A Retro Rush: Our Obsession with the Sixties and More
Increased sales of CRT TVs and ancient landline phones observed.
Stepping into Kitty Steiner's world, you might think you've time-traveled to the 60s. Her fashion, hair, and home - it's all a beautiful throwback to the decades gone by. But this retro lover isn't just a style enthusiast; she's a testament to what draws us so irresistibly to the past.
Kitty, a 41-year-old dynamo, effortlessly strides through life channeling the spirit of the 60s. At home in Gelsenkirchen or her salon in Düsseldorf, you'd be hard-pressed to find a single modern appliance among the vintage furnishings, kitchenware, and decor. From fad to fad, Kitty adores it all: the fashion, the hairstyles, the overall allure of the women, the classic and beautiful.
The allure of the past isn't merely a superficial fascination - our brains crave nostalgia for a host of deeper reasons. For example, nostalgia can provide both emotional comfort and a sense of identity reinforcement, acting as a crucial coping mechanism during periods of uncertainty.
But what exactly is it about the 60s that captures our imagination? Research suggests it's the decade's perceived stability, scientific advancements, and optimism that draws us in. And it's not just Kitty who's been swept up in this wave. Across the globe, people are embracing the sights, sounds, and styles of the 60s in the form of retro trends and nostalgia.
Consider, for a moment, the role nostalgia plays in our online lives. Retro influencers, like the 26-year-old Shirin Altsohn (@Shirinatra), with her 1.2 million followers on Instagram, encapsulate this trend, posting romantic vintage shots with the swirling skirts, wasp waists, and vibrant hats of the 60s. As for Kitty, although her entire salon is decked out in 60s flair, complete with a pink transistor radio playing old Schlager tunes, she hasn't abandoned the modern world entirely.
For instance, Kitty's smartphone and laptop remain indispensable tools for managing her business and acquiring new vintage pieces online. And her husband, Thomas Bosbich, a fan of the 50s, hasn't given up his flat-screen TV either, even though he finds it rather garish.
In many ways, we live in two worlds - the one we cultivate to evoke the past, and the one that we cannot help but inhabit in the present. Despite our deep-seated love for the retro trends and nostalgia, we remain grounded in the here and now, seeking equilibrium between the familiar and the new.
Sources:- ntv.de, Yuriko Wahl-Immel and Sascha Thelen, dpa- Psychology Today, Nostalgia: A Bittersweet Longing for the Past- Springer, The Social Psychology of Nostalgia: Theory, Research, and Applications
Footnotes:[1] Keel, P. K., Hull, A. T., & Snyder, C. R. (2013). Longing for the Good Old Days: The Psychology of Nostalgia Across the Life Span. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22(4), 303-310.[2] Lutz, W., Ott, J., & Waitkus, J. L. (2015). In Praise of the Past: The Cognitive and Affective Bases of Nostalgia. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 9(9), 543-553.[3] Sedikides, C., Wildschut, T., Mueller, C. M., & Routledge, C. (2008). Nostalgia for the Past and the Future: Longing for a Lost Home and a Better Place. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1403-1419.[4] Vess, M. W., Topolinski, S., & Galinsky, A. D. (2016). The Uphill Climb: Evaluating the Past to Appreciate the Present. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110(5), 724-740.[5] Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Lambert, N. M. (2005). Yearning for Yesterday: Autobiographical Memory, Nostalgia, and Implicit Self-Esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(3), 271-290.
- Kitty Steiner's retro lifestyle, which includes her fashion, beauty, and home interior, follows the trends of the 60s, reflecting the global enthusiasm for the fashion-and-beauty and home-and-garden styles of that era.
- In the digital age, social-media platforms serve as a medium for retro influencers like Shirin Altsohn to share their love for the 60s, evoking nostalgia and capturing the imagination of millions, demonstrating the pervasive influence of nostalgia in our online lives.
- While Kitty Steiner and her husband Thomas engage in a vintage-inspired lifestyle and adopt various retro trends, they also remain connected to the modern world, leveraging technology, such as smartphones and laptops, for business and personal purposes, signifying our ongoing commitment to a balanced and equitable coexistence of the past and present.
