Which one did you use?

Before emojis, these symbols were everywhere. Do you remember them?

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Before emojis became as ubiquitous as they are on our screens, people still found clever ways to express emotions in their texts and emails. Using only punctuation marks, letters, and numbers, they created little faces and symbols to laugh, wink, cry, or even roll their eyes. Let’s take a look back at 12 of the most popular ones that were used before emojis existed.

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Let’s begin with the most classic one—the smile. This was one of the earliest and most universal ways to express happiness online. Made with just a colon and a parenthesis, it was quick, simple, and instantly recognizable.

Before emojis, typing ":)" was a go-to way to show happiness and friendliness in a message. It worked everywhere: emails, chats, and message boards.

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The frown was one of the most common text symbols for showing disappointment or sadness. With only two characters, it simply flipped the cheeriness of the smiley into a downturned mood.

It appeared in countless emails and texts, letting the other person know you weren’t feeling great—or that the news you were sharing wasn’t, either.

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Adding a semicolon and dash turned a regular smile into a playful wink. It was perfect for signaling humor, teasing, or letting someone know that a message shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

In the days before GIFs, a winky face kept the tone light and helped prevent misunderstandings in written conversations.

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A colon, dash, and capital D created a wide grin that expressed big laughter or pure excitement in a way a simple smile couldn’t match.

People used it in friendly chats, jokes, or when reacting to good news—anytime a regular smile just wasn’t enough.

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The crying face combined a frown with an apostrophe for a teardrop, making it perfect for expressing sadness or sympathy.

Whether used to show genuine grief or playful exaggeration, it added an emotional punch to a simple text message or email.

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A colon, dash, and capital P made a face sticking out its tongue. It was cheeky, silly, and perfect for showing that something was meant as a joke.

It often followed playful teasing or sarcastic remarks, making sure the message came across as fun rather than rude.

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A less-than sign and the number 3 created a sideways heart, symbolizing love, affection, or appreciation. It became one of the most widely used pre-emoji symbols.

People added it to messages for friends, partners, or any situation where they wanted to express love or affection.

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This wide-eyed look used capital O’s for eyes and an underscore for the mouth, showing shock, surprise, or disbelief.

It was a favorite in online chats whenever something unexpected or outrageous happened.

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This symbol, which came from Japanese kaomoji culture, showed a cheerful, blushing expression, with carets for smiling eyes and an underscore for the mouth.

It carried a soft, cute tone and often appeared in friendly or supportive conversations.

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This expression showed frustration, pain, or embarrassment. The greater-than and less-than signs formed squinting eyes, with an underscore for the mouth.

It was a versatile way to convey everything from mild annoyance to mock agony in messages.

Go beyond Levi’s

Learn the stories behind the names of these 12 iconic clothing brands

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Clothing brands are often founded by creative individuals who strive to express themselves through their designs. As such, they also need names that communicate that same sense of inspiration—this time, through words. From cryptic acronyms like ASOS to personal nicknames like Lacoste, the following 12 clothing brand names have interesting meanings and stories behind them. Did you know any of these?

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Acronyms are a common choice for brand names, and ASOS is no exception to this rule. The name stands for "As Seen On Screen," a reference to the brand’s original concept: allowing people to shop for clothes similar to what celebrities wore on TV and in films.

Over time, users began referring to the company simply as "ASOS," and the abbreviation caught on, prompting the company to adopt it officially.

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The clothing brand Rag & Bone takes its name from the 19th-century expression "rag-and-bone man," which referred to men who scavenged for discarded items like rags, bones, and other scraps that could be reused or sold.

The founders chose the name to reflect the brand’s aesthetic—a blend of classic tailoring and utilitarian workwear.

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Some brand names aren’t rooted in meaning but are chosen simply for their aesthetic appeal. Such is the case with J. Crew. The company’s f**ounder liked the word "crew"**—it evoked a sporty, collegiate image—and added the initial "J" to give the name a classic, preppy feel.

The result was a brand name that sounded established and aspirational. The rest is history.

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Originally created as the name of a store rather than a clothing brand, Supreme was never registered as a trademark in its early days. Nevertheless, it evolved into a massively successful brand in its own right.

As the owner stated in interviews, the brand developed organically, without a formal business plan or grand ambitions—but it eventually grew into the global streetwear icon it is today.

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In the 1960s, Australian surfers began wearing sheepskin boots similar to those worn by farmers, casually referred to as "ugly boots." Inspired by this idea, Brian Smith designed his own version of a leather boot to keep his feet warm after surfing and changed the word ugly to UGG.

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The Lacoste brand was founded in 1933 by French tennis player René Lacoste, who was nicknamed "The Crocodile" for his tenacity on the court. Inspired by this moniker, he and his business partner began selling tennis shirts featuring a distinctive crocodile logo—one of the first instances of visible branding in fashion.

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Abbreviations are a popular naming choice for clothing brands, and Moncler is no exception. The outerwear company’s name comes from the abbreviation of Monestier-de-Clermont, an Alpine town near Grenoble, France, where the brand was founded.

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Clothing brands often turn to market research or cultural trends for inspiration, and 7 For All Mankind is no exception. The brand’s name was reportedly inspired by a study suggesting that the average American owns seven pairs of jeans, implying their denim was made for all of them.

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Sometimes, a strong nickname can evolve into a strong brand name—and that’s exactly what happened with Reigning Champ. Originally known in the industry for high-quality fleece production, the company was informally referred to as the "reigning champ" of fleece.

When the team decided to launch their own clothing line, the nickname stuck and became their official brand name.

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The second acronym on our list, Acne, stands for "Ambition to Create Novel Expressions," a concept much more appealing than the skin condition it shares its name with. Originally founded as a multidisciplinary creative collective working in film, production, advertising, and graphic design, the company later launched its fashion division, Acne Studios, which has become internationally renowned.

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The clothing brand Band of Outsiders, founded by designer Scott Sternberg, took its name from the English translation of Jean-Luc Godard’s film Bande à Part. According to Sternberg, choosing the brand’s name was a challenging process, but eventually, the perfect name was found.

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With nautical overtones, Stone Island is the creation of Italian designer Massimo Osti, who sought to capture his adventurous spirit in the brand’s name. After considering many word combinations, he settled on a name that has since become synonymous worldwide with cutting-edge design and innovative garment technology.