These People Realized That Their Grandparents Were Cooler Than They Will Ever Be

Sometimes, it's easy to forget that our grandparents used to be young, hip people with dreams and aspirations of their own.

These people posted photos online of their grandparents back in the day. Apparently, people in the '40s and '50s were way cooler than we are.

Is That A Tiger In Your Bag?

gran30
Photo Credit: johnthat / Reddit
Photo Credit: johnthat / Reddit

A Reddit user posted this image online with the caption, "If I could only be half as badass as my grandfather this Memorial Day, c. 1960."

We'd settle for being a quarter as cool.

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Putting On A Show

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gran29
Photo Credit: kitsa / Reddit
Photo Credit: kitsa / Reddit
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The man in this photo died recently, but his granddaughter posted this photo online to show everyone how cool he was back in the day.

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Are you a waterskiing champ? Didn't think so.

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Up, Up And Away

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gran28
Photo Credit: di11deux /Reddit
Photo Credit: di11deux /Reddit
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Reddit user di11deux posted this photo online with the caption, "My grandmother with then-Mercury 7 astronauts John Glenn, Gus Grissom, and Alan Shepherd (September 14th, 1959)."

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What an out-of-this-world encounter!

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A Fancy Dress

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gran26
Photo Credit: jewelsinme / Reddit
Photo Credit: jewelsinme / Reddit
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Reddit user jewelsinme posted this photo of her grandmother online with the caption, "My favorite picture of my grandmother. 1942. She's strong, raised six children on her own after leaving an alcoholic husband.

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Worked 7 days a week as a cook in a gas station from 3am-5pm. I would stay every weekend with her and sleep on the floor of the gas station back then. She's amazing."

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A Face Like A Movie Star

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grab21
Photo Credit: FinneganWelles / Reddit
Photo Credit: FinneganWelles / Reddit
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This photo of Reddit user FinneganWelles' grandmother was taken in the 1940s. She looks like a movie star in this picture.

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She wasn't actually an actress, but this photo could have fooled us.

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A WWII Hero

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gran2
Photo Credit: alexanderbatman / Reddit
Photo Credit: alexanderbatman / Reddit
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Reddit user alexanderbatman posted this photo online with the caption, "My grandma (top) was a badass in WW2 (1940s)."

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This shot looks like something out of a Charlie Chaplin movie.

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A Prize-Winning Beard

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gran3
Photo Credit: jobernaut / Reddit
Photo Credit: jobernaut / Reddit
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Reddit user jobernaut posted this picture online with the caption, "My grandfather after winning 1st place in the county beard contest.

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The hat was his prize. Circa 1954." That is a stellar beard. He definitely deserved the hat.

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Is That A Young Susan Sarandon?

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gran4
Photo Credit: Rizdominus / Reddit
Photo Credit: Rizdominus / Reddit
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This isn't a picture of Susan Sarandon from the past. It's just her doppelganger standing between a plane and a lion.

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Reddit user Rizodominus posted this photo with the caption, "My grandmother (again) with Sultan, her favorite lion from her troop, in front of her plane she flew just after WW2. 1947."

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A Girl Has No Name

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gran5
Photo Credit: Gamble_MK9 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Gamble_MK9 / Reddit
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Reddit user Gamble_MK9 posted this picture online because he felt like his grandmother bore a striking resemblance to Arya Stark when she was younger.

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This photo was taken in 1936.

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Meeting A Literary Genius

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gran7
Photo Credit: mattmanatee / Reddit
Photo Credit: mattmanatee / Reddit
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Reddit user mattmanatee posted this photo online with the caption, "Ernest Hemingway and my grandma having a chat in Havana, Cuba 1952."

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Yup, his grandma was friends with Ernest Hemmingway.

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A Real Stud

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gran8
Photo Credit: i_hate_pennies / Reddit
Photo Credit: i_hate_pennies / Reddit
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Reddit user i_hate_pennies posted this photo online with the caption, "My stud grandfather circa WWII. He watched Pearl Harbor happen in Hawaii, joined up, and fought on a gunboat at Iwo Jima that was hit by enemy fire.

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He surfed with legends in Honolulu. He was a barber for 60 years."

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A Rockin' Wedding Night

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gran9
Photo Credit: bluestofwaffles / Reddit
Photo Credit: bluestofwaffles / Reddit
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This is the last photo in Reddit user bluestofwaffles' grandparents' wedding album. They seem like they have a good sense of humor.

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Hopefully, their wedding night was full of laughs and lots of love. This photo was taken in 1954.

