If you’ve ever heard stories about how things were done in your great-grandparents’ time and thought, “Wait…people really did that?”—you’re definitely not alone. While there’s plenty we can learn from previous generations, there are also moments from the past that seem completely baffling today. Social norms, safety rules, and everyday habits have changed so much that some old practices now feel downright unbelievable.
That’s exactly the kind of thing you’ll find on the page “Old School Ridiculous.” From questionable activities like letting young children drink wine to bizarre events such as asbestos-shoveling competitions, history has its fair share of eyebrow-raising moments. Some of these posts highlight serious reminders of how times have changed, while others are so strange they’re almost funny. We’ve gathered a few of the most unusual photos from the page, so take a look, Pandas.
#1 Car Seat Safety In 1958. These Car Seats Were Not Secured With Seat Belts, So The Mother Could Reach Out To Prevent The Child From Falling Forward
Image source: -_Redan_-
#2 “12-Year-Old Mother And Baby Son,” 1941
Image source: alc2000
#3 Notwithstanding Rachel Dolezal, This Article From 1970
Image source: muskyraconteur
While there are many things we still admire or appreciate from the early 1900s, there are also many areas where society has thankfully moved forward. One of the most significant changes has been in the way LGBTQ+ individuals are viewed and treated. Throughout much of the 20th century, many LGBTQ+ people faced systemic discrimination, legal persecution, and social stigma. Laws, institutions, and cultural attitudes often tried to control or “explain” sexuality and gender in ways that today seem deeply unfair and outdated.
#4 Until 1956, French Children Attending School Were Served Wine On Their Lunch Breaks. Each Child Was Allowed Up To A Half Litre A Day
Image source: Special-Plane9694
#5 Kid Rock In His Mid 1990’s Look
Image source: roadtrip-ne
#6 The Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand In Cairo 1896 Pretending To Be A Mummy
Image source: EmpireStrikes1st
For example, in 1910, courts in Ontario began requiring psychiatric evaluations for men accused of homosexual acts. Instead of seeing these relationships as a matter of personal identity, authorities treated them as signs of mental illness. In many cases, private relationships were reframed as medical or legal problems, showing how strongly society tried to pathologize something it didn’t yet understand.
#7 Models Promoting Farm Fertilizer, 1956
Image source: notbob1959
#8 Your Chubby Lass Can Be The Belle Of Her Class. Chubbettes
Image source: Ebonystealth
#9 Hair Done By Phillip Mason, 1965. Photo By Richard Blinkoff
Image source: Sleeeepy_Hollow
Literature also faced censorship. In 1928, the novel The Well of Loneliness, which featured a lesbian protagonist, was declared obscene. Authorities ordered copies of the book to be destroyed, believing it could influence readers simply by acknowledging the existence of same-sex relationships. Today, the book is often discussed as an important early work in LGBTQ+ literature.
#10 My Dad Used To Cut His Shirts, He Said It Was Common For Men To Show Their Belly Buttons, 1980s
Image source: AndyWindir
#11 Du Pont Cellophane (1955)
Image source: MetaHelvetica
#12 “On The Night Of February 1, 1976, Elvis Presley Took His Private Jet From Graceland To Denver And Back In One Night Because He Was Craving An 8,000 Calorie Sandwich
“Made from a hollowed out loaf filled with an entire jar of peanut butter, one jar of jelly, and a pound of bacon.”
Image source: MyDogGoldi
Laws in many parts of the world also targeted same-sex relationships in uneven ways. In 1902, in several territories, “indecent practices” between men were criminalized. Interestingly, lesbian relationships were often left out of these laws—not out of acceptance, but because many male lawmakers either ignored or refused to acknowledge that women could have same-sex relationships at all.
#13 “Baby Cages” Were Window-Mounted Playpens That Were Once Used For Apartments To Ensure Babies Get Fresh Air, 1937
Image source: Sleeeepy_Hollow
#14 An Idea Of What Beatlemania Was Like
Image source: maccaroni43
#15 Asbestos Shoveling Competition
Image source: voxadam
In the early 1900s, many countries were reshaping their laws in an effort to appear more “modern” on the global stage. In 1903, Thailand introduced punishments for homosexuality, partly influenced by Western legal systems. Interestingly, before this shift, same-sex relationships had not been widely targeted or heavily prosecuted there. But as nations tried to align themselves with what were then considered international standards, some adopted laws that reflected Western attitudes toward sexuality. In a way, this showed how global pressure and the desire to appear progressive sometimes led to policies that actually restricted freedoms rather than expanding them.
