Author: Author
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British Boys’ and Men’s Hairstyles in the 50s, 60s and 70s: Guide
Ask any British bloke over sixty about his old haircut and you’ll get a story, usually involving a comb, a tin of grease, and a very unimpressed mother. From the greased-up quiffs of the 1950s Teddy Boys, to the Beatles’ mop-tops and Mod cuts of the 1960s, to the long layers, perms and sideburns of…
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British Female Fashions in the 1960s: Key Styles
Early-Decade Elegance and Tailoring In the early 1960s, British women still leaned into that crisp, polished look from the ’50s—think neat skirt suits, simple A-line dresses, and hats you just had to wear if you wanted to look proper. The big names in London couture, and a few American icons, really set the pace for…
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When Streets Were Playgrounds: Outdoor Games We Played in Britain
Before mobile phones and video games took over, kids spent most of their free time outside. Streets, pavements, and neighbourhoods became sprawling playgrounds where you could run, hide, and play for hours with nothing but a ball or a bit of chalk. These outdoor games shaped entire generations, teaching us how to work together, solve…
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Things We Did at the Seaside: Sand Castles, Rock Pools, and Paddling Adventures
Going to the seaside has been a favourite part of summer for generations. We remember the simple joys of digging in the sand, searching for tiny crabs in shallow pools, and cooling off in the gentle waves near the shore. These timeless activities keep bringing families together along the British coastline. Seaside holidays offer a…
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Seaside Treats Growing Up: Iconic Sweets and Holiday Flavours
Growing up in Britain, few things captured the magic of a seaside holiday quite like the sweets and treats we enjoyed along the promenade. From the first glimpse of a candy floss stall to the satisfying crunch of a stick of rock, these confections were as much a part of our coastal adventures as building…
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British Kitchens in the 1950s: Design, Innovation, and Iconic Style
The 1950s brought a complete transformation to British kitchens, marking one of the most significant shifts in domestic life throughout the country’s history. After years of wartime hardship, families embraced new technologies and bright, cheerful designs that reflected post-war optimism. Fitted kitchens became widely popular during this decade, featuring Formica worktops, chrome fixtures, colourful appliances…
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British Sweets from the 50s, 60s and 70s We Still Crave
Some sweets just stick around, don’t they? British confectionery from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s is proof enough. Those decades gave us treats that somehow outlasted new fads and changing tastes. Many of these beloved sweets, from Love Hearts to Everton Mints, are still made today using traditional methods and remain popular across generations. Why…
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Space Hopper Races: Orange Balls & 1970s Garden Fun
Space hopper races—weren’t they just the highlight of every backyard gathering in the 1970s? You’d see a line of kids perched on those bright orange bouncy balls, knuckles white on the handles, hearts pounding, all set to launch themselves across the grass. Ordinary gardens transformed into hilarious, bouncing battlegrounds, with scraped knees and wild, unstoppable…
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Tiny Tears: The Doll That Wee’d and the First Taste of Responsibility
Tiny Tears showed up in UK toy shops in the 1960s and, honestly, she quickly became one of the most loved baby dolls ever. This 38cm doll could do things other dolls just couldn’t. She drank from a bottle, cried real tears, and wet her nappy—just like a real baby. Tiny Tears gave kids their…
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Only When I Laugh: How 1970s Sitcom Hospital Wards Taught Us British Stoicism
When British television captured life in an NHS hospital ward in 1979, it did more than just entertain. Only When I Laugh used the tight, slightly claustrophobic space of a hospital to poke at how ordinary Britons faced discomfort, illness, and uncertainty with a mix of dark humour and quiet resilience—traits that sort of defined…