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A Real Seat Belt Model

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gran10
Photo Credit: Mashedbymachines / Reddit
Photo Credit: Mashedbymachines / Reddit
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Reddit user Mashedbymachines posted this photo of his grandmother online with the caption, "My grandmother demonstrating the three-point belt as a model for Volvo in 1959."

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His grandmother was a literal model.

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Looking Like A Film Noir Detective

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gran11
Photo Credit: sw00n / Reddit
Photo Credit: sw00n / Reddit
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Reddit user sw00n might just have the coolest grandpa on this list.

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He posted this photo online with the caption, "My grandpa's FBI Academy photo. He worked as a spy recruiter during the Cold War."

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Yes, That's A Bear

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gran12
Photo Credit: AdventurousHuman / Reddit
Photo Credit: AdventurousHuman / Reddit
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Reddit user AdventurousHuman's grandfather ran into a bear while he was out riding his motorcycle back in the day.

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He doesn't seem too phased about the fact that there's a large, dangerous animal behind him.

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The Look Of Love

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gran14
Photo Credit: atothego / Reddit
Photo Credit: atothego / Reddit
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Reddit user atothego posted this adorable photo.

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They captured it: "My grandma recently passed. My Grandpa sent me this picture so I could know what a man looks like when he is in love. They were married 60+ yrs."

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A Welder Chick

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gran15
Photo Credit: anonymous-horror / Reddit
Photo Credit: anonymous-horror / Reddit
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This is a photo of Reddit user anonymous-horror's stunning great-grandmother.

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This woman worked as a welder during the Second World War. She looks like she's way too cool for school.

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An Actual Pin-Up Model

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gran16
Photo Credit: wefoundeachotherinthedark / Reddit
Photo Credit: wefoundeachotherinthedark / Reddit
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Reddit user wefoundeachotherinthedark posted this photo of her grandmother online.

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She added the caption, "I recently lost my grandmother to cancer. This will always be one of my favorite photos of her."

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A Stolen Car

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gran17
Photo Credit: ksm2721 / Reddit
Photo Credit: ksm2721 / Reddit
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It doesn't get much cooler than Reddit user ksm2721's grandfather.

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The grandfather in question is pictured above, along with a car that he stole from the Nazis during World War II.

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A True Hero

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gran25
Photo Credit: gettingthere52 / Reddit
Photo Credit: gettingthere52 / Reddit
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Reddit user gettingthere52 posted this absolutely epic photo of his grandfather online.

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He added the caption, "Photo of my grandfather exiting his plane after getting shot down." His plane is in the ocean, people!

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Lounging Around

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gran18
Photo Credit: bringdoughnuts / Reddit
Photo Credit: bringdoughnuts / Reddit
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Reddit user bringdoughnuts posted this photo online along with the caption, "My grandma smoking her cigarette on the farm. Wearing pants and doing whatever the hell she wanted. 1938."

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What a smoke show!

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The Original Chicken Man

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gran19
Photo Credit: RadionicPsychotronic / Reddit
Photo Credit: RadionicPsychotronic / Reddit
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This guy was the original cosplayer. Apparently, people dressed up as chickens back in the 1930s.

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All you hipsters probably wouldn't be caught dead in a true vintage outfit like this one.

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Yes, That Is Albert Einstein

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gran24
Photo Credit: TheTimeIsChow / Reddit
Photo Credit: TheTimeIsChow / Reddit
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Reddit user TheTimeIsChow posted this photo of his grandfather standing next to Albert Einstein on the internet for our viewing pleasure.

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It looks like Einstein had just finished playing the violin.

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Absolutely Stunning

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gran20
Photo Credit: wfyff / Reddit
Photo Credit: wfyff / Reddit
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Reddit user wlyff posted this photo of his grandmother online with the caption, "My grandmother right after she ran away from communistic Bulgaria to Germany (1978)."

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Germany gained an absolutely stunning citizen that day.

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The Old Switcheroo

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gran22
Photo Credit: howdidyougetin / Reddit
Photo Credit: howdidyougetin / Reddit
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Reddit user howdidyougetin posted this photo of his grandparents wearing each other's clothes back in the day.

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This photo was taken in 1943. His grandfather looks stunning in that dress.

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Granny On A Cropduster

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cropduster
Photo credit: silvervendetta/Imgur
Photo credit: silvervendetta/Imgur
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Imgur user silvervendetta shared this incredible photo and had this to say about it.

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"Granny on the wing of my Dad's cropduster plane. She did this a few times that I know of." Wow, that's a daredevil grandmother!

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The Day Before Shipping Out

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marines
Photo credit: aking25/Reddit
Photo credit: aking25/Reddit
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Wow, what a hunky grandpa! Redditor aking25 posted this pic of their model-esque grandfather.

