Thanks to Angela for directing me to a delightful blog – My 50s Year is a charming attempt at adopting retro living –
It seems to be a developing trend, and why not? We are all hungry to return to a time when life was simpler, morality and decency were the norm – when you could turn on the television or go to a movie and not have to mentally edit the profanity… when you didn’t have to be voyeuristic in other people’s sex lives…
People hunger for decency and simplicity. We long for the days when men were men, women were women, vive la difference! and never the twain shall meet – much less disappear.
So check out this charming little blog, and think of pulling out your own hats… and where do you suppose I might be able to find some dress gloves? hmmmm
Laura Lowder - One Woman's Thoughts 
For gloves, try the thrift stores or ask older women if they have any they don’t want. Sometimes you can find things like that at Claires (jewelry/hair stuff/bling shop) especially around prom time. Other than that, you might have to make your own. Finding the right fabric would be a challenge, tho.
Now to the rest of your blog. I do want to be able to read a book or watch a movie without obscenity or sex in it. I do wish more people went to church, including myself. I do wish that *some* of the morals were stricter. I do wish young people would dress nicer.
Please don’t get mad 🙂 My family and most everyone I knew were poor in the 1950’s and into the early 60’s. Most of my family were still farming. I’m old enough to remember what it was like. That said, I have absolutely no desire to be a 50’s housewife. Also, we did some of the “back to earth” living in the 1970’s and 80’s and not because we were hippies. It was because of where we lived. Un-uh, I am not going back. No way, not unless I am absolutely forced to.
I do find it interesting to read about other people’s attempts to live that way. I hope that sometimes I can pass on some helpful information.
You know, you have a good point: a lot of the associations we CHOOSE to have with an era come from tv, movies, magazines – more middle class, “town” identities. Life was not so universally glamorous as it is popularly portrayed to us – whether this blog choice of the 50s, or the 20s of my favorite British mysteries (Dorothy Sayers, Mrs. Bradley, Agatha Christie, et al), the Edwardian era, the Victorians…
But can’t we look back and try to recover some of the good from those earlier times? We really are running adrift, allowing toxic philosophical stances to dictate to our culture things that are depriving us of the beauty, grace and dignity that we long for – and need.
Absolutely. Keep the good. Get rid of the bad. But, where is the line? Everyone has their own definition of what is good and what is bad.
For instance, in quite a few states in the 1950’s, you wouldn’t be allowed to own a house. You would not be allowed to take communion.
Remember, I have red hair. You *know* what kind of problem that caused! Now, most people don’t even notice; they go out of their way to have red hair.
I just don’t want to *have* to wear dresses and hose. I don’t want to have to wear hats and gloves and heels. If I do, it is because I want to.
I don’t want to go back to a time when a child born out of wedlock was ostracized. I certainly do wish that girls and boys were more chaste. I don’t want to go back to the time when it was always the girl’s fault – no matter what happened. (We’re still fighting that stigma today.)
I do not want to go back to a time when society says that men must be dependent on a woman. I do not want to go back to when a woman must be dependent on a man.
I agree that women should know how to cook, clean, sew, mend, garden, do laundry, and take care of children. But, so should men.
So, no, I don’t want to be a 1950’s housewife.
I think if our 50’s blogging friend had 5 children to do laundry for, cook, etc. she’d be singing a very different tune. I know my grandmothers would agree and they lived in the city! However, I do understand the wish for better morals but I don’t think that blogger cares about that aspect. I think for her it’s all about the clothes, hair and food. A very indulgent fantasy, I would say but I suppose a harmless one. I think Laura has a better grip on it – take what you like and leave the rest.