Old smells, that immeditately transport you back in time?

belfastboy · Sep 20, 2018

I worked in the carnival from 12 years old to 22 and the smell of onions frying on a grill immediately transports me to the carnival midway.

Peacoat · Sep 20, 2018

The smell of burning jet fuel (JP-4) transports me to a time long ago and a land far away. Many pleasant memories, and some not so pleasant. But it is all part of my past.

De Oppresso Liber.

2jakes · Sep 20, 2018

Peacoat said:
The smell of burning jet fuel (JP-4) transports me to a time long ago and a land far away. Many pleasant memories, and some not so pleasant. But it is all part of my past.

De Oppresso Liber.

Cotton candy takes me back to carnival times as a kid.
Popcorn to Saturday movie matinees.
Gardenias transports me to my grandmother’s garden when I was four.
Jet fuel reminds me of B-52 bombers @ Guam in ’69.
And “Old Spice” I think of my father.

Fading Fast · Sep 20, 2018

2jakes said:
...
And “Old Spice” I think of my father.

I hear ya, for my dad it was Skin Bracer by Mennon (can't you hear the tag line, "By Mennon!"). He said he used it his entire adult life. You had to get close to him, but if you did, you'd pick up a faint whiff of it.

Trenchfriend · Sep 20, 2018

Earl Grey, teatime...

2jakes · Sep 20, 2018

Fading Fast said:
I hear ya, for my dad it was Skin Bracer by Mennon (can't you hear the tag line, "By Mennon!"). He said he used it his entire adult life. You had to get close to him, but if you did, you'd pick up a faint whiff of it.

My uncle used Vitalis tonic.
A very distinct odor! I

1950-60s-vitalis-barber-bottle-hair-tonic_1_81890e17d13ff2530989654025172568.jpg

2jakes · Sep 20, 2018

Found this in an old building.
N.O.S.

Anytime I want to reminisce about high school & flat-top haircuts
from the '60s.
All I got to do is open the lid and take a whiff of this goop.
The aroma is still the same sweet sickening greasy odor.

Inkstainedwretch · Sep 21, 2018

For me it was Butch Wax. I bet it smelled the same.

Harp · Sep 21, 2018

Peacoat said:
De Oppresso Liber.

Brasso. Green Beret sniper marksmanship training accessory.
A chastise whiff of brass polish cleanses cobwebs for more efficient range performance.

Haversack · Sep 21, 2018

The smell of Brasso and Kiwi evokes the open-bay barracks of Fort Lewis' North Post.

LizzieMaine · Sep 22, 2018

The vinegar scent of decomposing acetate film takes me back to a projection booth I used to work in, where they disposed of old trailers by stuffing them into holes in the walls. God only knows what kind of chemical horrors were going on in there.

green papaya · Sep 22, 2018

the smell of old military surplus reminds me of the old school Army Navy Surplus stores, the smell of old canvas, web gear, tents, packs, ponchos, old worn combat boots, surplus rifles / bayonets soaked in cosmoline preservative

2jakes · Sep 22, 2018

green papaya said:
the smell of old military surplus reminds me of the old school Army Navy Surplus stores, the smell of old canvas, web gear, tents, packs, ponchos, old worn combat boots, surplus rifles / bayonets soaked in cosmoline preservative

You reminded me of the time when my cousin dressed in military
green fatigues & preparing to go active duty during the
Korean conflict.

I remember him packing his olive-drab Army duffel bag.
At the time he was in the reserves prior to going active.

In my teen years I would visit the Army & Navy Surplus stores.
The whole place reeked of military. I loved it.
The used military leather jackets were very affordable.
One of my favorite items were the olive drab canvas tennis shoes.

Old and worn-out but very comfortable.
I love the look of olive-drab canvas.
Would wear them all the time in the summer
until they fell apart.
At two dollars a pair I would buy several.

green papaya · Feb 8, 2020

2jakes said:
You reminded me of the time when my cousin dressed in military
green fatigues & preparing to go active duty during the
Korean conflict.

I remember him packing his olive-drab Army duffel bag.
At the time he was in the reserves prior to going active.

In my teen years I would visit the Army & Navy Surplus stores.
The whole place reeked of military. I loved it.
The used military leather jackets were very affordable.
One of my favorite items were the olive drab canvas tennis shoes.
View attachment 136635
Old and worn-out but very comfortable.
I love the look of olive-drab canvas.
Would wear them all the time in the summer
until they fell apart.
At two dollars a pair I would buy several.

I think those are USN UDT Corral Shoes? they would wear divers fins over these, and when they needed to go ashore they wore these green tennis shoe style shoes to walk on corral, rocks, sandy beaches.

Héctor Fernández · Feb 8, 2020

Pinaud Clubman!

green papaya · Feb 9, 2020

the smell of the restroom back in elementary school, the soap dispenser had some type of powdered soap kind of looked like AJAX, and urinal had a "white hocky puck" type air freshener that kind of smelled like moth balls.

Old Mariner · May 24, 2020

Vanilla
Lilac
Rose
Honeysuckle

A somewhat musty smell from old buildings. My apartment is in an old building, and the hallway has had two drop ceilings put in, then another modern drop ceiling. When I have the windows open, the ceiling tiles get pushed aside due to the air current being strong enough. From the opening comes a scent that is musty, but not in a horrible way. (Usually antique shops have this smell.) It always reminds me of such places.

SteveFord · May 31, 2020

90 weight hypoid gear oil is the one for me.
Norton Commando, Triumph Bonneville, Moto Guzzi LeMans - memories.

Bugguy · Jun 9, 2020

Formaldehyde... dissecting the dogfish in high school biology.

Gin... propped between the storm door and the front door by fraternity brothers before they rang the bell at my parents house.

7 Mile Fair south of Milwaukee... reminded me of one bad night in Tijuana.

The1940sHousewife · Jun 21, 2020

My grandma used to soak her dentures in Listerine the original yellow formula. So she would always smell like original Listerine. I use it today to remind me of her.

Old smells, that immeditately transport you back in time?

*

I'll Lock Up

I'll Lock Up

I'll Lock Up

One Too Many

I'll Lock Up

One Too Many

One Too Many

I'll Lock Up

One Too Many

Attachments

One Too Many

One Too Many

One of the Regulars

A-List Customer

Practically Family

New in Town

Similar threads

Log in

Forum statistics