I don’t think I did a good job with my retro tree

[Janeway]

I do not think I did a good job, capturing the look for my retro (50’s and 60’s) tree that I was going for. I think the tinsel wasn’t right but I don’t think it could’ve turned out right because the tree is much more full than a tree would have been in the 50s and 60s. Also, I am using my mom’s old tree and it is very bright. I did put tinsel on there, as well as all the lights and even a finial style tree topper. I just don’t think it turned out like what I see in pictures of a midcentury tree. It’s okay. Is there anything I can do to fix it now or is it more like the actual tree is a problem in or is it something as simple as I need more tinsel or something? I am guessing because tinsel is no longer made of lead that I probably won’t be able to capture that old Timey look, at least not with the tree I have. Also, the lights are evenly distributed, even to the top. I don’t know why they are not showing in this picture.

 

Edited January 7 by Janeway
remove picture

[Janeway]

Here is another picture.

 

Edited January 7 by Janeway
remove picture

[MercyA]

It reminds me a lot of my great aunt's tree in the 70's. Very nicely done, IMO.

[saraha]

I think it looks great and old timey. My in-laws had those bubble lights until about 4 years ago!

[Dianthus]

I love it! Especially the topper.

[Hannah]

It looks great!! Definitely has a mid-century vibe.

[Catwoman]

I love it!!!

[Pippen]

6 hours ago, MercyA said:

It reminds me a lot of my great aunt's tree in the 70's. Very nicely done, IMO.

I'm seeing 1970's also. It may have been around that time that more trees were sheared to shape them. 

It looks like it was fun to put together. 

[HomeAgain]

It's a good tree, but I feel like if you want to tweak anything, turn off the white lights.  Mid century trees had less strands, bigger bulbs.  You have the bubblers to carry on- G'ma's tree had plastic and glass ornaments with reflective bits because they were needed with the overall less number of lights.

Also, weird garland was a thing.  Even Trader Joe's felt garland would fit in well.

[Janeway]

On 12/14/2023 at 4:47 AM, HomeAgain said:

It's a good tree, but I feel like if you want to tweak anything, turn off the white lights.  Mid century trees had less strands, bigger bulbs.  You have the bubblers to carry on- G'ma's tree had plastic and glass ornaments with reflective bits because they were needed with the overall less number of lights.

Also, weird garland was a thing.  Even Trader Joe's felt garland would fit in well.

I was thinking that about the white lights. I took a picture last night without the white lights and thought it might look closer to what I was going for.  I was also thinking of adding in some garland. What do you think?

 

Edited January 7 by Janeway
remove picture

[QueenCat]

I think it looks great!

[HomeAgain]

I like it!

[lynn]

Looks like the way my mom decorated in the 70's.  You did good. 

Edited December 14, 2023 by lynn

[marbel]

I think it's very pretty and reminds me of the trees of my childhood in the 60s. FWIW, we never had garland.  Lots of tinsel though! 

[knitgrl]

The topper is very much like what my mother presumably picked up in the 70's and had on our trees throughout the 80's.

[Longtime Lurker]

Very nice!

[Eos]

Love it with the white lights, they make it very cheerful in a 70's feeling.

[pinball]

It’s a very pretty tree!

I think one way to improve the look is to balance the ornament placement.

First, you need to move ornaments deeper into the tree…it looks like every thing is on the outermost branches. Move larger, plainer less detailed ornaments back on the branches, closer to the trunk. When you do this, it gives a subtle background to the outer ornaments and also helps define the structure of the tree.

Then, you need to arrange the ornaments by size…put the largest ones on the bottom, medium one on middle and smallest on top.

Big ornaments on the top pull your eye to them and smaller ones on the bottom get lost.

You want a balance so your eye takes in the entire tree, then pulls you closer to examine the little details.

[knitgrl]

1 hour ago, pinball said:

It’s a very pretty tree!

I think one way to improve the look is to balance the ornament placement.

First, you need to move ornaments deeper into the tree…it looks like every thing is on the outermost branches. Move larger, plainer less detailed ornaments back on the branches, closer to the trunk. When you do this, it gives a subtle background to the outer ornaments and also helps define the structure of the tree.

Then, you need to arrange the ornaments by size…put the largest ones on the bottom, medium one on middle and smallest on top.

Big ornaments on the top pull your eye to them and smaller ones on the bottom get lost.

You want a balance so your eye takes in the entire tree, then pulls you closer to examine the little details.

I might not be quite as meticulous as this if it was just me decorating the tree, but I would have some of these things in mind. As it is, I just watch helplessly as Dh and the kids put ornaments on in ways and places that I just wouldn't.

[gardenmom5]

On 12/14/2023 at 7:07 AM, Janeway said:

I was thinking that about the white lights. I took a picture last night without the white lights and thought it might look closer to what I was going for.  I was also thinking of adding in some garland. What do you think?

