I feel that of recent years the UK has become an island crazed by everything retro …it’s clear to see in our fashion, home, and even graphic design choices.

What do we define as ‘retro’?
According Wikipedia it means ‘old fashioned’ - yet most people’s perception of retro is that it’s anything but old-fashioned, but that it’s instead trendy and new. I mean, we know it’s old, but we also think it’s trendy and new….how’s that for a contradiction of terms and perceptions?

They also describe it as being timeless, or classic, but they do go on to explain that of recent years the word more strongly relates to products that are quirky and attractive yet no longer available. Of course they are available now though, because the retail giants factories have been churning them out in the gazillions to fulfill our seemingly endless need for retro.

Apparently a love of retro items from the past is described as retrophilia, well that’s something I didn’t know! In that case I must be a retrophiliac, if such a word exists Next time someone is showing your their new funky lampshade from Habitat, you can say “Oh you retrophiliac you”

So what items or designs from the past do we now consider to be retro in a good way? I’ll list some that I know of and love;

Retro fonts - There has been a distinct love of retro fonts for many years now, some great retro fonts include Alako-bold, chicken basket, and secret recipe.

Retro Kitchen - This is a retail area we have particularly obsessed over, not only can you fit a full on retro styled kitchen if you want (bright red diner style for example) you can have the accessories to match such as retro styled juicers, kettles, cork-screws, dinner service (plates and what not) and much more.

Playboy - goodness you cannot escape this merchandising! It started out looking retro, but now we’ve seen it so much it doesn’t look retro at all any more. I don’t even know why I’ve mentioned it….. I could include Betty Boop also, great retro icon but over-exposed now (ooeerr!!)

Retro T’s (t-shirts) - you know what I mean; Hong Kong Phooey, Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Rainbow.

Photos - It’s so retro (well it was before they over did it) to have photo bags, canvases and cards featuring Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Breakfast at Tiffanys lady whos name escapes me, and more icons of yesteryear.

General Fashion - If we aren’t dripping from head to toe in 80’s inspired garb and haircuts (please ladies, who did not have some 80s style slouch boots this winter? Even my 63 year old mother in law had some!), we are tootling around in Twiggy style shift dresses from the 60’s.

If you are simply bursting for a retro styled design for your business (in which case you’re probably a retailer I’d say most likely), here are are few good sources of inspiration and tools to enable that;

http://www.fontdiner.com/ - Amazing fonts

Pinups - You will love this site, have a good look around, these illustrations are amazing, and many are clearly inspired by the concept of the 1950’s pin-up girls. The website itself is extremely creative also.

Retro To Go - If you need retro inspiration, this is the place to go, tons and tons and tons of great content.

If you are interested in all things retro, you’ll probably enjoy my blog about advertising scrapbooks of the 50’s and 60’s including images. GO >

Amanda
Retrophiliac

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 20th, 2007 at 5:52 pm and is filed under Design Inspiration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.