"We live in a world of instant gratification. Sushi arrives at our door in minutes, a gorgeous coat can be bought with a few taps, and dating apps let us feel attractive from the comfort of our couch. With everything available instantly, it's no surprise that some singles are craving the opposite - a rewind to romance, old-school style. Inspired by "Friends" episodes and parents beginning sentences with "Back in my day...," daters are chasing grand gestures, simpler dates and less technology."
""Retromancing is a throwback to old-school romance," said Michael Kaye, dating expert at Plenty of Fish. "It's about nostalgic, intentional gestures like handwritten notes, mixtapes, surprise flowers, holding doors open or cooking a homemade meal. Our research found that many singles are inspired by their parents' or grandparents' love stories - and even Gen Z is leading the charge, with over a third embracing this softer, more sentimental style of dating.""
Retromancing revives old-school dating practices like homemade meals, phone calls, handwritten notes, mixtapes, surprise flowers, and intentional, low-tech gestures. The term originates from dating site Plenty of Fish and frames nostalgia as a dating style rather than a novelty. Research cited shows 38% of respondents cook homemade meals for dates and 34% prefer calling to texting. Over one-third of Gen Z are adopting retromancing, indicating youth interest in softer, sentimental dating. Examples include picnics, emailed messages instead of texts, scavenger-hunt surprises, and simple acts like holding doors or cooking together. Critics argue retromancing can mask stinginess or avoidance of modern dating responsibilities.
Read at HuffPost
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]