The 1950s are often looked back upon with a sense of nostalgia and innocence, even though the decade also had its challenges. These 19 cultural touchstones help define the era in our collective memory.
Poodle skirts
These iconic skirts with poodle appliques were a fashion staple for teenage girls in the ’50s. Poodles were the symbol of refinement and class because of high-profile dog shows, which led to their place on these wildly popular wide-circle skirts.
Davy Crockett
In 1955, U.S. children were positively obsessed with an American frontiersman who died more than 100 years before they were born. The Davy Crockett craze swept the nation in 1955 after a Disney TV miniseries aired, with many kids donning coonskin caps.
Howdy Doody
The name of the puppet “star” was derived from the American expression “howdy doody”/”howdy do,” a commonplace corruption of the phrase “How do you do?” used in the Midwest. The popular children’s TV show and its marionette star were beloved by kids in the 1950s.
3-D comic books
Comic books featuring 3-D graphics and special glasses were a fad in the ’50s that began with Mighty Mouse. The comic was a phenomenal hit. It is estimated that it sold 1.2 million copies at 25 cents each; comics cost ten cents at the time.
Soda fountains
Many soda fountains were counter-service operations in drugstores; others were standalone soda shops, otherwise known as malt shops. Hanging out at the local soda shop or malt shop after school was a quintessential ’50s experience and the epicenter for socializing for many teens.
Drive-in movies
Watching films from the comfort of your car at the drive-in was a popular ’50s activity for families and couples. Taking the opportunity to appeal to families, drive-in owners advertised drive-ins as a place where “the whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are.” Whether you went with family or were a teenager necking instead of watching the movie, drive-ins hold a place in people’s hearts.
TV dinners
The first-ever TV dinner in 1953 featured a compartmentalized aluminum tray with sections for meat, vegetables, and dessert. At a time when TV was becoming a central part of American culture, Swanson introduced these frozen, pre-portioned meals, changing the way families had dinner.
Diners and jukeboxes
The classic ’50s diner with chrome stools, checkerboard floors, and tableside jukeboxes evokes nostalgic memories. This is a reminder of young love and a time when couples would hang around the jukebox with burgers and a shake, surrounded by friends, for a public meetup.
The Good Humor man
By 1950, trucks accounted for 90% of ice cream sales, and by then, the Good Humor ice cream truck fleet had increased to 2,000 vehicles. The jingle of the ice cream truck bringing frozen treats was a familiar sound of ’50s summers.
Duck and cover drills
Maybe not as nostalgic, but definitely a communal memory, duck and cover preparedness measures were taught to students in case of a nuclear attack. They were practiced in schools during the ‘50s and ‘60s, during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Cars with fins and chrome
The bold automotive styles of the 1950s, like tailfins and chrome accents, are iconic of the era, choosing style over substance. It seemed everyone in the U.S. had a car, even teenagers. The most iconic car of the 1950s was the ’57 Chevy.
I Love Lucy
This groundbreaking sitcom aired from 1951 to 1957 and is still beloved today. Aside from Lucille Ball’s great comedic talents, I Love Lucy had enormous heart. The Ricardos and their friends the Mertzes came across from a place of real love. It was something that people wanted in their living rooms.
Carhops
Carhops on roller skates serving burgers and shakes at drive-in diners is a nostalgic ’50s image. “The popularity of carhop dining evolved in America in tandem with the popularity of the automobile itself,” CNN reports. They came along before the drive-thru fast-food chains we know now and really hit their peak shortly after World War II.
Doo-wop music
The smooth harmonies of doo-wop groups capture the youthful spirit of the 1950s. The structure of doo-wop music generally featured a tenor lead vocalist singing the melody of the song, with a trio or quartet singing background harmony with a little mix of rhythm and blues and rock-n-roll. It was really something you could swing to.
Sock hops
The 1950s were the time of sock hops, a pop culture phenomenon similar to today’s informal high school dances. The hops got their name because of the requirement that the frolicking teens remove their shoes so they didn’t scuff up the wooden floors of the school gyms that hosted the mixers.
Zippy the Chimpanzee
A popular toy of the era, Zippy the Chimp was cherished by many children for its unique design and companionship, while others found it a bit creepy. The stuffed animal was derived from the famous real TV chimp of the 1950s, who made many appearances, including on the Howdy Doody show.
Street Games
Kids in the ‘50s were playing games like stickball and diamond ball in the streets, with a community feel and simple joys. Children pavement chalking, playing hopscotch, blind man’s bluff, and Ring Around the Rosie, and swapping cigarette cards (collectible picture cards that came with packs of cigarettes) were also common in the time before computer games and smartphones.
First Television Set
The excitement of having the first television set in the family was a significant technological advancement at the time. At the end of World War II, the television was a toy for only a few thousand wealthy Americans. Not even 10 years later, nearly two-thirds of American households had a television, changing the American family forever.
Elvis Presley
Elvis became a rising phenomenon in 1955 when he shocked and amazed audiences at every one of his shows. Elvis Presley rose to fame with his influence on rock-n-roll, his testimonies to society and civil rights, and his motives to create a new era. Though some feared his music was a bad influence on teenagers, he certainly changed the way young people interacted with their music icons from then on.