A Collection of Seriously “Old School Cool”

At WUDN, we’re obsessed with the way things used to look. History’s cool kids, so to speak. And not just the coolest people, but the places and things with that certain recognizable feel. Bonus points for pics including beautiful real wood.

We will be adding to this collection over the coming year. Wanna be featured? Send us your Old School Cool submission to info@shopwudn.com. If it feels right, we’ll put it up. And, tell us how you feel in the comments. We promise to respond to everyone.

Killer, Carved Wooden Chair - Before & After. Amazing Craftsmanship.

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Jonas Salk Invented the Polio Vaccine (1950s)

This man is a hero.  #VaccinesWork  Source

I had no idea Steve Martin could look Badass, 1971. 

Carlos Santana 1972

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Getting Gas for $1.24 a Gallon in Los Angeles, 1980

Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher during the making of the first Star Wars [1970s]

Since we're on the trend of movies that were meaningful to my childhood, Star Wars was the last movie I saw with my Dad at the Fairview Drive In Theater (Boise, ID) in the summer of 1977. Talk about magical. 

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Young Robert Downey Jr. and the cast of Weird Science, 1985.

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Shirley Slade, WASP pilot, 1943. She was one of over 1,000 female pilots who ferried B-26 and B-29 bombers and supplies during WWII.

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A Great Dane riding shotgun in a sports car. Hollywood, California 1961.

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Casino security overlooking the pit. The Mint, Downtown Vegas, 1968.

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First known photograph of the "American Soccer Mom" circa 1950

A NYFD firefighter and his partner at ground zero on 9/11/2001 just after the towers fell

Still brings tears to my eyes just to think about it. Has it already been long enough that these two heroes qualify as old school cool? I say yes.

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Joan Jett and Debbie Harry, 1977

This Milkman in London, 1940

With all this Brexit craziness, just a reminder, the Brits have survived worse. 

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Catherine Leroy, a French photographer who went to Vietnam at age 21.

23 Year Old John Wayne in 1930.

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Mr. Rogers on the first ever episode of “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” ~1968

Best Comment: "500 bucks, a pair of tennis shoes, a sweater, and some crude puppets. It don’t take much to change tens of thousands of lives, if not more."

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Young Men “reading” Playboy (1971)

I know they’re just reading the articles. Source

Hotel Reception Desk, Giant Quartersawn Log

The Douglas Hotel (Vancouver)

Best Comment: “You don’t check in at this hotel, you log in.”

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Earliest known photo of a surfer. Hawaii, 1890

Surfing was a sport in ancient Polynesia that was first observed by Europeans during Captain Cook’s voyage to Hawaii in 1788.

Best Comment: “I love that he's got that post-surf chilled out vibe going on. Likes he's reflecting and maybe mind-surfing a set wave.”

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Young Men “reading” Playboy (1971)

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A boy and his dog share a laugh, 1930s

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Get blown away by these Maxell cassette tape ads.

One of the greatest marketing visuals ever created, IMHO. The image is art and you can even buy the framed print on Amazon.  

Best comment on Reddit: “Back when big-budget advertising meant the full creative force of an office full of cocaine and anxiety was concentrated into a single iconic image rather spread blandly across than 1000 bloggers vloggers and influencers.”

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The video didn’t age quite as well but it still brought back the 80’s feels.

10-year-old Christopher Walken in 1953

"I’m telling you, fellas — you’re gonna want that cowbell on the track."

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This is a certified badass right here. Old School Cool.

In 1966, Bobbi Gibb was denied entry into the Boston Marathon - the race director said women were “physiologically unable to run marathon distances”. So, she wore a hoodie, borrowed her brother’s gym shorts, and finished ahead of two-thirds of the male finishers. This is a certified badass right here. Old School Cool.

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Elvis Presley During his Time in the Army, 1958

Source: Elvis Presley during his time in the army, 1958

Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, 1972

You won't believe me... This picture of Keith Richards was taken over 47 years ago. Source

Keanu Reeves & Sandra Bullock 1994

We will probably open and close with Keanu. His laid-back style is as cool as it gets, and his philosopher wisdom borders on the mythical. Here he is with Sandra Bullock in 1994. Keanu is so cool, the're writing articles about the history of his coolness. 

This man carving wood with a magnifying glass and the sun.

I don’t really care how old the picture is… This cool guy is carving an awesome wood table, with nothing but some glass and the sun. Could have been a hundred years ago. It’s totally cool.

https://i.redd.it/mf5dctxia5g31.jpg 

Steve McQueen - The King of Cool - 1960s/1970s

https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCool/comments/crkyh3/steve_mcqueen_the_king_of_cool_1960s1970s/

PS. We “find” lots of stuff on the Interwebs and (if possible) we promise to recognize or link to the original – or at least the original, as we found it.