 

We had white "mini" lights growing up.  My parents bought the strands in the 50s - one big loop of lights. (not at all like todays strands) my brother loved to unscrew one so the whole strand would go out . . . he took them when we cleaned out my mom's house.  (he was welcome to them.  though should be impressed the still worked). I moved her into a condo in the mid 90s.

1sil gave us a couple strands of bubble lights in the 80s - they were "retro" as bubble lights came out in the 50s.  dh was ecstatic.  I guess they had some when he was growing up.

I agree the ornament placement is odd, and are drawing the eye in a way that is countering the effect you're going for.  you can move just those really big ones and trade places for them with smaller ones lower down.  (even if it's just that large red ball and the large white ball - they are attracting the focus away from the whole)

I always do small to large - top to bottom.  I have plain glass balls towards the center to reflect more light.
My mom always put ornaments on the tips of branches - we never had more when I was growing up.  

On 12/14/2023 at 10:50 AM, marbel said:

I think it's very pretty and reminds me of the trees of my childhood in the 60s. FWIW, we never had garland.  Lots of tinsel though! 

we never had tinsel or tinsel garland (I have vague memories of a glass beaded garland - it didn't really get used) - but I remember seeing neighbors trees outside after Christmas and they still had tinsel all over them.  or the flocking .  . (that was also before christmas as that neighbor was flocking it in their front yard) my great-aunt had the lighted rotating color wheel you put at the bottom.

I actually miss the fiber-optic Christmas tree topper we got around 1970ish.   it was just a 360 degree round/circle spray of fiber-optic filaments with the light coming through.  there was a colored mylar strip to go over the light, so you could have white, or yellow, or blue, or pink.   I've looked on occasion on ebay and such.  If I found one - I'd buy it.

Edited December 15, 2023 by gardenmom5

[wintermom]

Very pretty! Takes me back to my childhood. Though looking at my actual photos of the Chrstmas trees makes it tough to compare, as the photo quality is really poor. To me your tree looks like what I remember. 😉 

[WildflowerMom]

@Janeway, you're being too hard on yourself.  It's a gorgeous tree!   And I absolutely get the vintage vibe with it!  🎄🎄🎄

[Janeway]

On 12/15/2023 at 6:57 AM, pinball said:

It’s a very pretty tree!

I think one way to improve the look is to balance the ornament placement.

First, you need to move ornaments deeper into the tree…it looks like every thing is on the outermost branches. Move larger, plainer less detailed ornaments back on the branches, closer to the trunk. When you do this, it gives a subtle background to the outer ornaments and also helps define the structure of the tree.

Then, you need to arrange the ornaments by size…put the largest ones on the bottom, medium one on middle and smallest on top.

Big ornaments on the top pull your eye to them and smaller ones on the bottom get lost.

You want a balance so your eye takes in the entire tree, then pulls you closer to examine the little details.

I’m going to try re-arranging like this. So far, my daughter keeps re-arranging the ornaments to feature for favorites in the front. I think that pink geometric one will forever be front and center. Meanwhile, my cute retro Rudolf keeps finding himself in places I can’t see until I hunt for him. Thank you!

[Laura Corin]

6 hours ago, Janeway said:

I’m going to try re-arranging like this. So far, my daughter keeps re-arranging the ornaments to feature for favorites in the front. I think that pink geometric one will forever be front and center. Meanwhile, my cute retro Rudolf keeps finding himself in places I can’t see until I hunt for him. Thank you!

The mid-century tree of my childhood in the 60s had battered baubles, real candles, tinsel garlands and a fairy on top. The tree was real and un-pruned. 

Anything goes.

[Chris in VA]

On 12/15/2023 at 4:55 PM, knitgrl said:

I might not be quite as meticulous as this if it was just me decorating the tree, but I would have some of these things in mind. As it is, I just watch helplessly as Dh and the kids put ornaments on in ways and places that I just wouldn't.

Lol I used to stress about that, but now I smile and let them have at it...because I'm secretly thinking, "Go ahead and put them wherever; I'm just going to rearrange them after you're in bed anyway."😄

[Chris in VA]

It looks similar to the trees I grew up with. We said tinsel OR garland, not both. If you are using tinsel, you need way more. 

No white lights if you want very retro. Colored, big-bulbed lights were the thing. Topper is perfect! I think we had one just like that. 

A train around the bottom would be awesome...

[Janeway]

On 12/17/2023 at 6:25 AM, Chris in VA said:

It looks similar to the trees I grew up with. We said tinsel OR garland, not both. If you are using tinsel, you need way more. 

No white lights if you want very retro. Colored, big-bulbed lights were the thing. Topper is perfect! I think we had one just like that. 

A train around the bottom would be awesome...

The train for under the tree is on the downstairs tree. I am thinking I could not fit it in here, but I do have a trolley that would go back and forth in front that I can try.