The word “retro” implies that something is old-fashioned, timeless, or classic. The word itself is Latin, it is used as a prefix and means ‘backwards’ or ‘in the past’. This application can be seen in words like “retrospective” which means a nostalgic view of the past and “retrograde” refers to a movement towards the past rather than a progress towards the future. Most people will have heard the word “retro” associated with the 1950s era, but it is relevant to a much broader spectrum of cultural, social, and artistic applications. To describe something as retro is to assign it a positive label of quirkiness or charisma, but also to infer that while it is no longer obtainable, it is still highly desirable.
You will find the word “Retro” associated with many areas of popular culture such as fashion, art, sports, music and erotica. In the 1960s, the use of the word “Retro” increased when the American Space Program used it to describe a rocket that generates thrust in a direction opposite to that of the motion of the orbiting spacecraft, hence the “rocket retrograde”. Other examples of this type are “Retro Chic” encompassing old-fashioned styles like the poodle skirts of the 1950s.
Retro Art, also known as Retro Clipart, is derived from pop art that developed in the 1940s and 1950s. Retro art generally refers specifically to advertising artwork created during that period. Printing technology was in its infancy at the time and most printed materials were restricted to a single color. It was these limitations that led professional illustrators to develop a style of artwork that was striking and could be easily reproduced within the constraints of industry technology at the time. The development of retro art was also influenced by the Art Nouveau revolution in France at the beginning of the century. Art Nouveau, although disliked by art experts at the time, featured highly simplified drawings. This was followed by Russian Constructivism during the Bolshevik Revolution that gave real weight to the trend of graphic simplification and later contributed to the Art Deco movement in the 1920s. By the 1930s, professional artists had abandoned shading techniques. of lines such as cross hatching and full stippling and adopted the style of having pure black or white regions.
Retro music was commonly referred to as dance music in the US during the 1990s and was originally known as New Wave music. The advancement of electronic equipment during this time contributed to the popularization of electronic music, a departure from traditional and electromechanical instruments. Although this propelled its movement into the mainstream, not all dance music at the time was considered retro music. Dance music and psychedelic style, trance, psytrance etc. They are still very much alive and kicking today. Today, retro music only refers to the music of the retro period.
Retro erotica can be classified as modern photography in an older style. This distinguishes it from vintage erotica, which are actual vintage photographs or films. Retro erotica is typically photographic hardcore pornography or non-nudity pinup images. It dates to the 1970s, sometimes earlier, and features specific styles of lingerie such as bullet bras, garters, or girdles, as well as hairstyles, accessories, and makeup from that era.
Retro sportswear are generally sought after items from the 1970s and 1980s and include items such as soccer jackets, jerseys, and jerseys with earlier club logos. His designs are often reminiscent of the past through the use of color combinations and lines on the sides representative of those periods. An example of this is the FIFA World Cup held in Mexico in 1970. Retro sportswear is so popular now that brands like Puma, Nike and Adidas have divisions dedicated to this trend, and in order not to be excluded from this lucrative market, Some soccer, basketball and baseball clubs have also reintroduced their old clothes for sale.
In this rapidly changing world of modern technology, it may be surprising to learn that retro games, games on old computers or old game consoles, are fast becoming a popular pastime. Retro gamers often use outdated systems like Atari 2600, Dreamcast, and Nintendo Entertainment System. The Atari 2600 video game console was released in October 1977. It is credited with promoting the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges that use game code. Actually, it was Fairchild Channel F that first used this format, but it was the Atari 2600 that familiarized the gaming world with the plug-in concept.
The desire for a sense of nostalgia, though unsentimental, is the driving force behind everything retro. It links us to specific times and trends in history and reminds us of where we came from. Retro is inspiring, educational, and sometimes frivolous. It allows us to remember in the comfort of our very modern lives and explore the trends, technology, fashions and attitudes of the good old days.
In the words of the American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892) “The past, the dark and unfathomable hindsight! The overwhelming abyss, the sleepers and the shadows! The past! The infinite greatness of the past! Because, after all What is the present but a growth from the past? “
