Why is we excited about the aesthetics of the America of the 50s?

They call it Americanization and mean massive and sub -ptia acculturization.Subtlely, crouched in the dark of cinema, while we devoured popcorn, Hollywood has instilled in us the preponderant values of the United States.A way of life, an even aesthetic, symbolized in the 50s, which mark the cynit of that propaganda."Between World War II and the emergence of the Vietnam War, in full rise of consumption, Americans experience the feeling of social peace and that idealization has been disseminated through their films, architecture or fashion," explains Mariano Urraco, Professor of Sociology at the Distance University of Madrid (Udima).

Nostalgia has been caught as the memory of a lost paradise."Not everything was so kind and clean, but the imaginary of the fifties, with Elvis, Jukebox and the echoes of 'Grease', has sneaked into the brain and driven the nostalgia 'vintage' by those supposedly better times".

Success also has political roots.Before Nazi aggression, the United States becomes the Savior of Europe and move to Germany as a spiritual power and culmination of Western civilization."His brightness reaches a continent full of misery, rats and diseases," coincides by the sociologist Pedro Mansilla."It was a non -free effort and spread a 'socialist' capitalism, with social awareness, derived from the measures undertaken to fight against the great depression".It was a country that sold fresh, modern and rich, in the midst of generalized ruin.And the precursors were the American soldiers who participated in the release of the axis forces.«We fell in love with Captain Thunder, an idyll with various demonstrations, some of which have endured.Seventy years later, we analyze the footprint that that America of the 50 has left us in culture and aesthetics, in our favorite rhythms, the way of dressing and understanding elegance and even in the palate.

Cars

An old convertible with leather seats

A panoramic moon convertible, upholstered in leather and provided with white band tires.It did not used to be the aspiration of average Spanish in the 50s, immersed in economic autarchy, in a world of scarcity and few opportunities.But that aspirational world came to us through cinema and television and there have been those who, with money, have been able to materialize the dream."The world of American cars is expensive, an atmosphere of collectors with many resources," warns José Martínez, responsible for international purchases of JJDeluxegarage, a company for the sale and restoration of classic vehicles based in IBI (Alicante)."They are not formed with one, it becomes a vice".

Cadillac Eldorado, Pontiac Bonneville, Chevrolet Bel Air and Chrysler 300, are among the most requested.The price varies."You can buy one for about 900 euros completely shattered and, from there, you spend what you want," he says, and points out that the outlay ranges from the model, the series, the year of manufacturing, "and, especially,to keep the greatest number of original pieces ».

Those who buy them, the expert continues, "are not specific lovers of cars, but of the time".The passion for these old vehicles moves a world of fairs and auction and have been made hole on television, with cars restoration programs.More than in Spain, there is passion in Germany, Holland or the Scandinavian countries, where there was a 'boom' after World War II and since then in many barns old relics are kept that their owners show proud in the usual summer concentrations of cars.

Music

Pilgrimage to Memphis: "Everyone has been or dreams of going"

The new eighties wave encouraged numerous urban and musical tribes.There were Gothic, new romantics and others that went back to 50 to endowed identity signs.The reference band were the Stray Cats, a curious mixture between aesthetic modernity and sound tradition.

Juan Carlos Esteban is the leader of the 'Widow Makers', a Madrid combo that refers to that decade, when the blues and the Rhytm and Blues flourish, the country and the Western Swing;To the years that rock, rockabilly and doo wop saw born."Now the scene is more rigorous, singers are more purist and do not wear big pins".They have just published 'Uppercut', their latest album, accompanied by a Big Band - they present it at the Muñoz Seca Theater on April 8 - and they also claim that fruitful period, when the United States became the meltingIt was renewed."All pop comes from that crib," says Esteban, whose attachment to that time is not limited to that richness of bars: "I was also fascinated by the aesthetics," he confesses and remembers the impact produced by the movie 'American graffiti',visual tribute to that stage."The next day I already wanted to wear toupee and dress white shirt".Like other followers of Buddy Holly's songs or Jerry Lee Lewis, his training owes a lot to 'Flor de Passion', Juan de Pablos's mythical music program.

