Retrowow is an online resource about the 50s, 60s and 70s. On this site we have articles about life in Britain in the 50s, 60s and 70s. We have guides to the style of these three decades and discussions of life in the past. http://www.retrowow.co.uk Don Draper faced a challenge in Episode 1 of the first series of Mad Men: how to keep people buying cigarettes when the health risks were well known. He was putting in some late nights and some hard drinking, but was short on ideas. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/mad_men_era/lucky_strike.php Tea was still Britain's favourite drink in the 60s and Britons consumed more tea per head than any other nationality. However, tea was going out of favour. More and more people were putting on the kettle to make a cup of instant coffee instead. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_britain/60s/60s_coffee_drinking.php Cigarette smoke was part of the background of everyday life in the sixties. Most men and women lit up and children as young as ten took up smoking for the first time. Although most people had a vague awareness of the health risk, only a minority gave up smoking. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_britain/60s/60s_cigarettes.php Robert Welch's designs for the firm J and J Wiggin, which marketed Old Hall tableware, are some of my favourite collectables from the fifties and sixties. They capture the spirit of the age. Robert Welch used a new material, stainless steel, to create some striking modern designs. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_collectibles/metalware/robert_welch.php A phone from the 70s can be a fab addition to a retro style room. Technology in the 70s allowed for push-button dialing and more modern looking phones. However, most people went for the classic telephone shape with a retro style dial. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_technology/telephone/70s_telephones.php The famous Get Carter Car Park, in Gateshead is still standing, as of April 2010, in spite of plans to demolish it and build a Tesco store. However, the Trinity Square Shopping Centre that once stood next to it has already gone. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/architecture/60s/get_carter_car_park.php Picture the scene, it's October 1974, you've just got the latest edition of Look-in magazine, Slade are at number one with 'My Friend Stan' and you've got 50 pence burning a hole in your shorts' pocket. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_britain/70s/70s_fun_fair.php A Younger Ltd was a high quality British furniture manufacturer that led style and contemporary taste in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Younger furniture was low volume, well made and aimed at the top end of the market. Younger was amongst the first firms to make Scandinavian style furniture in the fifties. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/furniture/younger_furniture.php Uniflex made some stunning modern furniture in the 60s. They pushed the boundaries of popular taste much further than G-Plan. Their designs were minimalist in the extreme, abolishing handles and creating an ultra modern look. Today Uniflex is highly prized by collectors and pieces achieve good prices on eBay. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/furniture/uniflex_furniture.php G-Plan have relaunched Fresco for a new generation and it looks great. Fresco, originally introduced in 1966, was a new G-Plan teak range with sculptural style emphasising curves rather than straight lines. It was G-Plan's most successful range and remained in production for many years. The new Fresco has a large dose of retro and builds on the original range. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/furniture/new_g_plan_fresco.php The classic 60s suit is very much in fashion. It is a sharp and sophisticated style: think of Sean Connery as James Bond, or Jon Hamm as Donald Draper in Mad Men. You can buy a modern suit that looks just like the style worn by Don Draper in Mad Men. Read our guide to getting the perfect 60s suit. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/60s/60s_suit.php The retro sofa, or settee, is the focal point for a retro look. If you want an overall retro style, you need to find a fab sofa to set it off. You can either go for a settee and matching chairs, or just a sofa and find other chairs to go with it. http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/furniture/retro_sofas.php