There was a time when certain things were seen as chic, but now they're simply odd. The Instagram account 'Got Weird' is all about that. It shows both strange inventions and odd moments in time that demonstrate how perspectives change over the years. So take a trip down memory lane and explore what used to be cool – it might bring a smile to your face or a sneaky chuckle.
Different generations redefine what's 'in' – cultural shifts and tech advances can make old trends seem odd. Since the Industrial Revolution, the world has changed incredibly fast, making us forget how strange things used to be. It's likely that people from a century ago would find our modern behaviors equally weird.
#2 Nathan Hahn Was Arrested In 1940 For Wearing Female Clothing And Refused To Wear The Male Clothing Presented To Him By Detective Holt
#3 A Memento Mori Photo For A Lost Soldier Husband And Father, 1925. The Boy Wearing His Father’s Uniform Cap And The Wife/Mother Linking Her Arm With His Coat Sleeve Is So Touching
For example, in the United States, many big cities had laws against being ugly a hundred years ago. If you were thought to be too ugly to be seen in public, you'd have to pay a fine of $1 to $50 ($30-$1500 nowadays) or be sent to a poorhouse, which was a place for poor people with problems. We might think we're more enlightened now, but a thing like fat-shaming still exists, showing we have progress to make.
#5 Anne Francis Wearing Aviary Earrings With Real Budgies In ‘Forbidden Planet’ (1956)
#6 Gang Of Teen Girls, Estonia, 1930
On Thanksgiving, folks dressed up in costumes, made noise in the streets, and had costume parties. According to NPR, "The tradition was so well loved that in 1897 the LA Times reported that Thanksgiving was 'the busiest time of the year for manufacturers of and dealers in masks and false faces.' And if that isn't enough to make your head spin, costumed kids would also march in troops around their neighborhoods and ask adults 'Anything for Thanksgiving?' And then the adults would give them candy."
#8 A V-Shaped Bed Invented In 1932, Supporting The Body Perfectly At Every Point And Thus Promotes Better Rest
#9 People Used To Go To Record Stores And Listen To Records In A “Listening Booth”... Quite An Event
In the past, cigarette companies did something sneaky. Doctors sometimes appeared in tobacco ads, saying smoking had benefits like relieving asthma. These ads featured authoritative figures claiming that thousands of physicians agreed or a respected scientist endorsed cigarettes, but these experts were usually unnamed. In the early 20th century, people were catching on that smoking might be bad for health. Sadly, those doctor-backed cigarette ads kept going until the '60s, when the surgeons finally said, "You were right, smoking is harmful."
#11 This Is Not A Painting! The Photograph Was Taken In 1911 By Francis James Mortimer (1874–1944), A Pioneer Of Pictorial Photography
Nowadays, most folks don't find public drunkenness cool or funny, and they don't think driving drunk is okay either. But it wasn't always like this. According to Russman Law, "In the 1960s, most people thought that drunk driving was a 'folk crime.' In fact, it was kind of thought of as a rite of passage so when parents found out their boy was caught drinking and driving, it was more like a 'boys will be boys' thing than an 'Oh my god, give me the keys, you're never leaving your room again' thing." Juries felt the same way too. In those times, if you were caught drunk driving, you didn't admit to it; you asked for a jury trial. This was because, in most states, there wasn't a fixed alcohol limit, so proving your guilt wasn't just about a breathalyzer test. The state had to prove that you were not only drinking but also that the alcohol had made it unsafe for you to drive.
#13 There Were Two Types Of Kids In The 1970s And 1980s, Those Who Were On The Bike Doing A Jump, And Those Who Were Lying On The Ground Being Jumped Over
#15 American Rock Star Alice Cooper At His Home With His Girlfriend Wearing A Mask Imitating The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Low-Budget Film Which Was Re-Released In 1975
Now, picture folks from a hundred years ago in our world today. They would also find some new things strange, such as feminism or the legalization of cannabis. Even thinking about your childhood, some stuff may have seemed weird, but now it's totally normal and even liked. Being emo/goth or nerdy, enjoying anime and video games used to be seen as odd. Now, it's considered cool and trendy. Ripped jeans or thrifting were considered as signs of being poor. Our entire lives we were told to never get into a stranger's car. Yet now, we have an entire business based on just that, like Uber.
#16 Two Wax Department Store Mannequins Melt During A Heat Wave In London, 1929, Allegedly. They Also Live In Your Closet And Spy On You When You're Asleep
#17 British Airways Flight 5390 Was A Flight From Birmingham Airport In England For Málaga Airport In Spain
Trends come and go and so does our perception on things. We're sure many things that seem normal today will be considered weird in the future. So, lovely Pandas, keep scrolling to discover the remaining 'Got Weird' posts and share your thoughts on what you believe could appear strange to the generations that follow.
#19 Pubic Wigs (Called Merkins) Were Worn By Prostitutes As Early As The 1450s
