Selfies, retweets, Justin Bieber. There’s nothing cool about living in 2014. You’ve got to go back a fair way to see true cool. So we’ve done just that. Here’s a collection of retro photographs that scream ‘old school cool!’ This pictures scream it while sat on a motorbike, wearing a leather jacket and smoking a cigarette. Check out this proof that we’re no way near as cool as we used to be back in the day…
Even graffiti artists dressed impeccably back in the ’50s. Not like the slack-jawed hoodie-wearing types today.
An early shot of Clint Eastwood enjoying the company off two ladies.
Cary Grant demonstrates perfect tailoring and grooming. Beats the Bench t-shirt you wear.
Skating on ice. Because ice is cool and skate parks aren’t.
‘The Chairman of the Board’, Mr. Sinatra even drinks Scotch when he’s getting out of a helicopter. He doesn’t drink Red Bull in his dad’s Metro.
Sassy schoolgirls pass a note in school. Probably about how cool Frank Sinatra is for drinking Scotch while getting out of a helicopter.
This Mad Men-inspiring secretary smokes over a typewriter. Because you could do that back then. Now you huddle outside in the rain for a work time smoke.
Muhammad Ali in Savile Row chic.
Apparently rooftop all-women boxing fights were a thing. Shouldn’t be cool. Is.
A female biker’s quiff matches the fellas’.
Fashion ruled back then.
Even beige jumpers looked swish.
Taking your girl out for a milkshake. Cooler than necking a six-pack and throwing up.
Effortless.
David Bowie’s mugshot. 125,000 cooler than Bieber’s.
Paul Newman. The coolest guy of all time? Well, apart from Mario Lopez and Martin Freeman, obviously.
Getting wet’s never cool, though.
Jimi. The man. Hendrix, not Fallon.
Audrey. THE woman.
This, back then? Oh yeah. Do that now? Lame.
Pablo Picasso and a buxom muse (ably played by Brigitte Bardot)
Sheeeeesh. Even politicians looked snazzy back in the ’60s. Check out these Canadian officials. They’re dressed slightly better than David Cameron.
Game of Thrones’ Diana Rigg.
Ernest Hemmingway – passport shot.
Sigourney Weaver looking androgynous in a sharp suit.
Jagger and McCartney swap notes on being world-famous icons on a train to Bangor of all places. Not exactly Mumford & Sons.
Bond kicks back.
Even kids were cool back in the day.
Neil Degrasse Tyson. This guy was an astrophysicist. Yep – even nerds were cool back then.
Royals looking suave.
COATS.
Early Germany-phase Beatles.
Kid chills with JFK.
His name. Is Michael Caine.
The King of Cool, Mr. Dean Martin, chats with the gorgeous Angie Dickinson on the set of Howard Hawk’s classic western, Rio Bravo.
This is about as 1960s as it gets.
Somehow, even the kid of the right looks cool. We’ve no idea how!
A young Kevin Spacey.
The Duke, John Wayne. Mr America himself.
Style.
Hair.
More cool kids. This time from Chicago.
No one sat in playing video games. They went out dancing.
They should look daft, what with what they’re wearing. But they’ve gone full circle – UBER COOL.
Gas stop.
Sean Connery – off to knock in a few balls.
Harrison Ford looking dapper.
The Rat Pack and friends on the set of Ocean’s Eleven.
A jiving couple tear up the floor.
Acting great Marlon Brando tries out for A Rebel Without a Cause.
Now tell us that the old days weren’t cool. They hands-down beat the 21st Century…
Know someone that could use a little inspiration? Be cool – send them this today.