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They wrote that this was the day before he shipped out with the Marines in 1941.

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Loving Nurse

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nurse
Photo credit: orion12/Reddit
Photo credit: orion12/Reddit
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Redditor orion12 sure loved their grandma and were kind enough to share this stunning picture of her in her days as a Naval nurse! What a stunner.

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They wrote, "Grandmother died last week, she was a naval nurse." The photo is from WWII.

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So Your Grandparents Had Horses Too?

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horse
Photo credit: FutureMillionaire_/Reddit
Photo credit: FutureMillionaire_/Reddit
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Did they look anything like this? We doubted it. Redditor FutureMillionaire_ says this photo is of their grandfather, who is "showing off one of the horses he trained for World War 1."

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The picture was taken in 1921. That's incredible.

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Epic Swandive

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swandive
Photo credit: not_blinking/Reddit
Photo credit: not_blinking/Reddit
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Posted by Reddit user not_blinking, this photo shows a now-grandfather taking an epic swan-dive off a building and into a lake, circa 1930.

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What is he, part merman or something?

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Motorcycle For Sale

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ventface-Reddit-11109
Photo Credit: ventface / Reddit
Photo Credit: ventface / Reddit
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Well, this photo certainly tells a whole story. It seems like that motorcycle might be the reason why this guy has a broken leg.

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This photo was taken back in 1976.

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Meeting The One And Only B.I.G.

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sloanmar-Reddit-94153
Photo Credit: sloanmar / Reddit
Photo Credit: sloanmar / Reddit
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Reddit user sloanmar posted this iconic photo online.

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He captioned it: "My dad and the Notorious B.I.G. circa 1996 when he visited my dad's clothing store in Detroit, Michigan."

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Just A Group Of Friends Having Fun In The '80s

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tomjulio-Reddit-87935
Photo Credit: tomjulio / Reddit
Photo Credit: tomjulio / Reddit
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Could this picture be any more '80s? Reddit user tomjulio posted this photo of his parents and their group of friends online.

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The short shorts were really, well, short in the '80s.

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She Jumped On Stage

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se7en30-Reddit-87447
Photo Credit: se7en30 / Reddit
Photo Credit: se7en30 / Reddit
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Reddit user se7en30 posted this photo online.

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They captioned it: "My aunt with Angus Young in the early '80s. This was taken after she went out on stage with AC/DC and just kind of jumped around wearing the iconic schoolboy outfit."

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A Wedding To Remember

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A Wedding To Remember
Photo Credit: superbusymom / Reddit
Photo Credit: superbusymom / Reddit
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This Reddit user spent some time restoring her parents' wedding photo. Now it looks as good as new.

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This photo was taken in 1957, which was a heck of a long time ago.

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Sneaking A Drink

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Sneaking A Drink
Photo Credit: lanko69 / Reddit
Photo Credit: lanko69 / Reddit
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This photo was taken in 1987. This kid (who is now a parent himself) was sneaking a drink of wine at a wedding when his mom wasn't looking.

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Kudos to the photographer for capturing this shot.

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Mom In The Early '70s

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Mom In The Early '70s
Photo Credit: puggernault / Reddit
Photo Credit: puggernault / Reddit
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Reddit user puggernault shared this picture of his mom from the early '70s.

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We're not sure how she managed to ride that motorbike in a long skirt, but hey, she looks great standing next to it.

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Just A Couple Of Kids

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Just A Couple Of Kids
Photo Credit: jensinec / Reddit
Photo Credit: jensinec / Reddit
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Reddit user jensinec posted this photo of her parents online along with the caption, "My parents in the early '80s during their honeymoon with matching sneakers."

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Well, aren't these two the very definition of "cool."

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The Coolest Man Who Ever Lived

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The Coolest Man Who Ever Lived
Photo Credit: musland / Reddit
Photo Credit: musland / Reddit
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Everything about this photo reeks of coolness. The gray streak in this guy's hair, the way he's sitting on the grass, his Johnny Depp swagger. I love this.

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Apparently, this guy was always self-conscious about his hair because he was teased about it as a kid.

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When Your Grandmother Was A Movie Star

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musiclife46-Reddit-46820
Photo Credit: musiclife46 / Reddit
Photo Credit: musiclife46 / Reddit
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Reddit user musiclife46 posted this photo online.

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They captioned it: "This is an amazing photo. My Great Grandma (second from right) and her sister (far left) as actresses in a silent movie in the 1920s."

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What A Hairdo

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Marie13Reddit-86250
Photo Credit: Maire13 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Maire13 / Reddit
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Reddit user Maire13 posted this photo online. This is a picture of her mom that was taken by her dad in 1966 in Japan.

