I've always been fascinated with the past, particularly the 1950s and 1960s. I love the fashion trends, music, dialect, dancing, and art. I grew up with a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the wall along with Norman Rockwell paintings (I grew up in a culturally diverse home). The “Merry Christmas” album by Johnny Mathis brought cheer in my home at Christmas time. John Waters movies, along with films like "Where the Boys Are," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Beach Blanket Bingo," “A Patch of Blue”, and many others, were my favorites to watch as a young girl. I wanted to wear poodle skirts, pedal pushers, saddle shoes, get “pinned” as a teenager, and, even though it’s incredibly cliché, be kissed on a Ferris wheel at a carnival.
I currently own a pair of saddle shoes and they always spark conversations whenever I wear them, though they are quite uncomfortable. Pedal pushers, now known as modern-day capris, are a staple in my wardrobe. Getting “pinned” is completely outdated, but I am married now, and my husband (boyfriend at the time) did kiss me on a Ferris wheel—not at a carnival, but at The Capital Wheel at National Harbor, D.C.
Like with all history, it can sometimes be hard to hear, watch, or read, but it is history, and we must not overlook it. Stephen King's "11/22/63" had been on my reading list for over a decade, and now that I have my reading life back (after a 16-year pause as a working mom), I finally completed it and loved it! The political aspect was a little hard to follow, especially since I wasn't born in those decades, but King delves into the complexities of the early 60s, particularly the political climate surrounding JFK's assassination.
While the history of these decades, among others, can be painful, it's equally important to celebrate the cultural milestones that bring joy and creativity. The 1950s and 1960s were eras of significant change, shaping modern society in many ways. I like to focus on the fun aspects of pop culture from those times.
Please join me in book two episode two of Bookmarked by The Digikast!
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- -SherrysJoy- -