Retro Dee writes about music, fashion and other trends of the 1950s on this site. Check out her blog, Retro Dee’s Guide to the Best Era Ever here, and her column here every Wednesday.
Hi folks, It’s Retro Dee with another edition of “Keeping the 50’s Alive”!
If you know anything about the 1950’s, you know that the folks back then liked flamingos. Or, at the very least, liked flamingo themes. These whimsical birds of the tropics were an popular theme that seemed to be popping up in their pink plumage everywhere you looked back in the nifty fifties.
New motels, restaurants, bars and lounges showing up across the land frequently named themselves after flamingos. Middle class families sometimes included the now classic lawn flamingo (shown above) to grace their front yards. Inside homes, flamingo figurines, vases and paintings were commonly used as decor. There was even a group called The Flamingos, best known for their 1959 hit “I Only Have Eyes For You”.
Yes, flamingos with their tropical-vacation theme have certainly become synonymous with the fun, kitschy style of the 1950’s and 60’s. Nothing says “retro summer” better than a lawn flamingo and a mini-camper!
Today, flamingo-themed items are popular choices for retro decor. We can also readily find them printed on clothing, towels, bedsheets, shower curtains and more. Flamingos are great for anything that harkens back to mid-century nostalgia! In fact, with all the options for flamingo merchandise these days, they seem to be more popular than ever!
I’m slowly but surely re-decorating my bedroom. I’ve always liked tropical themes, especially lush rain forests and serene beaches. But since I’ve come to love the 50’s, I thought I might ditch the tropical and go with a retro 50’s look instead.
So as I was starting to re-do my bedroom, I thought, why not do both? I already have some seahorse stuff, and I’m using aqua as the main color… So I added a flamingo pillow to my set and so far, it looks great!
I hope you enjoyed this post and remember, when it comes to decorating retro, flaminGOES with everything!
For more, stay tuned and please follow Retro Dee’s Guide to the Best Era Ever here on WordPress.
You can also follow Retro Dee on Twitter @RealRetroDee and Instagram @mariepascal82
The Grooveyard is back! Listen to “The Grooveyard” following “Rick’s Redneck Ranch” each Saturday night at 7 PM on 88.1 FM on Long Island or by clicking the 88.1 FM link on wcwp.org, via the TuneIn app. or the WCWP app on your iPhone or Android device. You can also follow us on Twitter. and on the Facebook groups for the show and WCWP.
Join us for the Greatest Hits and Forgotten Favorites on . . .
“The Grooveyard”
…Where Oldies Come Alive!
The Grooveyard 