It’s not uncommon to feel nostalgic for a time in your life when you were happy, had few responsibilities, and had your entire future ahead of you. Some folks feel nostalgic for eras that they have never lived in, but they love the idea and aesthetics. This is called anemoia.
One Instagram account—‘June Cleavers Vintage Closet’—successfully taps into that feeling. The curator of this social media project shares photos of all things of vintage design, from retro recipes and fashion to furniture, tech, architecture, and toys. We’ve collected some of the most interesting pics that embody days long gone, to give you a taste of nostalgia tinged with a dash of wistfulness. Scroll down to take a peek!
Meanwhile, Bored Panda reached out to the founder of the project, Jennifer Kline. You'll find our full interview with her below!
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#1
Except call it Only Grans
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According to Kline, her Instagram and Facebook accounts first started as places for her to sell some of her vintage clothes from her personal closet. "So I quickly thought of a name—June Cleavers Closet. I then started adding occasional vintage content to the page as it slowly grew, such as vintage decor, ads, recipes, fashion, etc."
She told Bored Panda that she's always felt drawn to the past, especially the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. "I’m a child of the '80s, and my childhood home was built by my parents in 1972. It had a lot of Spanish Mediterranean influence, so I gravitate toward the '70s strongly. What some people find to be hideous or gaudy, I find to be amazing, especially when it comes to time capsule homes," she shared.
"I think my content resonates strongly with others because it takes them down a trip on memory lane. I’m often told that my posts unlocked long-forgotten happy memories for people. On my page, I don’t allow politics of any kind and just require that people are kind to each other," Kline stressed the fact that there is no place for hate or nastiness on her page.
#2
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#3
Kurt Zimmerman created “Artoo Deco” Art Deco take on R2-D2, capable of movement under radio control with an in-built sound-system that makes droidish noises
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"The page is really a nice community. There’s nostalgia, but also a lot of humor, and many friendships have been made. I’ve been told the page is a bright spot in their day," she said.
Kline told us that she keeps sharing these vintage photos because she enjoys it. What's more, it brings a lot of joy to many people online.
"I have found some really interesting ads and photos. And I’ve also started featuring vintage time capsule homes, and people really enjoy those posts as well, she said.
"When I share the vintage recipes, I tend to wear coordinating vintage outfits to my food. Fashion-wise, I love the '60s and '70s. Yes, even the double-knit polyester. As far as homes, cars, and design, I don’t really have a favorite as I appreciate all the decades, not just the '50s (despite my page name). So I share all decades on the page," Kline told Bored Panda.
Kline revealed to Bored Panda that the secret behind the success of 'June Cleavers Vintage Closet' probably comes down to questionable vintage recipes: "The good, the bad, and the wretched."
#4
The bathrooms in this Illinois home are spectacular! Built in 1952
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#5
This property sold for 1.8 million
7 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 2 half baths
Architect John Koster was commissioned by the Mechner family in 1969 to develop a property like no other.
Chappaqua, NY
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#6
I thought l’d share my mom’s childhood Barbie collection. I always loved the booklet and admired the dresses and art work
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"The use of gelatin and all the things that went in it piqued my interest. I’m a foodie and got curious, so one day I decided I was just going to try out some recipes. And test them out on my poor unsuspecting husband, who is now affectionately known as 'Mr. Cleavers," she said.
"I started filming his reactions, and people seemed to enjoy it, so we just kept going with it. He’s an unfiltered type and just tells it like it is. We have fun with it, and others seem to as well."
According to the founder of the account, the very first recipe that she tested out on her husband was a bologna cake. " It sort of looks like a real cake, so imagine his surprise when he cut into it and found out it was bologna," she said, adding that her spouse actually hates bologna.
"He’s been faced with so many questionable recipes, such as lime tuna jello, spinach egg sardine molds, and some of my own wacky combinations. But he’s also been rewarded with some delicious vintage recipes as well. I shared a lot of great baked goods and dessert recipes, too. My husband has also become quite popular on the page and seems to be a fan favorite. He has been a really good sport about it all."
#7
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#8
Denny’s in the 70s
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#9
Stilnovo tripod UFO Lamp
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Nostalgia is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can make you feel less lonely, counter existential anxiety, and empower you during tough times. On the other hand, if you focus on the past too much and spend a large chunk of your time daydreaming about what could have been, you might miss out on opportunities and relationships in the present.
Anemoia is a little different from ‘regular’ nostalgia because it revolves around the idea that you long for some time that you were never around for. As reported by the BBC, the more dissatisfied you are with your current situation, the more likely you are to yearn to experience long-lost (and overly romanticized) eras.
#10
In 1977, when STAR WARS beat Jaws to become the highest-grossing movie ever at the time, Steven Spielberg took out the below ad for George Lucas in Variety
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#11
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#12
‘Ebony’ Magazine’s vintage test kitchen.
