There’s something incredibly familiar and nostalgic about vintage black-and-white pictures of those who’ve become inseparable from our understanding of pop culture. The legendary stars feel so familiar, so lifelike, as though they were actually human (surprise surprise, they were!). But there are certain nuances we don’t consider often; does the nostalgia resonate with everyone or only a very specific group of people? 

Let’s start with a few definitions. Many people get confused with terms such as ‘antique,’ ‘vintage’ and ‘retro.’ How are they different? Are they different? Yes, they are. According to Fargo Antiques, the main difference between these terms is the age of that which is being described. 

Antiques must be at least 100 years old. Most antique dealers consider an item to be vintage if it is at least 40 years old, and for an item to be classed as retro it must be at least 20 years old, but not yet 40. The latter two play into our feelings of nostalgia, as they’re just old enough to have played a part in our lives in one way or another. 

Nostalgia is a weirdly bittersweet feeling. Rosalia Giammetta, psychologist and psychotherapist, argues that it reflects the paradoxical nature of memories. It links us to the past with a strange longing for the people, places, or experiences, yet it also brings forth a painful understanding that it’ll never be possible to relive those moments. 

As Baudelaire and Bloch pointed out, we can also be nostalgic about something that we’ve never actually known or felt ourselves. Therefore, we use vintage things as a means of acquiring company, security, support, and connections in the form of the imaginary. As Rosalia states, objects from the past are a remedy with which to temporarily access other possibilities, or a better, different life. 

Yet, that may seem like an elusive concept, as the reconstructed version of the past is not always innocent, especially when it comes to those who remember a different version of events. Photographer James J. Robinson aimed to shed light on the reality of existing as a marginalized person in that era when he realized that most of the directors who were romanticizing the past were white men.

“There’s been so much social change and so many people who have sacrificed their lives and tried to change the world to make the world a place where I can openly be queer, and be happy with myself as being Filipino,” says James. “It almost erases their stories for me to be wishing that I lived in a time where they were being actively oppressed.”

He believes that the way we see our history has an impact on how we build our future. “Who benefits when the lived experiences of minorities are erased? It’s always going to be the people on the top of the systems,” says James. “Of course, it’s going to be [to] their benefit to be showing us versions of the past which keep them in power.”

Alexandra Benson further discusses this notion in her essay “The Complexities of Old Hollywood Nostalgia,” stating that Old Hollywood, typically reflected upon as a glamorous and romantic lost era, is a form of escapism that only caters to a white narrative. “The allure of time travel and restorative nostalgia emit social and political complexities of the past, important factors that we must acknowledge in order to move forward,” she states. 

One must consider the fact that Hollywood’s roots in segregation and racial inequality have distorted our perception of what the past was really like. Black actors were often substituted by white actors in blackface, and those who did get roles got paid nearly a quarter of a white actor’s salary, playing characters with little character development or social standing. 

“When the black community revisits these nostalgic films, they either do not see themselves represented or see themselves depicted as a stereotype and caricature,” Alexandra continues to say. “When the white population gazes at the screen, they not only see themselves in all facets of representation but see black people as ‘the other.’ Many forget how impactful these representations in pop culture can be to our society; they can have such a robust threshold over our expectations of reality and perceptions of the world.” 

Alexandra concludes by stating that by indulging in the past as better than the present, we deny the brutal truths that existed during the time we romanticize. However, navigating nostalgia is a slippery slope: it’s a struggle to decide whether we should criticize the past or celebrate it, mourn time’s passing or accept the necessity of moving on, or continue to learn from and update elements of the past to the continually changing demands of the present and future. 

The past is intriguing nonetheless, and acknowledging the good and the complex helps us all move forward toward a better reality for each and every one of us. For the moment though, I hope you continue to enjoy all these beautiful vintage photos, upvoting your favorites.

Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below and I shall see you in the next one!