#16 Back In The 60’s They Put Pictures Of Kids And Their Addresses In The Back Of Comic Books
Image source: Fejsze
#17 “Circle Of Love,” Saturday Evening Post Cover, April 8, 1961 By Constantin Alajalo
Image source: Ebonystealth
#18 An Undercover Police Officer On Duty. New York, Brooklyn, 1 July 1969
Image source: LazyPasse
Attitudes like these were also reflected in popular entertainment of the time. During the 1910s, many early films—including those from the era when Charlie Chaplin was one of cinema’s biggest stars—often used queer-coded characters purely for comic effect. Effeminate men were frequently portrayed as exaggerated stereotypes meant to make audiences laugh. While these portrayals were considered harmless humor at the time, they helped shape public perceptions and reinforced the idea that people who didn’t conform to traditional gender roles were something to be mocked. Looking back today, these depictions offer an interesting reminder of how much both storytelling and social attitudes have evolved over the past century.
#19 72m Marries 22f Step-Granddaughter. 1907
Image source: theclosetenby
#20 ” The Drunk Basket” In The 1960s, Bars In Istanbul Woud Hire Someone To Carry Drunk People Back To Their Home
Image source: Charmforyou
#21 Mickey Mouse Gas Mask Meant To Put Children At Ease In An Emergency Situation, 1942
Image source: notbob1959
#22 Circa 1924
Image source: Slow-moving-sloth
These are just a few examples of how attitudes and policies once shaped everyday life for LGBTQ+ people. While the world still has progress to make, it’s clear that society has come a long way since those times. Looking back at these moments reminds us how important it is to keep learning from history. Some practices, beliefs, and laws truly belong in the past, and recognizing that progress helps ensure we continue moving toward a more understanding and inclusive future.
#23 Hairstyle In Tampa, Florida, 1985
Image source: notbob1959
#24 For Smokers-In-Bed
Image source: HoneyRush
#25 Article Quoting John Harvey Kellogg (The Famous Doctor And Inventor/Inspirer Of Corn Flakes, And A Prominent Health Reformer And Eugenicist) Making A Prediction About What Babies Will Look Like In 2012
Image source: Ebonystealth
#26 Typical Redditor, Mid-1960s
Image source: WhisperingSideways
While these posts are certainly good for a laugh, it’s also astonishing to see how some things from the past were just… unbelievable. History can be funny, strange, and sometimes downright baffling all at once. What do you think—were any of these past practices more shocking than amusing? Share your thoughts with us!
#27 Buster The Roller Skating Rooster, Los Angeles, 1957
Image source: Slow-moving-sloth
#28 In 1974, Dan Hartman Spent $5,000 On This Fully Functioning, Custom “Bass Suit” Of His Own Design
Image source: Ebonystealth
#29 St. Thomas Satanic Exorcism Plus All The Fried Chicken You Can Eat For .50c (Near Bardstown, 1942)
Image source: Ebonystealth
#30 1938, Public Kissing On Church Property: Men Pay £2, Women Go To Prison For A Month
Image source: bhiney_witch
#31 Anti-Vax Cartoon From 1892
Image source: marveljew
#32 Pickle Sisters A Vaudeville Group From The 1920s
Image source: Ebonystealth
#33 Department Store Wax Mannequins Melting During A Heatwave In 1929
Image source: Ebonystealth
#34 “Authorities” In The 1900s Predicted Women Will Be Over 6′ And Dress Like Zena Warrior Princess By The Year 2000
Image source: Ebonystealth
#35 Fuzzy Wuzzy Both Soap That Grew Fur
Image source: Ebonystealth
#36 In Little House In The Big Woods Laura Ingalls Wilder Describes Her Life Growing Up And Going To A Party Where All The Adults Would Just Throw Their Infants Into A Big Pile On Grandma’s Bed So They Could Go Have Fun
Image source: ButtersHound
#37 The Day My Kid Went Punk, Abc After-School Special (1987)
Image source: AxlCobainVedder
#38 Braniff Airlines Stewardess Uniforms, 1969
Image source: Slow-moving-sloth
#39 My Grandfather’s Signature Pose In Photos, Took His Resemblance To A Certain Dictator A Little Too Seriously
Image source: YourMothersButtox
#40 So Hard To Post This While I’m Caught In An Electrical Wire But Glad I Got It Off!
