35 Funny Old Newspaper Ads Of People “Looking For Love”
Looking for love in the modern world usually involves getting on the dating apps or sending social media DMs. But before the introduction of digital technology, people who didn’t feel comfortable with face-to-face interactions resorted to placing ads in personals columns in newspapers. When folks felt a need for a connection with someone special, they wrote little snippets about themselves and what they were looking for before sending it out to the publications.
Our team recently stumbled on a dedicated Instagram page called Long Lost Personals that’s home to some of the quirkiest and funniest “lonely hearts ads” as they were referred to back then. If you’re ready, let’s get on the love train and choo-choo through a few of our top favourites shared in the gallery below.
#1 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.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#2 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.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#3 1981. Time to face your fears.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#4 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.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#5 1995. The whole town freaked, even the horse.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#6 1983. At least she got around to placing this ad.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#7 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.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#8 2004. Fun to throw a missed connection into the mix every now and then.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#9 1995. Detroit vampires always trying to glamour you with their long letters.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#10 1976. Finally, someone who sees the virtue in vice.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#11 1984. From Bay Windows, New England’s largest gay and lesbian newspaper.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#12 1967. An early sapiosexual.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#13 Date unknown. She’s just after your Dalmatians.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#14 1995. Crawl out of that dumpster and find a pen.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#15 1967. Your daily reminder to love yourself.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#16 1989. I feel like this ad is just seeking Oscar Wilde.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#17 1974. You’re getting sleepy. Very sleepy.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#18 1972. Time to go see Nosferatu.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#19 1966. I believe this is the earliest overt lesbian ad I’ve run across in my collection so far.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#20 1977. Do you ever feel like you’re being watched?
Image source: longlostpersonals
#21 1971. Spell time.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#22 1984. I am not a dream boy.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#23 1972. Free ASL lessons.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#24 1972. I can dig it.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#25 1967. I think this one actually might be CIA code. Published in a New York City counterculture weekly.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#26 1979. The misadventures of Mouse & Loser.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#27 1966. I knew there was an answer. RIP Brian, one of the great American composers.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#28 1972. Beep beep. This is what the horn plays.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#29 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.”
Image source: longlostpersonals
#30 1996. Welp guess I’m gonna get mauled.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#31 1994. Seeking love in the pages of a weekly in Providence, RI.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#32 1968. For those who are lonely.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#33 1968. How are you getting to Mexico? Bike with Craig, aeroplane, or via Las Vegas by car with Al?
Image source: longlostpersonals
#34 1970. The extra “very” is a nice touch.
Image source: longlostpersonals
#35 1944. Susie wants love during wartime
Image source: longlostpersonals
Got wisdom to pour?