Taking a selfie nowadays is the same as having your breakfast for most of us - no day goes without one. Eating a fancy dinner? Time for a selfie! Watching a game at the stadium? Snap away! Chilling at the beach? Perfect! And with our modern technologies, it has never been easier to document your daily life. But how has it all begun? Surely you cannot make a nice selfie picture without a high-tech smartphone, right? Well, let us take you on a history trip of the Selfie, and we'll show you how Hollywood stars used to do it way before our time.

You might be amazed in learning that probably the first-ever selfie dates way back to 1839 - that's not even the 20th century! And though this first vintage photo of oneself has probably requested sitting still in front of the camera for at least 15 minutes, it was well worth the patience. With better technologies and smaller photo cameras, people favorited bathroom selfies more until someone came with the ingenious idea of holding the camera in front of your face. And that's precisely how the modern selfie was born.

Now, scroll down below for the visual part of this history lesson. You'll be delighted to see such vintage photography gems of old Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra snapping their mirror selfies and such beloved recent-times culture icons as Stanley Kubrick or Kurt Cobain documenting theirs. Selfies aren't so bad, after all!

#1

Rowan Atkinson, 1987

Rowan Atkinson, 1987

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John L
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mr. Bean to the rescue, as always......

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#3

Jeff Bridges & Sam Elliott, 1997

Jeff Bridges & Sam Elliott, 1997

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#4

Self-Portrait By Photographer Joseph Byron, 1909

Self-Portrait By Photographer Joseph Byron, 1909

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#5

Frank Sinatra, 1930s

Frank Sinatra, 1930s

Sinatra Family Archive Report

#6

Stanley Kubrick On The Set Of "The Shining" With His Daughter. Apparently, Jack Nicholson Thought Kubrick Was Taking A Photo Of Him (1980s)

Stanley Kubrick On The Set Of "The Shining" With His Daughter. Apparently, Jack Nicholson Thought Kubrick Was Taking A Photo Of Him (1980s)

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#7

Linda, Paul And Mary McCartney, 1969

Linda, Paul And Mary McCartney, 1969

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#8

John Lennon, 1967

John Lennon, 1967

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John L
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ahh, nothing like a Rollei to get the juices flowing. :D

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#9

Neil Armstrong, 1969

Neil Armstrong, 1969

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Ok Ha-Neul
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

one small step for man one giant leap for social media

#10

Photojournalist Terry Fincher With A Fish-Eye Lens Strapped To His Foot, 1966

Photojournalist Terry Fincher With A Fish-Eye Lens Strapped To His Foot, 1966

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#11

Andy Warhol, 1979

Andy Warhol, 1979

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Pi...
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a beautiful picture

#12

Madonna, 1982

Madonna, 1982

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Lola Granola
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I recognize that jacket- this is from the set of "Desperately Seeking Susan" released in 1985.

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#13

Paul McCartney, 1959

Paul McCartney, 1959

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#14

Michael Jackson, 1996

Michael Jackson, 1996

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rai mei
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

♫ ♪I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer♫ ♬

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#15

Stevie Nicks, 1970's-80's

Stevie Nicks, 1970's-80's

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#16

Ilse Bing, 1931

Ilse Bing, 1931

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#17

George Harrison, 1966

George Harrison, 1966

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#18

Robert Cornelius In The First Daguerreotype Taken In North America. It Is Believed To Be The First Photographic Self-Portrait, 1839

Robert Cornelius In The First Daguerreotype Taken In North America. It Is Believed To Be The First Photographic Self-Portrait, 1839

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Kevin Keller
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What filter did he use? Wonder if we will ever know?

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#19

US President John F. Kennedy And Jacqueline Kennedy, 1954

US President John F. Kennedy And Jacqueline Kennedy, 1954

John McInnis Auctioneers Report

John L
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Early days of Camelot, before the bill came due. :(

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#20

Princess Anastasia (Daughter Of Russia's Last Emperor), 1914

Princess Anastasia (Daughter Of Russia's Last Emperor), 1914

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#21

Buzz Aldrin, Gemini XII Mission, 1966

Buzz Aldrin, Gemini XII Mission, 1966

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John L
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And peeping over the shadow......................

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#22

Stanley Kubrick, 1949

Stanley Kubrick, 1949

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#23

George Harrison, 1966

George Harrison, 1966

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rai mei
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not so many tourists yet and the trees were still in the 'kid' phase

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#24

Sammy Davis Jr., 1950

Sammy Davis Jr., 1950

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#25

Colin Powell, 1954

Colin Powell, 1954

General Colin L. Powell Report

Twistedmisfit
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ayyye we have the same last name my dude

#26

Courtney Love And Kurt Cobain, 1992

Courtney Love And Kurt Cobain, 1992

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#27

Photographer Florence Vandamm, 1947

Photographer Florence Vandamm, 1947

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#28

Bill Nye The Science Guy, 1999

Bill Nye The Science Guy, 1999

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#29

Hunter S. Thompson, 1960

Hunter S. Thompson, 1960

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#30

Richard Avedon And Sophia Loren, 1960s

Richard Avedon And Sophia Loren, 1960s

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Stille20
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This has such an interesting composition

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#31

Geraldine Fitzgerald, 1940s

Geraldine Fitzgerald, 1940s

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Stille20
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not wanting to waste a good hair day waiting for someone else to snap a photo :)

#32

Belgian Artist Henri Evenepoel, 1898

Belgian Artist Henri Evenepoel, 1898

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#33

George Harrison, 1966

George Harrison, 1966

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#34

Gordon Parks, 1948

Gordon Parks, 1948

Time & Life Pictures Report

#35

Dennis Hopper, 1965

Dennis Hopper, 1965

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#36

George Harrison, 1966

George Harrison, 1966

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rai mei
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

looks like George took many selfies

#37

John Chaloner Woods, 1938

John Chaloner Woods, 1938

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#38

Ringo Starr, 1960

Ringo Starr, 1960

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#39

Ed Feingersh Self-Portrait With Marilyn Monroe, 1955

Ed Feingersh Self-Portrait With Marilyn Monroe, 1955

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#40

Madonna, 80s

Madonna, 80s

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ADHORTATOR
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Polaroid... state of the art at the time...

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#41

Allen Ginsburg, 1985

Allen Ginsburg, 1985

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ALIYAH ALLEN
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that's disturbing. really disturbing.

#42

Actor Van Johnson, 1940s

Actor Van Johnson, 1940s

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#43

Maj. David G. Simons, 1957

Maj. David G. Simons, 1957

Time & Life Pictures Report

#44

Tony Ray-Jones At The Seaside In 1965

Tony Ray-Jones At The Seaside In 1965

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#45

Actress Joyce Reynolds, 1940s

Actress Joyce Reynolds, 1940s

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#46

Allen Ginsberg, 1985

Allen Ginsberg, 1985

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Gloria Lasco
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He liked being naked apparently.

#47

Ronald Reagan & Lester Wisbrod, 1980s

Ronald Reagan & Lester Wisbrod, 1980s

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