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Pamela is Retro Planet's Webmaster & Social Media Director. She posts on retro memories, home decor, design basics, retro advertising and more. She grew up in the '70s and has many fond memories of "simpler toys" and playing outside.
The Lucky Cat has been a popular decor item in American households for decades. Believed to bring good fortune, many variations are available – including ones designed to deliver money, luck, happiness and other great things. Although many refer to him as the Chinese Lucky Cat, his origin is actually Japanese. The Maneki Neko (which [...]
When we sit down at the dinner table, we don’t really think about who designed the tableware – the plates, bowls and serving pieces. Chances are you purchased the table settings you use today based primarily on size, color and pattern. But as with every piece of decor in the home, a designer or group [...]
Produced in Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Crown Royal has been a popular whisky since the 1940s. In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the country and Seagram president Samuel Bronfman introduced Crown Royal as a tribute to the monarch and his wife. Until 1964, the whisky was only available in Canada. With annual [...]
It’s a sad week for retro news (and we really, really don’t want to turn this blog into a massive obit site), but we can’t help but bid a fond farewell to 1950s icon Annette Funicello. Plenty grew up watching her on Mickey Mouse Club, and in later years as she blossomed into a legendary [...]
Introduced in 1936, Fiesta dinnerware was casual yet inexpensive tableware in solid colors. One could easily mix and match colors to create a beautiful spectrum on the dinner table. The line was discontinued in 1972, but was revived in 1986. The original line featured just five colors – red (which was actually an orange), blue, [...]
Looking to spruce up an old set of canisters? Want to turn those blah-ones you picked up on sale into a retro-wonder? This walk-through on flickr (username: ignutzz) tells you just how to do it. You’ll need tape, primer and paint, along with a well-ventilated area. Now you can show off those storage containers in [...]
While his name might not be on the tip of every comic book reader’s tongue, the work of Carmine Infantino is both recognizable and vast. As a penciller, inker, creator and editor, he was a driving force in the Silver Age of Comics (mid-50s to early-70s), and is consider a true legend. Born in Brooklyn, [...]
The highly-anticipated sixth season of AMC’s period drama series, Mad Men, airs April 7, 2013 with a two-hour episode called “The Doorway”. Hollywood Reporter calls it an episode “preoccupied with death” as Don Draper and Roger Sterling spend time trying to figure out why they’re living. Sources, including the press, are pretty tight-lipped about the [...]
Like most of the US population, once a year I find myself stumbling around the house on a Sunday morning, short an hour’s worth of sleep. As a kid, I embraced the act of turning the clocks ahead – it meant more time out riding my bicycle or playing down the block with my friends. [...]
When we were kids, simple pranks got the laughs. Those of us who have fond memories of trying to pry up a dime glued to the floor, or chasing dollar bills around the house, can’t help but wish it was still so easy. Plenty of classic April Fool’s pranks will be played today – the [...]
In honor of this Easter Sunday, I wanted to share my all-time favorite Easter TV commercial. This M&M’s ad spot ran in 1984. Ah, the memories… Related PostsSt. Patrick’s Day Ice Cream (Ten-B-Low) Why, This Mixor is Marvelous Vintage Whitman’s Valentine’s Day Ads Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas Deliciously Retro: The Layer Cake
Why did I never think of this? Of all the clock projects I’ve studied (I’m still trying to find the perfect one for my living room), I never thought that the answer might very well be staring me right in the face. Instructables.com shows us – in pictures – how to do this ridiculously easy [...]
Here’s a nice little gem… The April 2013 issue of REAL SIMPLE showcases cleaning supplies from way back when. Retro lovers will appreciate the splash page shot of a ’50s-era housewife preparing to clean the living room. Just look at that checkered floor and starburst wall clock! The article, The Best Classic Cleaning Supplies, focuses [...]
As the US highway system began development in the 1920s, road trips became common. With more people traveling for work and more families vacationing the need for overnight accommodations grew. People wanted to stay in a place that was both inexpensive and easily accessible from the highways. This led to the roadside motel, which was [...]