Image source: unwantedtennisracke
#41 A Couple Posing On A Rooftop In Protective Suits And Hoods While Holding An “Emergency Life Pack For 8 Days,” A Civil Defense Survival Kit Designed For Nuclear Fallout Scenarios
Image source: Ebonystealth
#42 Mickey Rooney As Mr. Yunioshi In Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)
Image source: Keikobad
#43 Camel Urges You To Smoke 5 Cigarettes With Dinner To Cleanse Your Palate
Image source: jellymouthsman
#44 It’s Lunch Time At The No Barriers Alligator Farm. Florida C1920s
Image source: MyDogGoldi
#45 What A Deal!
Image source: MetaHelvetica
#46 General Electric Portable Hairdryer , 1959
Image source: Ebonystealth
#47 Teddy Bear: The Harbinger Of Family Doom
Image source: sleepy_go_bye_bye
#48 These Women! (1946-1949)
Image source: dan_blather
#49 This Really Requires No Explanation
Image source: No-Bear
#50 Women Display Futuristic Clothing For The Year 2000 During Engineering Week, Circa 1965
Image source: -_Redan_-
#51 Sauna Pants
Image source: Ebonystealth
#52 Bryn Owen Aged 17 With His Vespa Scooter, Which Has 34 Mirrors And 81 Lights On The Front And Back, All Bought With His Pocket Money, Leicestershire, England, 1983
Image source: notbob1959
#53 Burnt Orange Carpeting In A Supermarket, 1970s. What The Hell Were They Thinking!
Image source: MyDogGoldi
#54 Teens Out Of Control Circa 1900
Image source: Lauren_sue
#55 German Band Exmagma, Album Cover For Goldball, 1974
Image source: Slow-moving-sloth
#56 ‘Weren’t They Funny?’, People From 1950 Are Amazed By Old Pictures. ‘Life’ Magazine Cover, December 1914
Image source: matroska_cat
#57 English Schoolboys Are In Disbelief Seeing Physique Model Steve Kotis, 1964
Image source: PeneItaliano
#58 A Woman Dropping Her Porcelain Tea-Cup In Horror Upon Discovering The Monstrous Contents Of A Magnified Drop Of Thames Water; Revealing The Impurity Of London Drinking Water. Coloured Etching By W. Heath, 1828
Image source: unnccaassoo
#59 1911 Pic Found On Chronophoto
Image source: clover6818
#60 Farewell To The Ugly Cigarette? (1971)
Image source: Neuralclone2
#61 The Presto Whip Building In Dearborn, Michigan, 1976
Image source: TommyAdagio
#62 Martians And Venusians In A 1961 Episode Of TV Series The Twilight Zone
Image source: notbob1959
#63 Motorhead Dressing Room Requirements (2002)
Image source: Ebonystealth
#64 “Winky The White Cat, Signals Cars Behind You, Red Eyes Flash Warning” – [1980s]
Image source: FNaXQ
#65 “Even A Lady Could Learn To Like Soft Whiskey. It’s Not Hard.” – Calvert Extra [1965]
Image source: FNaXQ
#66 1976. I Was Alive In 1976
Image source: dan_blather
#67 Crisco Shortening – It’s Digestable! (1955)
Image source: MetaHelvetica
#68 Liberace 1971
Image source: Jazzy2groovy4u
#69 1918 Flu Epidemic Campaign Poster
Image source: Ebonystealth
#70 Ladies, Dr. Swift Is Here To Massage Away Your Troubles From Neck To Knee (1850s)
Image source: MetaHelvetica
#71 The Colossal Dog Ear Collar! [1967]
Image source: acidmine
#72 Matching Outfits In 1952
Image source: notbob1959
#73 He Doesn’t Care As Long As He Gets His Dinner
Image source: Ebonystealth
#74 The Shirt Suit Supreme, 1972
Image source: notbob1959
#75 Men Used To Be Sober, Chivalrous And Strong. Now, In The Year 1622, They Are Ruined Forever
Image source: PeasantLich
#76 Dress Like Mommy (1967)
Image source: Ebonystealth
#77 Asparagus Group From Miss Gatchell’s Pageant, Lee County Alabama, April 16, 1925
Image source: notbob1959
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