The early days of the Internet were a magical time of possibility unencumbered by the conventions of graphic design. Before social media, if you wanted to put yourself online, you needed a website. But making one was easy, especially because the bar for aesthetic standards was on the floor. A Boston-based drift team is bringing back that look and showing that, improbably, the modern Internet hasn’t really improved on it.
The Loosen UP! drift team (which, full disclosure, counts The Drive’s own Aaron Segal as a member) recently launched a site with the excellent URL www.s13.world to sell merch, and it looks like something from the days of Netscape Navigator. There are cheesy animations everywhere, and a banner at the top reads “best viewed in 800×600.” In keeping with the bit, all the images in the site’s photo gallery are tiny. But who needs high-res photos when you have text that’s on fire?
It’s not just the graphics. The layout is also a throwback to the early Internet. There’s not a drop-down menu in sight, but there is a visitor counter and links to “favorite sites,” harkening back to a time when those things were relevant. Instead of going full-width, each page sits on a night-sky background with twinkling stars. That perfectly complements the various shades of purple used throughout, something you don’t see in today’s black text/white background orthodoxy.
The site is also the perfect way to showcase the team’s cars, which include drift classics like the S13 Nissan 240SX, MX83 Toyota Cressida, and Z33 Nissan 350Z. Primitive websites like this were current when drifting started taking off in the United States with cars like these, so the vibe is all period-correct. It’s the online version of wearing a Member’s Only jacket or loud-pattern windbreaker to Radwood.
Things have moved on, but maybe not for the better. I’ll take random animations over a deluge of pop-up ads any day. And low-contrast text and backgrounds may be harder to read, but they’re undeniably stylish. Nostalgia is at play here, granted. When websites looked like this, the Internet was new and exciting. It’s been optimized in many ways since then, but it’s also become a lot less fun.
Even if you don’t get the joke, it’s worth appreciating how unique design can make a great first impression compared to algorithm-driven social media platforms. Making a statement through a site is something that has aged a lot better than Flash animation.