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We love the big hair and the winged eyeliner.

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Dangerous Curves

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YiddishThunder-Reddit-13406
Photo Credit: YiddishThunder / Reddit
Photo Credit: YiddishThunder / Reddit
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Well, it looks like somebody's grandmother had a sense of humor.

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Reddit user YiddishThunder posted this photo online along with the caption, "My Grandmother Nancy on her honeymoon near Capitan, NM. Taken by my grandfather on a Kodak Kodachrome, 1949."

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Hanging Out In A Van

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kwgnuemu-Reddit-60828
Photo Credit: kwgnuemu / Reddit
Photo Credit: kwgnuemu / Reddit
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Reddit user kwgnuemu posted this photo online stating that this picture of his parents was taken in 1974.

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They're standing in front of the van that was most likely the site of his conception.

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A Popeye Impersonator

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A Popeye Impersonator
Photo Credit: jeffpeepgrass / Reddit
Photo Credit: jeffpeepgrass / Reddit
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Reddit user Idkm8thisishard posted this photo of his great grandfather on the internet. Yes, his great grandfather was a Popeye impersonator.

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This photo was taken in the 1930s. He looks like quite a character.

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At The Helm Of The Ship

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At The Helm Of The Ship
Photo Credit: jeffpeepgrass / Reddit
Photo Credit: jeffpeepgrass / Reddit
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Reddit user jeffpeepgrass posted this photo online along with the caption, "My Uncle Billy just turned 90, so here's him on his boat during the early '80s."

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He's the captain now.

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On The Set Of A Movie

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On The Set Of A Movie
Photo Credit: GoodSquirrelGoneBad / Reddit
Photo Credit: GoodSquirrelGoneBad / Reddit
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Reddit user GoodSquirrelGoneBad shared this photo of his dad working on the set of the movie Critters in the 1980s.

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It looks like some of the critters in that film were rather terrifying.

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Mom And Dad

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Mom And Dad
Photo Credit: hlg97 / Reddit
Photo Credit: hlg97 / Reddit
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This photo was taken in 1987 when Reddit user hlg97's parents were 16 and 17 years old. These two are still together to this day.

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They look so punk rock in this photo.

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His Mom Dated Jason Bateman

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His Mom Dated Jason Bateman
Photo Credit: bhuge33 / Reddit
Photo Credit: bhuge33 / Reddit
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Reddit user bhuge33 posted this photo online.

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They captioned it: "Talking with my mom about Ozark and she told me she went skiing with Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) back on New Year's Day 1987."

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Hitting The Pavement

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Hitting The Pavement
Photo Credit: fulltimeanalyst / Reddit
Photo Credit: fulltimeanalyst / Reddit
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Reddit user fulltimeanalyst posted this photo online.

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It features his father carving up some pavement on his skateboard back in the 1980s. He looks like a pretty cool dude to me.

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Is That Chris Pratt?

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Is That Chris Pratt
Photo Credit: deeznuts3295 / Reddit
Photo Credit: deeznuts3295 / Reddit
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Reddit user deeznuts3295 posted this photo of his father online. Is it just me, or does his dad look an awful lot like Chris Pratt?

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Does this mean that Chris Pratt is a time traveler?

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Every Guy's Tinder Pic

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gran27
Photo Credit: schants / Reddit
Photo Credit: schants / Reddit
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Reddit user schants posted this photo online with the caption, "My very cool grandpa in the 1950s holding a fish, smoking a cigarette, with a book tucked into his pants and cigarette pack in his sleeve."

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You know how every guy seems to have a picture of himself with a fish on his Tinder profile? This is what they're all trying to achieve.

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We're All Jealous

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gran6
Photo Credit: Dana Tenenbaum Tomlinson
Photo Credit: Dana Tenenbaum Tomlinson
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These amazing grandparents had their photo taken in California in 1955. Are these the two hottest people you've ever seen in your life, or what?

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Just look at those biceps!

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A Sharpshooter

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gran1
Photo Credit: iNikkor/ Reddit
Photo Credit: iNikkor/ Reddit
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You don't want to mess with Reddit user iNikkor's great-grandmother. Her name is Emma Hagen and she's pictured here perfecting her aim. She was a homesteader in North Dakota in the 1910s.

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A Fox For A Friend

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gran13
Photo Credit: TheKingStacker / Reddit
Photo Credit: TheKingStacker / Reddit
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Reddit user TheKingStacker posted this photo of his very cool grandfather online.

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He captioned it, "My Finnish grandfather smoking a cigarette and holding a wild fox that he befriended. (Circa 1975)."