Culture & Traditions

Responding to invitations promptly is part of proper etiquette. Learn about what common R.S.V.P. etiquette entails from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

What if our most advanced technological devices all ran on diesel engines? The dieselpunk subgenre of speculative fiction looks at a world that could have been.

By Jonathan Strickland

Unless you've been living under a rock, chances are good you've heard about flash mobs. What's the deal with these public spectacles? Who first came up with the fad?

By Kate Kershner

Flash mobs have become entrenched in 21st century pop culture. But who "invented" them and how can you plan your own?

By Chris Warren

Flash mobs have taken on a life of their own, occurring all over the world and involving tens of thousands of participants. Which five stand out from the rest?

By Rebecca Fairley Raney

Zoot suits were more than just smart clothes worn by guys in the 30s and 40s. They were suits that made political and cultural statements.

By Chris Warren

Some people will do anything for PEZ -- for example, spend $13,360 on set of Will and Kate dispensers. How did PEZ become so beloved?

By Patrick J. Kiger

In the 1920s, a new kind of woman who defied established gender standards, the flapper, emerged. What actions, outfits and dance moves defined flapper style?

By Cristen Conger

Teens of the 1940s, called bobby-soxers, were known for celebrity-worship and trend conformity, but they were more than just vapid fangirls. How did they set the tone for American teenage culture?

By Cristen Conger

Marge Simpson rocks a beehive, as do the ladies of the B-52s. After more than half a century, it's a hairstyle that's still guaranteed to draw attention.

By Molly Edmonds

In the 1950s, hip teens put on their circle skirts or cuffed jeans, practiced their twist or bop and headed to the sock hop. How did this cultural fad take off, and why was it called a sock hop in the first place?

By Jessika Toothman

Vintage Tupperware, in all its pastel glory, has come to symbolize 1960s domesticity in the United States. But how did these still-popular plastic containers get their start?

By Cristen Conger

Or you could use that goofy, flesh-colored substance to block some low-frequency sounds, clean your keyboard or, of course, copy that cool newspaper article you were reading. Stretch your brain even more in How Silly Putty Works.

By William Harris

The beloved hula hoop has zipped around the hips of fire dancers, video game assassins and regular folks for centuries. Step into the circle of fun with How Hula Hoops Work.

By Robert Lamb

In the 1960s, the concept of "flower power" encapsulated the hippie counterculture's peaceful response to social unrest. Who popularized this idea?

By Cristen Conger

'Come on, baby, let's do the Twist!' That's the call heard 'round the world in 1960 when Chubby Checker's dance song hit the airwaves. But how did the simple Twist leave such an indelible impression on generations since then?

By Julia Layton

What do you get when you take a gooey, rubberlike substance and compress it under 3,500 pounds of pressure? A SuperBall! Do you know what else makes this big bouncer so super?

By William Harris

With stage revivals of "Saturday Night Fever," it's clear that the leisure suit has never entirely faded from cultural consciousness. Perhaps it's the everlasting nature of poly fibers, but what's made the suit of the '70s a fad with such permanence?

By Julia Layton

Think Disco Demolition Night was the death of the catchy, danceable music of the 1970s? The name "disco" may have faded, but not the music to help you shake your groove thing.

By Molly Edmonds

It happens at concerts and live events all across the United States -- inevitably, someone screams out "Play 'Freebird'!" Where did this musical fad -- awesome to some, annoying to others -- come from?

By Karen Kirkpatrick

Injection-molded soft plastic footwear -- jellies to the rest of us -- is the fad that just doesn't quit. Whether you wore the glittery, perforated version in the '80s, or prefer the opaque ballet flat variety today.

By Jessika Toothman

Michael Jackson backslid his way into history when he performed the moonwalk in 1983, and the iconic dance step has been associated with him ever since. But did he actually invent it?

By Shanna Freeman

Mexico has a long and storied history that spans nearly six centuries and combines many European and indigenous influences. We'll discuss many of this colorful country's most beloved and unique traditions.

By Dave Roos

Italy is famous for many things: its food and wine, its art and architecture, its music and dance. However, most people don't know about the regional diversity that defines Italian tradition. Find out more here.

By Ed Grabianowski

Beside brats, beer and Oktoberfest, how much do you know about German culture and traditions? Learn more about this fascinating culture in this article.

By Lance Looper