Nostalgia is alive and well and has become an important part of modern culture. We’re embracing the idea that our past is constantly being woven into the fabric of our daily lives. It’s not just a trend anymore . . . it’s a luxury to have it at our finger tips.
BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris
It’s these missed moments that we are reaching for when we allow the warm sensation of nostalgia to cover us like a blankie.
When you’re nostalgic about something, there is a slight feeling of loss, the moment has happened, it’s gone—but usually the result is happiness. Nostalgic memories typically entail cherished, personal moments and touchstones. Those memories, in turn, inspire positive feelings of joy, high self-regard, belonging, and meaningfulness in life. Could this be why our culture clings to cherished items from our past? The 70s are in, the 80s are in . . . now the 90s are in. We’ll be throwing it back to the 2000s soon enough. And then after that, of course, we’ll be throwing it back to the 80s again. It always goes back to the 80s. Obviously . . . duh.
But what does it say about our culture if we have the overwhelming desire to cling to the past? I know for me, seeing toys from my childhood or vintage video clips of Sesame Street, take me back to a time that was simple. No mortgage payments, no hectic schedules, just fun.
It is this very nostalgia that drew us to our cover artist. My Favourite Color Studio is a Denver husband and wife duo who so vividly captured our memory with their beautiful watercolour paintings of the beloved ViewMaster (cover) and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em game (centerfold). Their art goes way beyond prints and their work is spilling with nostalgia. Visit www.mfcstudio.com to see for yourself. With this, begins the first of our fun gift ideas for you this season guaranteed to feed your inner-kid with retro goodies.
Begin at 1874 South Broadway the throwback boutique store “Fifty Two 80s.” As soon as you walk through the door, you are instantly transported back in time. The store is packed from floor to ceiling with toys, clothing, games, candy all from the 80s. Their collection is insane and you will be shocked to find many items in the original packaging. Don’t let this scare you, their pricing is reasonable given the fantastic shape of the inventory. You can find unique stocking stuffers and gifts for loved ones. I personally have my eye on an E.T. necklace, hint, hint. The owner’s partner has also made good use of modernizing vintage relics. Just be warned, that you will easily lose an hour perusing their shelves.
Nostalgic pieces aren’t just tucked away at specialty boutiques. If you want to shop from the comfort of your home, check out Urban Outfitters or Free People for an abundance of throwback fashion and accessories. You may be surprised to see your old leg-warmers and checkered vans dressing the models. If music is your thing, perhaps you’ll pick one of the old-time suitcase record players. They’ve got speakers built in and as an inexpensive and self-contained unit they sound pretty darn good while giving you a chance to collect some of your favorite records from the past. There’s nothing like hearing the crackle as the needle hits the vinyl and kicks into a Tom Petty favorite.
How could we forget to mention the seemingly limitless collection of old school video games from the past. It’s really cool that we can tap into these with many different platforms. You can find collections of these games for your modern PS4 and Xbox systems or you can now buy various retro consoles and controllers from companies like Atari and Nintendo that are pre-loaded with all the classics. Imagine having 30-50 of your favorites like the original Mario Brothers, Space Invaders, Galaga, Donkey Kong, Tempest, Asteroids, Zelda and Dig Dug ready to rock.
There’s no question that we are over-saturated with other kinds of entertainment as well. It seems like there are a thousand movies and mini series coming out every month. They’re constantly remaking and rebooting everything. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Instead pick the best of the best. We recently took our son to see the new Blade Runner movie but before we went we decided to watch the original. It’s still great! And it made the sequel even more fun. It was great to see our son embrace films that actually made him think.
We’re getting good at this game, and we’re no longer strangers to the idea of throwbacks. In fact, it seems like our culture has become open to the idea of mix and matching the past as we please. It’s no longer a trend, it’s a choice and a style. What’s important is the fact that you are embracing your past as something that has become a part of you. It’s a really fun part of modern life if you let it be!
But maybe at the end of the day, it’s not in the things you buy, but the experiences you have. Tap into your past by ice skating on a lake. Put on that old record, because as we all know, music is a vehicle that can take you back to a specific day in time. It’s magical really. Cook a meal for your kids that used to be your favorite growing up and see if they have the same reaction. Drive to some of Denver’s old neighborhoods and look into the nooks and crannies before they are gone for good. Walk into the stores, talk to someone who has been there since the beginning and ask them about the good old days. Call your parents and grandparents if you have that luxury and have them tell you a story. Trust us, it will feed your soul.