Spanish Rockabilly today has great soloists, such as the dual, considered the best of the world in its kind, Marcos Sendarrubias or the Dice Rocky Band.In addition, the professional circuit includes fundamental quotes such as rockin'race jamboree de Malaga or the Screamin Festival of Calella.«But generational renewal is missing.They do not usually go spectators under 35 years, ”he laments.Spirit rockers maintain, in any case, in addition to their faith, the characteristic 'look' and attachment to inveterate traditions.«Pilgrimage to Memphis is fundamental.Everyone has been or dreams of going ».

Bars and coffees

The cocktail-bar: «Put me an 'Old Fashion', please»

The character accommodates and asks for a whiskey, or the waiter, who knows him for being a regular client, crosses some comment on the tranquility of the night and serves the usual.Then, turn the head, see it at the end of the bar and its eyes intersect.The action happens in black and white, in an atmosphere of gloom and smoke.The police genre is the debtor of the cocktail-bar, another scenario that we associate with that America of the 50s.And his fascination favored the export of the model around the world.The Madrid 'Harvey's has assumed its hallmarks with some adaptations to the present.«The cocktails have experienced a small review because the originals were short drinks of 160 milliliters with very powerful distilled alcohol.They are now more balanced, ”explains Eduardo Gutiérrez, its owner.

The screen has sold us sophisticated and simpler clubs that call the teenage bustle.The 'money', with white light and motley colors, is the precedent of standardized hamburgeries.The Madrid entrepreneur, who lived in New York, also has 'in Dreams', a place with similarities with that concept.The 'Cocktail Bar', on the other hand, claims calm and some maturity."Here the regulation of light is very important to maintain the same atmosphere throughout the day".

The U -shaped benches, the stools fixed to the ground or the velvet curtains provide that old sophistication, revitalized by the impact of 'Mad Men' and another series set in the time.«It was a 'boom'.It was the resurgence of the classic cocktail and elegance in dress, ”says Gutiérrez and emphasizes that some of the combined ones requested.The bartender keeps traditional recipes and added new."The current trend privileges simplicity, which there are no more than seven ingredients so that the main one is not covered".

Fashion

Lipsticks, Nylon and Jean stockings

The American 'chic' arrived in Europe with 'Holidays in Rome', another emblematic tape, and Audrey Hepburn as de facto ambassador.It was a round trip process, like the one carried out by the actress, because she nourished the fashion revolution generated by the new 'look' imposed by Christian Dior.The cinema contributed, once again, to spread values and a certain aesthetic."The San Sebastián Festival and the premieres on the Gran Vía Madrid approached their stars and did not surprise to see Ava Gardner or Frank Sinatra in 'Chicote' or 'Jockey'," says Pedro Mansilla, sociologist and fashion expert."The 'American Way of Life' won the collective unconscious".

The sophisticated ways of Grace Kelly, Katherine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe encouraged to go to the movies and copy habits such as the use of the lipstick, the nylon socks, the jeans, the tulip skirt above the knee and theFour -pocket female jacket that Coco Chanel had created and American designers had rediscovered."They saved the haute couture," says the expert.Smoking also became a sign of male distinction, according to the criteria from the other side of the Atlantic, and their commercial strategies were imposed.«The English Court is a translation of the American department stores».

The left responded from the 60s with an aesthetic that rejected the tie, perfume and tail drinks.That official culture crisis also reached Hollywood, who began to spread more critical films.But some images remained unalterable in the viewer's retina and are still there: the Pizpireta Doris Day, the happiness of everyday life in immense kitchens with Central Island, Porsche in the garage and pool.«That model can return on any day.You just need Anne Wintour to dedicate a cover to Audrey and resurrect Givenchy ».