Women's Focus - January 2008 - (Page 22)

focus on A R T S Remember the corner grocer and nickel ice cream? How about sipping brown cows at the drugstore soda fountain or piling into Dad’s sedan for movies at the drive-in on Saturday night? If you can’t help but smile at these memories, you’re in luck! Mid-century “retro” pop culture is making a comeback. Vintage fashions are suddenly in vogue (though a bit pricier the second time around!) Swing dancing has attracted a cult-like following, and the clean, simple lines of post-war architecture and furniture are seeing a renaissance. Cultural icons from a kinder, gentler era, once part of vanishing Americana, are now cropping up in fashion, movies, television and advertising across the nation. A popular product line at Pink Boa in Andover features kitschy vintage photos of lipstick-laden housewives of the ’50s paired with sassy (sometimes slightly devilish) quips and quotes. Old Town General Store carries a line of glassware that resemble my grandmother’s with turquoise and gold boomerPhotography by Taci Fast The Culture of Nostalgia Today’s cities are eager to recapture a time when neighborhoods were strong and downtowns were bustling. Old structures are being preserved and new buildings are designed with a vintage look in an attempt to recreate the urban past while serving the needs and lifestyles of today. Obsolete warehouses have found a new purpose as lofts, restaurants and charming boutiques. Old-style street lamps, passing trolleys and stores within walking distance are inviting to baby boomers and young professionals alike. Lunch spots like the Old Mill Tasty Shop, the original NuWay Cafe and Brint’s Diner are enduring testaments to our love of unpretentious classic cuisine. Roadside diners sprang up due to the mobile prosperity of post-war America, as did full-service gas stations and the American motel. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, their signature neon signs acted as beacons to hungry, weary travelers. Today, these nostalgic symbols have become brightly colored, larger-than-life art forms. While most stand-alone motels have lost the battle to large corporations, many “retrophiles” find themselves drawn to these fading images that dot the highway and pay homage to vintage Americana. Artist Kurt Bittle has devoted his life to midcentury art and documenting these fragments of childhood memory (www.kurtbittle.com). Is “retro” here to stay, or is it a passing fad? Perhaps its popularity is a subconscious attempt on our part to simplify our lives and return to what we remember as a less demanding lifestyle – fewer responsibilities, more family time and less technology. It’s an era that has been ingrained and idealized in our cultural memory. Take comfort in it. Sometimes, when we look to our past we can see our future. ang accents. It also has an old-fashioned candy counter stocked with classic treats sure to bring back childhood memories: Kits, wax bottles and button candy that you peel off of paper strips. i n d u l g e y o u r s e l f • Wo m e n s F o c u s . c o m • J A N U A RY 2 0 0 8 If you’re longing for an authentic, nubby wool swing jacket, check out Harmonious Posh in the Delano district. I seem to be drawn to retromodern furniture these days and while scouring estate sales for treasures can be rewarding, a sure bet for the uncomplicated, classic lines and geometric shapes of yesteryear can be found at Abode Home or the newly opened Frank and Margaret’s. Chisholm Trail Trading Post in Delano and the Legacy Antique Mall downtown are a couple of great places to look for midcentury modern furnishings. ~Taci FasT 22 http://www.kurtbittle.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Women's Focus - January 2008

Womens Focus - January 2008 Contents BEAUTY & FASHION Retro Do’s Are Big News Vintage Vogue Wichita’s Next Top Model Contest FACTS & FUN The Housewife is Back FLAVOR A Taste of History Cocktail Anyone? FAMILY & FRIENDS Forget-Me-Not Gal Shakila Saiffulah In Her Shoes—Wink Hartman Reba McEntire Social Circle HEALTH Abs From the Past Ask Dick & Jane Home Remedies Team in Training HOME & GARDEN From Warm Fires to Pool Parties Furniture Frolic Retro Houseplants There's More to Color Than Meets the Eye TRAVEL & LEISURE City Culture Crafts: Faux Pearl Makeover Day Tripping in Newton Knightley Reading

Women's Focus - January 2008

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