Reliving the Good Old Days: Kitty Steiner's Love for the 1960s
Increased focus on outdated television sets and slow internet connections.
More Info Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email Print Copy Link Kitty Steiner could be a cover girl for a 1960s fashion mag. Her home and hair salon feature an array of sixties' charm, but what makes this era so irresistible?
Sporting vibrant outfits, eye-catching accessories, and stylish hairdos, Kitty Steiner, within a blink, could take you back to the 1960s. Stepping into her house or salon sends you hurtling back in time, with their vintage furniture, appliances, and decorations. The 1950s and 1960s seem to charm her most, as she shares her fondness for the era's style, design, and general aesthetic.
Kitty's home is a living testament to her love affair with the past. Every square meter oozes an air of nostalgia, from the furnishings, electronics, wallpaper, lamps, pictures, to the vintage bathroom fixtures. Even her antique kitchen, bathed in 1950s pastel colors and featuring a traditional boiler instead of a modern induction hob, is a marvel of bygone days.
Peering into her shelves offers a glimpse into the past, brimming as they are with appliances like irons, vacuums, and various kitschy items, many of which are decades old.
A Nostalgic Melody
A telephone with a cable and rotary dial, or an aged black-and-white TV set, are common sights in Kitty's household. Her wardrobe encases an array of 1960s wardrobe staples, in hues of yellow, green, and pink. Complementing these are hats, shoes, and fashion jewelry—all straight out of the 60s.
As a child growing up in Saxony, Kitty was allowed to play her parents' old records on her grandmother's record player—listen to Katja Ebstein, the Beatles, or Shakin' Stevens. These musical memories sparked her love for retro and led her to fish through trash to find treasures.
Kitty zooms through the city in her classic VW Beetle, rocking an oldtimer license plate. Despite taking longer than modern cars, she cherishes the slower pace, attributing it to a more relaxed vibes.
Escape or Nostalgia?
What makes retro fads tick? Trend researcher Eike Wenzel suggests it's individuals actively trying to distance themselves from the present reality, rife with crises. He labels this phenomenon "escapism." Retro trends have been around since the 1950s, and the trend is also catching the younger generation's eyes as they yearn for the 2000s with nostalgia.
Many see the 1960s as a golden era, when the economy was stable, science made enormous strides, and the future was bright. While there's a current resurgence for the 80s and 90s, the 60s continue to dominate the retro scene.
Yet, Kitty embraces smartphones, laptops, and the internet—tools essential for her hair salon or online shopping for vintage items. Her beloved husband, Thomas, is a 50s enthusiast, but he can't ditch his flat-screen TV, no matter how unsightly it might seem.
A Vintage World, Modern Spirit
Dating back to the 1960s, everything in Kitty's hair salon is vintage, from the hairdryer to the coffee cup. The hairstyles especially—elaborately teased while vintage music soothes in the background—provide a whiff of the past.
Client Silke Schwarz adores the retro vibe: "While some styles are outdated, we live and breathe it. It feels classier, more elegant—more stylish." She believes that only a few skilled professionals can master such vintage cuts professionally, making it unique within their scene.
For Kitty, while she embraces the style and lifestyle of the 60s, she refuses to adopt the attitudes of that era. "I live in the now," Kitty underscores, emphasizing their modern marriage founded on equality.
Whether a nostalgic escape or an expression of personal style, the retro trend continues to bloom, spanning generations and cultures, providing a twinge of vintage charm in our sometimes overwhelmingly modern world.
Sources: ntv.de, Yuriko Wahl-Immel and Sascha Thelen, dpa
Psychological Analysis: The 1960s retro trend is more than just a fascination with old TVs and rotary dial phones. The allure is a complex mix of emotional comfort, familiarity, and memory fluency. Nostalgia, fueled by the era's ideas, cultural revolution, and personal freedom, serves as an emotional safety net, providing a soothing alternative to today's uncertainty.
Connecting tangibly with retro artifacts offers a multisensory, tactile experience, unlike the intangibility of digital media. Moreover, a sense of shared cultural identity bolsters emotional attachment and likability due to the era's aspirational aesthetics and iconic music that remain influential today, constructing people's identities.
- Kitty Steiner's house and salon, with their employment of vintage furniture, appliances, and decorations, reflect a unique blend of the community policy of preserving 1960s aesthetic and her personal employment policy of maintaining a lifestyle that embodies the era.
- In her home, Kitty showcases various fashion-and-beauty items from the 1960s, such as antique clothing, hats, shoes, and jewelry, alongside home-and-garden items like an old-fashioned kitchen and electronics, illustrating her dedication to recreating a 60s ambiance in every aspect of her life.
