12 Reasons You Really Belong In The 1940's

Ever feel out of place in this modern world? Maybe you wish your friends would just call you on the phone instead of texting. Or perhaps you’re more comfortable in a suit and tie or an elegant dress than jeans and a T-shirt. Does talk of gluten-free diets and juice cleanses make you long for the days of meat and potatoes? If so, you might have been born too late!

Here are 12 reasons you may really belong in the 1940's:

1. You Love Comic Books.

The 1940's were the Golden Age of Comics. In fact, the superheroes featured in today’s blockbuster movies are products of this era. Superman, Batman, Captain America, and Wonder Woman are just a few of the iconic superheroes created during this period that catapulted comics into mainstream popularity.

2. You’re A Sci-Fi Buff.

Science fiction was also at the height of its popularity and relevance in the 1940's. Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and Ray Bradbury all wrote works that science-fiction aficionados have enjoyed for decades.

3. You Look Great In Hats.

By the 1950's, men and women were starting to sour on hats. But in the 1940's, you weren’t fully dressed unless you had a hat on. Fedoras were standard for men, while women wore everything from modest pillboxes to wide-brimmed, decorated hats.

4. You’re A Lady Who Loves Gloves.

Gloves were a fashion staple for women of the 1940's. From practical gloves to match your everyday outfits to glamorous opera gloves that went past the elbow, ladies of the ’40's knew how to cover their hands in style.

5. You’re A Smoker.

Smoking was at its peak during the 1940's, since it was no longer considered unladylike for women to smoke, and servicemen who were issued cigarettes during World War II brought the habit home with them. While plenty of Americans still smoked in the 1950's, studies began surfacing about the harmful effects of smoking and cigarettes started to decline in popularity.

6. You’re An Avid Gardener.

Victory gardens were a way that those on the home front contributed to the war effort. Whether it was an apartment building rooftop, backyard, or even a vacant lot, patches of available dirt everywhere were planted with fruit and vegetables.

7. You Love Musicals.

The modern musical hit its high note in the 1940's. Show tunes were a regular part of the radio hit parade. Before this period, most musicals were just a scattered collection of songs and dance numbers. However, starting in the 1940's, the musical sequences furthered character development. Oklahoma, Kiss Me Kate, South Pacific, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes all came from this fruitful period.

8. You’re Crazy About Crime Dramas.

Film noir had its heyday in the 1940's. This type of crime drama focused on a cynical main character — usually a detective — who was in over his head. The Maltese Falcon and The Postman Always Rings Twice are two classic examples of the genre.

9. You’re Into Abstract Art.

During the 1940's, New York overtook Paris as the art capital of the world. Art was shifting toward a more abstract style. This era was the apex of abstract impressionism, personified by important artists like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Piet Mondrian.

10. You Love Sardines.

Sardines were at their most popular in the 1940's. Meat and fish were heavily rationed, and this relatively inexpensive, preserved fish could keep for long periods. The sardine population started declining, and by the 1950's, the industry had collapsed. Of course, sardines are available today but there are no longer any canneries in the U.S. and they’re no longer a staple of the American diet.

11. You Like To Swing.

Big band swing music was the most popular music in America during the 1940's. Jazz was considered serious, while swing was a light and dance-worthy distraction from the heaviness of wartime. Large orchestras, band leaders, and a rotating group of soloists favored a rhythm-heavy sound that would eventually lead to the traditional pop music that was a precursor to rock and roll.

12. You Prefer To Travel By Train.

The 1940's were the glory years of luxury rail travel. Railroads were trying to hang on to passengers, who were being lured away by the convenience of automobiles. Fancy dining cars, on-board barbershops, and fully stocked bars were just some of the glamorous features that luxury passenger cars had to offer.

Source: Ancestry.com