50 Nostalgic Snapshots From The 1950s That Perfectly Depict How Different That Time Was

Take a step back in time with our collection of nostalgic snapshots from the 1950s, a decade that seems like a different world altogether! These nostalgic photos capture the essence of an era filled with poodle skirts, classic cars, and soda fountains.

From family gatherings in front of black-and-white TVs to teenagers rocking out to the latest rock ‘n’ roll hits, these cool images offer a glimpse into the past and highlight just how much things have changed.

So grab a root beer float, put on your favorite Elvis record, and join us as we explore the unique charm and quirks of the fabulous ’50s from the r/OldSchoolCool reddit group!

1. There’s no such thing as too much milkshake! (1953)

Old School Cool 1950s

2. Safety was not well thought-out in the 1950s.

Old School Cool 1950s

3. My grandma and great aunt in the 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

4. My grandparents with their ridiculously big smiles on their wedding day sometime in the late 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

5. Eartha Kitt, 1950

Old School Cool 1950s

6. My grandfather with Elvis Presley in the 1950s

Old School Cool 1950s

7. My great aunts messing around in the 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

8. Disneyland circa 1955. The first versions of character costumes.

Old School Cool 1950s

9. My grandfather in the late 50s. He was the Head Keeper at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Old School Cool 1950s

10. Space traveler stops in Oklahoma for a party, 1957

Old School Cool 1950s

11. Betty White in 1955

Old School Cool 1950s

12. My grandparents at a fair in the late 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

13. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the Miss Correct Posture Contest pose with trophies and their X-Rays in 1956.

Old School Cool 1950s

14. Seeing how many people you could pack into a phone booth was what teens did before the internet (1959).

Old School Cool 1950s

15. Actress Julie Adams being treated after hitting her head during the filming of ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ in 1954.

Old School Cool 1950s

16. Annie Easley, Computer Scientist and Mathematician, at Nasa Glenn Research Center in 1955.

Old School Cool 1950s

17. My cool aunt in the 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

18. Wilt Chamberlain at 17 in 1954

Old School Cool 1950s

19. Man celebrating end of drought in 1951, Texas.

Old School Cool 1950s

20. Elton John at 6-years-old in 1953

Old School Cool 1950s

21. Behind the Scenes of Godzilla in 1954

Old School Cool 1950s

22. Former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, taking a selfie in the early 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

23. Bring back the 1950s

Old School Cool 1950s

24. My grandfather in the late 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

25. 5MB IBM hard drive, 1956

Old School Cool 1950s

26. Information desk at the TSA terminal at JFK Airport in 1956

Old School Cool 1950s

27. Gun safety class, Indiana in 1956

Old School Cool 1950s

28. Paris in the 1950s. That dress is stunning

Old School Cool 1950s

29. Brunch along the road while traveling in 1957, before fast food options really existed

Old School Cool 1950s

30. My mom circa 1957

Old School Cool 1950s

31. Free Borsht on account of Stalin’s end (1953)

Old School Cool 1950s

32. Before the accident: Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1953

Old School Cool 1950s

33. My beautiful grandma taken sometime in the 50s

Old School Cool 1950s

34. In the days before fast-food, roadside picnics were the highlight of every road trip. Pic from 1958 family vacation.

Old School Cool 1950s

35. Two of my dad’s Army buddies from the mid-50s

Old School Cool 1950s

36. A milkman delivery in 1950

Old School Cool 1950s

37. Gassing up his motorized roller skates in 1958

Old School Cool 1950s

38. This kitten smiling bigger than the little girl for a photo in 1955

Old School Cool 1950s

39. My 8-year-old dad got in a fight at school in 1953

Old School Cool 1950s

40. Ella Fitzgerald arrested after singing to an integrated audience in 1955

Old School Cool 1950s

41. Los Angeles fashion along Rodeo Drive in 1953 (colorized)

Old School Cool 1950s

42. 1958 Chevrolet Impala, Silver Blue

Old School Cool 1950s

43. Early cosplayer at Sci-Fi convention WorldCon in 1951

Old School Cool 1950s

44. Illegal drag racing in the L.A. River Basin in 1957.

Old School Cool 1950s

45. In the 1950s, my grandfather liked to go pheasant hunting after church (why he’s wearing a tie)

Old School Cool 1950s

46. My grandma and grandpa back in the 50s. He was in the ROCAF and part of the Black Bat Squadron

Old School Cool 1950s

47. My grandpa in his high school photo circa 1950

Old School Cool 1950s

48. Minnie Minoso in his Cadillac Escalade Convertible. Spring Training, 1954

Old School Cool 1950s

49. Mr. Rogers school photo in 1951

Old School Cool 1950s

50. A slightly surrealistic photo of my grandma and some dude somewhere in Florida in 1957

Old School Cool 1950s
Mike

Mike Primavera

Mike Primavera is a Chicago-based comedy writer even though he doesn't HAVE to work. He lives comfortably off of his family's pasta fortune. Follow him on all social media at @primawesome