fair of 1939/40 was like stepping into the land of Oz, the 1964/ 65 Worlds Fair was like striding into the future of the Jetsons and stepping back to prehistoric Bedrock. Mid Century Mashup So in

cartoon Flinstones Worlds fair 64

The Flintstones at the NY Worlds Fair

If the NY Worlds Fair of 1939/40 was like stepping into the land of Oz, the 1964/ 65 Worlds Fair was like striding into the future of the Jetsons and stepping back to prehistoric Bedrock. Mid Century Mashup So in

man smoking cigarettes gardening

Post War Pesticides on Parade

Breathe Easier Mid Century America was the golden age of pesticides and it was love at first sight. Any thoughts about Earth Day and the environment lay far in the future. Thousands of new chemicals were put to use in

man smoking cigarettes gardening

Post War Pesticides on Parade

Breathe Easier Mid Century America was the golden age of pesticides and it was love at first sight. Any thoughts about Earth Day and the environment lay far in the future. Thousands of new chemicals were put to use in