The 1970s-era kitchen went under conservation at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
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The more you struggle in life now, the more likely you may be attracted to promises of returning to the ‘golden era’ of decades past… even if their awesomeness is completely made up and seen through nostalgic rose-tinted glasses.
The reality is, of course, that things are never as black-and-white as they seem. Real life is complicated and nuanced. Even periods of time that seem great (and aesthetic) on the surface have a myriad of issues that get lost in nostalgic daydreaming.
#13
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#14
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#15
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According to philosopher Felipe De Brigard, from Duke University, people can feel nostalgic for the past they haven’t experienced because they’re given a perception of history that has little to do with reality and more with propaganda and misinformation.
“The politics of nostalgia doesn’t capitalise on people’s memories of particular past events they might have experienced. Instead, it makes use of propaganda about the way things were, in order to provide people with the right episodic materials to conjure up imaginations of possible scenarios that most likely never happened,” the professor writes in an essay on Aeon.
#16
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#17
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#18
Just imagine their jello salads
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“These very same propagandistic strategies help to convince people that their current situation is worse than it actually is, so that when the simulated content—which, when attended, brings about positive emotions—is juxtaposed to negatively valenced thoughts about their present status, a motivation to eliminate this emotional mismatch ensues, and with it an inclination to political action,” De Brigard says.
According to him, the best way to counteract misinformation about the past is to improve your knowledge of it.
“Nostalgia can be a powerful political motivator, for better or for worse. Improving the accuracy of our memory for the past could indeed be the best strategy to curb the uncharitable deceptions of the politics of nostalgia.”
#19
Miracle Strip Amusement Park. It was in operation from 1963 to 2004.
The Starliner, an out and back-style wooden coaster designed by John Allen, was the park’s main attraction and the first roller coaster in Florida.
In 2003, it was announced that the park would close the following year due to a decline in public interest, loss of revenue, and increasing maintenance costs for the vintage rides. Many of the rides were sold off to other amusement parks or private collectors, while others were demolished or left to decay.
Panama City Beach, Florida
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#20
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#21
Renowned architect John Semitekol, who studied under Mies van der Rohe, designed and built this home as his personal residence in 1955; it has been enjoyed by his family ever since. It was sold in 2016. Located in Joliet, IL
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‘June Cleavers Vintage Closet’ was created and continues to be curated by Jennifer Kline. Originally, Kline created the vintage things-focused Instagram account in early 2016.
Over the past decade and nearly 17k social media posts later, the Instagram account grew to become home to 23.8k followers.
Meanwhile, Kline’s Facebook account, created in 2021, currently has 205k followers. There, the curator invites everyone to take a “scroll down memory lane” and enjoy the nostalgic pics of food, fashion, and fun she shares.
#22
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#23
The wallpaper. The apron. And much more vintage goodness going on here
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#24
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According to a post on Facebook, Kline’s goal with her social media project is to create a space for people to have fun and forge new friendships with fellow vintage enthusiasts.
She points out that vintage content from all decades is welcome here, not just from the 1950s. “At first, this page was simply to sell my 1950s garments, but as the page grew, it became so much more,” she shares.
#25
I would totally decorate with cocktail weenies. It would be the best weenie tree around!
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#26
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#27
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The curator says she hopes that the project is a “breath of fresh air” for folks who are already big fans of all things vintage.
On top of that, the curator also runs a YouTube channel that has shared over 500 videos, promising to take netizens on a “fantastic vintage journey where vintage food and fashion collide.” At the time of writing, 1.25k people follow the channel.
#28
The XPAK 400 - a futuristic, single-seat, custom-built air car designed by George Barris of Barris Kustoms. It was first displayed at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The car floats on a five-inch cushion of air, achieved by a system of fans, and has no wheels or transmission. It was designed to operate on both land and water.
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#29
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#30
“House of Tomorrow” - where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon in Palm Springs, California. It’s full of retro-futuristic architectural features. It sold for 5,650,000 back in 2022. Built in 1939 . 5 bed, 5 bath
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We’d love to hear your thoughts, Pandas. Swing by the comments section at the very bottom of this post to share yours. Which of these vintage photos captivated you the most and why? Which of the clothes, recipes, toys, furniture, and other things featured in today’s list would you welcome into your home with open arms?
What decade or era of design do you feel the most nostalgic about? Let us know below!
#31
Rasmussen Residence - Lake Forest, IL Designed in 1964 by architect Robert R Rasmussen. This is not currently on the market but I had shared it when it was active. I felt it was worthy of another share.
4 bed, 3 bath home
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#32
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#33
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#34
Promo for Rickenbacker guitar I believe this is from 1958 or so
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#35
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