Today, people look for love on dating apps. In 2023, at least 30% of adults in America said they’ve used dating apps at least once. But back in the day, you’d have to take out a personal ad in the local paper if you wanted to find love or reach out to a missed connection.
Also called lonely hearts ads, these short messages would often be quirky, romantic, and witty. But they could also be direct, morally questionable, and contain a whiff of casual sexism. Thanks to the Instagram page Long Lost Personals, today we get to see what folks from the ’50s might’ve put in their Tinder bios if they had a chance.
So, what are you waiting for? Scroll down and maybe you’ll get some inspiration for your next conversation starter from these vintage Don Juans and Femme Fatales!
More info: Instagram
#1
1967. For your Sunday morning This is the closest I could find to the Sister Act soundtrack version. Now I feel like watching Sister Act.
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#2
1995. Detroit vampires always trying to glamour you with their long letters.
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#3
1966. I knew there was an answer. RIP Brian, one of the great American composers.
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#4
1983. At least she got around to placing this ad.
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#5
2004. Fun to throw a missed connection into the mix every now and then.
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#6
1968. For those who are lonely.
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#7
1974. You’re getting sleepy. Very sleepy.
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#8
Late 1980s-ish. A couple more personals from the bedsheets! I found an awesome set of vintage bedsheets with personal ads from New York magazine printed on them. Unfortunately they are twin size, so I can’t sleep in them unless I get a twin bed.
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#9
1995. The whole town freaked, even the horse.
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#10
1968. How are you getting to Mexico? Bike with Craig, aeroplane, or via Las Vegas by car with Al?
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#11
1972. Taking a brief intermission from the personals section to feature some other types of entertaining classifieds. I very badly want to meet the person responding to the description “reliable, sensible freak person.”
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#12
1967. An early sapiosexual.
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#13
1981. Time to face your fears.
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#14
1972. Time to go see Nosferatu.
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#15
Date unknown. She’s just after your Dalmatians.
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#16
1995. Crawl out of that dumpster and find a pen.
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#17
1976. Finally, someone who sees the virtue in vice.
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#18
1976. According to Wikipedia, the first insulin pump was manufactured two years before this ad, in 1974. I wonder if this nudist colony ever got off the ground.
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#19
1965. These are from a teen beat magazine from 1965 where adolescents and young adults are seeking pen pals (and some flirtation, from the looks of it). We are wishing Joy the best of luck in her collecting endeavors.
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#20
1996. Welp guess I’m gonna get mauled.
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#21
1966. I believe this is the earliest overt lesbian ad I’ve run across in my collection so far.
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#22
1984. From Bay Windows, New England’s largest gay and lesbian newspaper.
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#23
1972. Free ASL lessons.
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#24
1971. Spell time.
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#25
1984. I am not a dream boy.
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#26
1972. I can dig it.
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#27
1994. Seeking love in the pages of a weekly in Providence, RI.
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#28
1970. The extra “very” is a nice touch.
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#29
1944. Susie wants love during wartime
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#30
1977. Do you ever feel like you’re being watched?
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#31
1995. Queen of my world.
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#32
1984. Perfect personal ad. No notes.
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#33
1997. Trent Reznor lookalikes and chicken grease abound in these late 90s Seattle missed connections.
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#34
1995. I will forever more think of “shadowy white female” whenever I see SWF.
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#35
1967. I think this one actually might be CIA code. Published in a New York City counterculture weekly.
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#36
1995. I was curious if the corkscrew line was a reference to something so I Googled it. All I found is a multitude of news stories about people being stabbed by corkscrews.
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#37
1975. The less hinged the better.
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#38
1998. A little selection from the Girls Seeking Girls section of the Seattle Stranger.
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#39
1991. Who needs to live near a body of water?
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#40
1967. Your daily reminder to love yourself.
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#41
1972. Beep beep. This is what the horn plays.
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#42
1997. I hope my song selection is non-major label enough for them.
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#43
1974. Blessed are the strong swimmers, for theirs is the kingdom of mammary heaven.
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#44
1967. Hot take for Pride Month.
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#45
1974. A little Catholic guilt never hurt anyone.
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#46
1967. I messed up big time not posting her for Friday the 13th. Better late than never.
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#47
1976. It’s important to have an attention-grabbing headline.
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#48
1984. File under: highly relatable.
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#49
1988. It’s a big “if.”
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#50
1970. You’re going down in the first round.
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#51
1989. I feel like this ad is just seeking Oscar Wilde.
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#52
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#53
1999. Back when unplugging the computer would turn it off. Get out of the rat race now. Simplify, man!
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#54
1991. Opposites attract.
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#55
1979. The misadventures of Mouse & Loser.
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#56
1985. I didn’t know flight attendants had these requirements but from what I can find most airlines require you to be 5’2”-5’4” at a minimum (to perform functions like reaching overhead compartments) and have vision that can be corrected to a certain level. I guess that’s the new thing I’m learning today.
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#57
1970. Let’s be lonely together.
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#58
1966. But did he love or hate Amadeus 18 years later?
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#59
1967. Need help ordering husband around.
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#60
c. 1970s. Be young. Be slender. Be jealous.
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#61
1994. For those on the sidelines while the lovers kiss on New Years.
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#62
1967. Dying of boredom over here.
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#63
1976. The ballad of Barbara A. and the Debbies of Milwaukee.
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#64
1998. Past life regression therapy can get you into all sorts of situations.
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#65
1972. I’m walkin’ here!
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#66
1981. The word of the day is “mystical”
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#67
1998. Get down on some 90s TV. Remember Xena the Warrior Princess??
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#68
1983. Starting now I will only answer to “Hambone.”
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#69
1995. At 23, do you think this guy was making mashed potatoes from scratch or using boxed?
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#70
1984. A relatable list of likes and dislikes.
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#71
1968. Any girls into GYL?
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#72
1994. I love how wonderfully complex people can be.
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#73
1984. You’ve got to love a guy who is running your natal chart after receiving your first letter.
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#74
1972. From The Transvestite World Directory, an early publication dedicated to the interests of the trans community. It included advice columns, personals, hair, makeup and clothing tips and more. Note that it uses some outdated language like transvestite (TV) and transsexual (TS) and many of the ad authors identify as male.
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#75
1982. When I spotted the headline I really wasn’t expecting the “juicy”
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#76
1989. I first read this as “Must love frogs.”
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#77
1976. The eternal struggle.
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#78
1992. Looks not as important as your belief in ghosts.
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#79
1994. I believe this is the third time I’ve seen this particular ren faire mentioned in the personals. Two in 1994, one in the late 1960s. Now get your costume on. For some context, the ad author doesn’t give any info about themselves other than they seem to like costumed young men, but this is from a gay weekly so it would be a M4M ad.
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#80
1993. Friendship? Priorities first.
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#81
1980. Bringing the dynamite may have been more appropriate for yesterday. Kisses, xoxo
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#82
1976. Everyone say hi to Doug.
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#83
1997. Why oh why must my dream woman be trapped in 1997?
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#84
1983. Her husband is dead to her.
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#85
1976. There shan’t be any nudism during the week. Now fill out my post-coital survey and be sure to use a #2 pencil.
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