Whenever I share my love for the past, especially the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, I feel like I need to make something very clear: not everything from those times deserves a comeback.
The prejudice, the exclusion, the harmful mindsets? Those were not values at all. Those were wounds of society, and they must stay in the past where they belong. I would never want to romanticize or resurrect those parts of history, because to do so would be to ignore the pain they caused. To me, loving vintage isn’t about pretending the past was perfect, it’s about acknowledging the flaws while also honoring the beauty that existed alongside them. I never want to even grace these poisonous, harmful mindsets or behaviors with the honorable moniker of “value.”
But here’s the thing: alongside those struggles, there were also beautiful values woven into daily life. Things like manners, grace, self-respect, homemaking, community, and presence. People wrote thank-you notes and meant them. Families gathered around the dinner table without phones pulling them away. Neighbors borrowed sugar and actually knew each other’s names, (not just their Wi-Fi passwords.) Clothes, furniture, and appliances were repaired, not thrown away at the first sign of wear. And taking care of your home and family wasn’t something to be mocked…it was something to be cherished.
There was an emphasis on slowing down. On giving attention to the details. On living in a way that wasn’t always about the next thing, but about treasuring the moment right in front of you. Think of the way women took pride in presenting themselves when they left the house, or the way men held doors open out of courtesy. Think of handwritten letters, Sunday dinners, kids riding bikes until the streetlights came on, and the kind of conversations that lasted hours instead of being reduced to a quick text.
Those are the kinds of vintage values I believe are worth holding onto. The ones that remind us to treat people with respect, to carry ourselves with dignity, and to add beauty and thoughtfulness to everyday life. These weren’t just habits, they were vital threads that held communities and families together.
We live in such a fast-paced, distracted, disposable culture now that sometimes I think we’ve lost sight of those simple yet profound practices. Everything today feels “instant”. Instant meals, instant messages, and instant gratification. And while convenience most certainly has its place, it also makes it easier to lose touch with patience, appreciation, and true connection. The good news is that we don’t have to choose between modern progress and vintage values. We can carry the best of both.
For me, embracing vintage values isn’t about living in the past, it’s about learning from it. It’s about recognizing what was good, what was harmful, and choosing to carry the best into the present. It’s about weaving together timeless principles with the freedoms and progress we enjoy today.
So when I say I love vintage and some of it’s values, I mean I want to celebrate the timeless parts of the past that still have something to teach us today. The warmth of community, the intentionality of presence, the beauty of grace and self-respect, and the joy found in cherishing what we already have.
Because grace, kindness, dignity, and respect? Those values never go out of style. ✨